You may remember that a few months ago I began a mutual love affair with hummus.
Yes, that’s right.
I love hummus and hummus loves me.
But don’t go thinking that I dip veggies into it or anything.
Give me a bag of Stacy’s pita chips and I’ll go to town. I’m in heaven. My life is complete.
And I also lose all self control.
I have developed an affection for any type of bean dip. And I love the endless combinations that can be created.
I also get the hummus and bean dips all to myself. Mr. How Sweet won’t touch them since they lack meat. Even though they have a bit of protein and a lot of fiber, he resists.
I’m not complaining; he doesn’t need the extra fiber. Trust me.
I figured that the marriage of creamy beans and pesto would be fantastic. I love pesto, but I don’t love traditional pesto made with basil. My favorite is made with arugula – it has a peppery bite to it. I also add a good bit of cheese, and it just can’t be beat.
I know the whole cheese thing probably comes as a shock. I’ll give you a minute to decompress.
So not only are there garbanzo and cannellini beans in this dip, there is spicy, cheesy arugula pesto layered and swirled throughout.
I love it as a dip itself, but I imagine it would be just as delicious on sandwiches and salads.
Two Bean Pesto Dip
makes about 1 1/2 cups
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans
1/4 cup pesto (I used arugula pesto)
1/3 cup olive oil (may need a bit more)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
In a food processor, combine beans and process. Stream in olive oil slowly until desired consistency is reached. Add salt, pepper and garlic and continue to blend.
Add to a bowl and layer with pesto. You can also just mix directly with pesto.
Serve with pita or tortilla chips.
I probably would have learned to love hummus earlier in life, but it wasn’t something we ever had when we were younger.
Case in point: my mom recently asked me if hummus was made with cannoli beans. You can learn two things from this statement. First, we didn’t eat many beans growing up either, unless they were of the baked variety. Second, we clearly aren’t Italian.
I’m Jessica and this is where I share my stuff. You will find a balance of healthy recipes, comfort food and indulgent desserts.
I just made this 2 bean hummus yesterday!! How funny. We didn’t include the pesto though, but I need to because I can imagine it brings it to a totally new level of amazingness.
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YUM! Looks fantastic! Love the fact that you added cannellini beans – extra protein and fiber! :)
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Love the pesto addition, will be trying that the next time make hummus! Mmm, looks delish!
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Pesto + hummus!! You are so brilliant!! :)
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Hummus is a favorite!!! And this one looks mighty tasty.
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It amazes me how wide-spread hummus has become – I *was* raised with it as a Middle Eastern child but it was one of those foods I didnt really think anyone else knew about … in recent years that has changed though.
This looks DIVINE. I love the idea of arugula!!
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I LOVE the pairing of beans with pesto!! I bet this dip makes for a beautiful presentation.
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Pesto and hummus seems like such a perfect combination! Well. It’s technically not hummus anymore since you added cannellini, but it’d still be awesome. And delicious. :D
Wei-Wei
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Two of my favorite things in one bowl! Love this!
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what a beautifully fabulous dip idea! i need to try this with all the extra basil we have in the garden!
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You just married two of my favorite things in the whole world: hummus and pesto. Anyway to work in indian food?! That would be the trifecta! haha
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Mmm this looks so good! I love any type of bean dip too. I recently bought a huge can of “cannoli” beans, so I’ll have to try this :)
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Now this one…I just fell in love with! We have a huge love of hummus here. I make it in 6 cup batches and it is literally gone in a couple of days. I can’t keep it around. Which is why I make it from scratch…I can’t afford to buy that much hummus at a time. My husbands parents won’t touch the stuff unless we put bacon in it and call it bean dip. And yes, we totally did that one time and they loved it! Funny how changing the words up (and adding bacon) to something makes it less fancy and more edible.
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This looks fantastic, I love all types of bean hummus! My fave is my white bean hummus, which would go FANTASTIC with pesto. Hence why this is now on the list. :D
xo
Kris
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I adore hummus and the homemade kind is my fave! While I do love traditional chickpea hummus, I’ve had fun making edamame and pumpkin based hummus, too.
