Oven roasted garlic is delicious and the Sun Oven does a great job of bringing out its sweet and mellow flavor. Serve this garlicky dip with vegetable crudités and toasted French bread. The recipe calls for canned beans, but dry beans that have been cooked ahead of time work just as well.
What Is Garlic White Bean Dip?
This Solar Garlic White Bean Dip is a simple, savory spread made with creamy cannellini beans, Parmesan cheese, garlic, herbs, olive oil, and fresh lemon. Unlike a smooth hummus-style dip, this recipe is only coarsely mashed, giving it a thicker texture that works equally well as a dip or a spread.
The Sun Oven is especially good for this recipe because the longer, gentle cooking time mellows the garlic. Rather than having the sharp bite of raw garlic, the thinly sliced cloves cook along with the beans until they become browned, soft, and much sweeter in flavor.
Serve the finished dip with toasted French bread, crackers, pita wedges, or fresh vegetables. You can also spread it on sandwiches or wraps for an easy way to use any leftovers.
Substitutions and Variations
Cannellini beans are ideal here, but Great Northern or navy beans are easy substitutes. Both have a mild flavor and will mash into a similar consistency.
You can also adjust the herbs to suit what you have available. Rosemary, thyme, or an Italian seasoning blend can replace some or all of the sage and oregano. For an even more pronounced garlic flavor, add an extra clove.
For a smoother dip, use an immersion blender or food processor after cooking instead of a potato masher. Add a little warm water or additional olive oil as needed until you reach the consistency you prefer.
Key Ingredients
Cannellini Beans – These mild white beans provide the base of the dip. Their soft, creamy texture makes them easy to mash without needing a food processor. The recipe uses canned beans for convenience, although previously cooked dry cannellini beans work just as well.
Garlic – Four cloves might sound like a lot, but cooking the garlic for about an hour mellows its flavor considerably. Thinly slicing the cloves also helps distribute the garlic throughout the dip.
Parmesan Cheese – Parmesan adds saltiness and a rich, savory flavor that complements the beans and roasted garlic.
Sage and Oregano – These dried herbs give the dip an earthy, Mediterranean-inspired flavor without requiring fresh herbs.
Lemon Juice and Zest – Added after solar cooking, fresh lemon brightens the finished dip and balances the richer flavors of the beans, cheese, and olive oil.
How to make garlic white bean dip
- Place Sun Oven out to preheat
- Combine beans, water, cheese, garlic, oil, sage, oregano, salt, and pepper in a 5 to 6 quart pot. Cover and cook in SO until garlic is browned, about 1 hour.
- Add lemon juice and zest; coarsely mash with a potato masher until all the ingredients are blended. If mixture is too dry, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes thick and spreadable
More Solar Oven Appetizers
Solar Cooking Tips
Preheat your Sun Oven while assembling the ingredients so cooking can begin as soon as the pot goes inside. Keep the pot covered during cooking to help retain moisture.
Don't worry about hitting an exact oven temperature. Solar cooking temperatures naturally fluctuate with cloud cover and the position of the sun. Instead, use the garlic as your guide. When it is soft and beginning to brown, the mixture is ready to mash.
Finally, add the lemon juice and zest after cooking. This keeps their flavor fresh and bright rather than allowing the citrus notes to mellow during the hour in the Sun Oven.
Solar Garlic White Bean Dip
Equipment
- 1 Sun Oven
Ingredients
- 45 oz Cannellini beans drained and rinsed about 3 cans
- ½ cup Water
- ½ cup Grated parmesan cheese
- 4 Garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 teaspoon Dried sage
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Grated lemon zest
Instructions
- Place Sun Oven out to preheat.
- Combine beans, water, cheese, garlic, oil, sage, oregano, salt, and pepper in a 5 to 6 quart pot. Cover and cook in SO until garlic is browned, about 1 hour.
- Add lemon juice and zest; coarsely mash with a potato masher until all the ingredients are blended. If mixture is too dry, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it becomes thick and spreadable.
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