As you know, Mexican-inspired flavors are by far my greatest love. In particular, bean dip is right up my alley; I indiscriminately dunk chips in it, dollop it on salads, and smear it on tacos. But most bean dips are loaded with a frightening amount of dairy and sometimes even meat; they tend to be pretty heavy, drab, and one-note.
I'm so excited to introduce you to my go-to bean dip at home. It's fresh, vibrant, and colorful. We've made this probably a hundred times! It's fast, easy, and comes together in a single skillet. Plus, unlike most recipes, this one is basically just beans (and of course lots of seasonings and special garnishes!). It's a dip you can feel good about eating because it's loaded with plant-powered protein and fiber.
We make this one year-round, always changing up the garnishes. But given that we're now only couple weeks away from the Super Bowl, I'm particularly excited to finally share this recipe. Whether you enjoy this for a gameday party, a Friday night in, spread into tacos, or as a great dish to bring to a potluck, I'm confident you'll come back to it again and again.
One of the best things about this dip is that it only uses one pan. I prefer to use a skillet, but it works alright in a standard pan as well. This makes it quite fast to create, and even faster to clean up after.
To start, you'll saute the jalapeños in a dash of cooking oil. You'll then add all the spices and toast them for a few minutes to really bring out their flavors. Next, you'll add the beans, mash them part-way, and add some water, then let it all cook down slowly. I like to cook this dip for at least 15-20 minutes, but longer is better. Sometimes I let it cook for an hour! Just keep adding water, stirring, and cooking it down until you're happy with how the flavors have developed. Finish it off by adding the juice of a lime for a big pop of freshness.
You can even serve this dip right in the skillet (and I actually prefer to do this, since it keeps it hot!). Just pile on all your favorite fresh, crunchy, and creamy garnishes and dig in. No serving dishes (or even utensils...) required!
There are a lot of ways to change up this versatile recipe! Most importantly, you can go as crazy as you want with the garnishes, adding whatever crunchy, fresh, or creamy garnished you love most. This is the most fun part!
This recipe is also easy to adapt based on how much heat you want. For zero heat, use a green bell pepper in place of the jalapeños. For minimal heat, use a poblano pepper or two. If you choose to use jalapeños, you can use as many as you like; to minimize their heat, remove the seeds and the ribs. For additional heat, feel free to add a splash of your favorite hot sauce to taste. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could even use other hot peppers of your choice.
This recipe is great for serving at a gameday party, a weekend evening get-together, or even a potluck. You can make the bean dip up to two days in advance; just store it in a tightly-sealed container in the fridge. If needed, add a dash of water to reach your desired consistency, since it will thicken in the fridge. Reheat and then garnish just before serving.
Here's what you'll need for this recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
Come to our house on any Friday evening, especially during the winter, and we're likely to be making this dip. Our ideal Friday evening plan is a couple margaritas, a bunch of raw veggies, some tortilla chips, and a couple fun Mexican-inspired dips. There's really no better way to unwind after a long week.
This dip is such a go-to for us because it's easy but still super flavorful, decadent-seeming yet still nourishing, and infinitely customizable based on what we have on-hand. It's really one you can come back to week after week and never make the same way twice. Cheers, we hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
Blueberry Ginger Paloma (but with pomegranate instead of blueberries for a wintry feel!)
Spicy and flavorful, this bean dip is a weekend evening go-to in our house. Use it as a dip for chips and veggies, spread it into tacos, and dollop it on salads; you won't be able to get enough of it!
For the Bean Dip
For Garnishing
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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