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Jessica — August 18th, 2010 @ 5:32 am
Pumpkin hummus sounds amazing.
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Lauren at KeepItSweet — August 18th, 2010 @ 1:29 pm
how do you make pumpkin hummus?!
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I love hummus! This looks delicious!
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gorgeous dip! i must try this <3
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Yum!! This looks delicious! Hummus is my favorite!
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Thank you for this recipe, I don’t like basil hummus at all and it doesn’t like me (it usually give me indigestion) but I never thought you use arugula. I can’t wait to try it.
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Hummus and pesto combined together? This is one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments! What an amazing combination…I can’t wait to try it! Hmmm…what to make for lunch today…this hummus or Melanie’s grasshopper pie? ;-)
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Jessica — August 18th, 2010 @ 6:05 am
Seriously… that pie looks unreal.
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This looks yummy. Never thought about making pesto from arugula. I am going to have to make this for our next cookout.
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I am right there with you…I tried hummus for the first time last year, and ever since, I’ve been seriously addicted. ;-)
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You should dip some bacon in there ;)
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I will eat pretty much any bean concoction. Except baked beans. I hate baked beans.
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Oh my God, I love your mom for that.
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CANNOLI beans would be AWESOME ! somehow… :)
I can’t believe Mr How Sweet would not LOVE bean dip!!
This looks so sinfully delicious… I want to make some for my breakfast!!
I use hummus on sandwiches and wraps all the time – so so SO good :)
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This looks awesome! Definitely making this some time. Yum. :)
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that looks sooo good! :)
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LOL @ your mom. That is pretty funny! :)
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I bet if cannoli beans existed they’d be fantastic ;) This dip sounds so good- 2 of my favorite things hummus + pesto- mmmm!
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This dip looks SO amazing! Why have I never thought of using more than one type of bean? Love the addition of the pesto too, yum! :)
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Yum, amazing! Given how hot it has been lately we have pretty much been living on dips (no-cook). This sounds like it will be dinner tonight!
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I am going to have to try this. I recently made a pesto hummus but would love to try your version of pesto.
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this is so perfect, i was searching for a side dish idea for a party this saturday! thank God you posted this…i was going crazy with no ideas!
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I usually just mix pesto into my pre made hummus. This is why you are a much better cook than I am.
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This looks wonderful!!
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That looks amazing! Smart thinking combining pesto and hummus!!
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We didn’t eat hummus in my childhood either, and I’m certain I wouldn’t have tried it had it been available. That looks amazing though!
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LOL That is hilarious. Cannoli beans. oh my gosh, that is SOOOOO something I would say!
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No hummus here as a child either. I think this looks like a great recipe, but I’m not a huge fan of garbanzo beans so I’d stick with all cannellini beans. Your arugula pesto sounds great!
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You had me at hummus.
Can’t wait to make this recipe!
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There are many things I didn’t eat because I know my mom didn’t. Funny how much influence parents can have. It definitely took me awhile to warm up to hummus. It wasn’t love at first site! However, now I luuurve it. This recipe sounds awesome and LOOK at your photos!!!!! Glad to hear mr.how sweet’s BM’s are moving right along ;)
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My friends and I do Sunday potluck’s every week, and I am SO bringing this to the next one! How amazing – and I’d never even considered pesto with arugula. Brilliant!
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Swoon. I’ve never had a ‘hummus’ type dip with pesto before, but I can already taste the wonderfulness in my mouth, it’s love.
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booooook markkkked. This is coming with me to my next party. Delicious
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This looks fantastic!
I was craving hummus like no other yesterday, and thank goodness we had some around the house!
This looks even better though.
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this is the interserction of like a spinach dip + hummus…except it’s pesto + hummus….and it’s awesome looking! not tons of salt or garlic, no gluteney breadcrumbs, no cheezy dairy sauce…perfect girl! love it!
the 2-fold comment about your mom/childhood at the bottom..that is CLASSIC!!!!!
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I want some right now!! Delicious!
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I LOVE this dip. I am a total chip and dip girl.
Question: Have you ever made a black bean dip?
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Oh yum hummus and pesto, two of my edible loves! I love your comment about your husband and beans… Hilarious.
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