One of our favorite afternoon snacks is fresh veggies with a high protein dip. Having a variety of dips to rotate through keeps this a more enjoyable snack and the protein keeps me full.
This recipe was created because I had a can of butter beans that needed to be used. I wanted to try something new with them. You can make hummus with any type of bean, it doesn't have to be a chickpea! Instead of going to the store for traditional hummus ingredients, I decided to use what I had and I was very happy with the results.
You Don't Need a Specific Bean to Make a Great Dip
Traditional hummus is made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans). That doesn't mean they're the only bean that can make a delicious hummus-style dip. For this recipe, I used butter beans because they were already sitting on my shelf.
Being flexible with your ingredients and using what you have is one way to save money on groceries. Before adding another ingredient to your grocery list, look at what you already have to use in your pantry.
Depending on what's in your pantry you can use butter beans, cannellini beans, great northern beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans or lupini beans. Different beans will give the finished dip slightly different flavors and textures. If increasing protein is important to you, take a minute to compare nutrition labels. Protein amounts can vary between different beans and brands
You don't necessarily need to buy the bean with the highest number. Use the beans you enjoy and, especially, the ones you already have.
Uses for Greek Yogurt
The greek yogurt in this recipe makes it creamy and gives it even more protein. When I buy greek yogurt, I transfer it from the plastic container to a glass jar. This keeps it fresh longer. It will last 2 weeks past the expiration date when stored this way.Ā
I recently made a blog with 12 ways to use greek yogurt and you can read that here.
Cottage cheese is another option worth trying if that's what you already have.
The goal of the Greek yogurt is to make the dip creamy while also increasing the protein. Blended cottage cheese can do the same thing. Cottage cheese is generally saltier and less tangy than Greek yogurt, so you may want to reduce the added salt and increase the lemon juice if you switch the ingredients.
There's no reason to buy Greek yogurt specifically for this recipe if you already have cottage cheese.
How to Make Hummus Without Tahini
Here's another ingredient you don't necessarily need to buy, tahini. You will see this in a lot of homemade hummus recipes but thereās an easy alternative. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It's delicious, but if you only use a tablespoon or two occasionally, you may not want to buy an entire jar.
I buy a small amount of sesame seeds from the bulk bins and store them in a tightly sealed glass jar. When I need tahini for a recipe that's going into the blender anyway, I use a simple shortcut, toast the sesame seeds and put them directly into the blender.
There's no need to make a separate batch of tahini first. For this bean dip, we're blending everything together so the toasted sesame seeds provide that sesame flavor without adding another specialty item to the grocery list.
Other High Protein Dips
If you're looking for some other ideas for high protein dips I also have recipes for avocado ranch and spinach dip.
After I go grocery shopping I wash my carrots and celery, chop them into sticks and store them in glass containers. This keeps them fresh for a month in my fridge. It allows us to always have fresh veggies ready to go for these dips. If you want to learn more about how to wash and store fruits and vegetables to keep them fresh for weeks, check out my Zero Waste Produce Guide. It is available on Amazon and in The Cross Legacy Shop as a hardcover book and eBook.
Easy Hummus Flavor Variations
Once you have the basic bean dip recipe, use what's already in your refrigerator and pantry to change the flavor. You could add roasted red peppers to make a red pepper version and or sun-dried tomatoes for an additional flavor option. These items can both be kept unopened in your pantry for a long time until you are ready to use them.
How to Store Homemade Bean Hummus
Store the finished hummus in a glass jar with a metal lid and it will stay fresh for 5-7 days in the refrigerator.
High-Protein Bean Hummus
Ingredients
- 1 can beans, drained and rinsed
- ā cup Greek yogurt, plain
- 2 T sesame seeds
- juice of half a lemon
- Ā½ T garlic & herb seasoning
- Ā½ teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Ā¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the beans
- Place the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Toast for approximately 3ā5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they're fragrant and very lightly golden. Allow them to cool
- Combine the beans, Greek yogurt, toasted sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic & herb seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper
- If you already have toasted sesame oil, you can add a small amount for additional sesame flavor. It's completely optional.
- Blend until the dip is smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- If the dip is still thicker than you'd like after blending thoroughly, add a small amount of water or additional lemon juice.
- Taste before adding anything else.
- If the dip tastes flat, try a little more salt or lemon before adding additional ingredients.
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