If you are looking for vegan appetizer ideas, this Vegan Black Bean Dip is the perfect spicy, creamy dip that is incredibly satisfying. It is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free and full of healthy ingredients.
It's an appetizer that people return to again and again for more helpings! I serve it on a platter with homemade tortilla chips and fresh veggies and then watch it disappear. This vegan dip recipe is also so easy to make that you can get the kids helping in the kitchen. They love adding ingredients to the food processor and then pushing the button!
It is perfect for serving alongside my quick vegan nacho cheese dip when entertaining. Also, it could be used as a swap for the refried beans in my vegan 7-layer dip.
Health Benefits of Black Beans
Black beans are considered a legume and part of both the protein and vegetable group. They also provide dietary fiber and important nutrients such as iron and zinc.
I love their texture when pureed and they absorb flavor well, which lets you adjust this dip so it's exactly to your preference! With canned black beans as the main ingredient, this dip is a healthy and satisfying appetizer that makes you feel as good as it tastes.
If you are looking to incorporate more black beans into your diet, I highly recommend my one-pot easy vegan black bean soup. Another one of my favorite recipes that uses black beans is my quinoa black bean veggie burgers. These and other black bean recipes are featured in my roundup of 15 vegan and gluten-free black bean recipes.
What to Serve for Dipping
I always grab grain-free tortilla chips for an appetizer like this! My kids love them as much as I do, which makes them eat more of this healthy bean dip.
I also like this recipe for dipping baby carrots, sliced red bell peppers or sliced cucumbers. It tastes amazing on anything! You could also use it as a black bean spread on wraps or sandwiches. Such delicious possibilities!
Ingredients
For this recipe you will need:
- Can of black beans
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onion
- Jalapeno
- Garlic cloves
- Lime juice
- Maple syrup
- Salt & pepper
- Garnishes such as fresh cilantro, vegan sour cream, chopped red onion, sliced jalapeño, lime zest or homemade pico de Gallo.
See recipe card below for precise quantities and instructions.
How to Make Bean Dip from Canned Beans
The recipe for this black bean spread is so easy to make! We're talking a creamy, flavorful dip ready in just 5 minutes!
Add ingredients to food processor: This recipe is really as simple as adding all of the ingredients to your food processor and processing until you reach your desired creaminess and smoothness!
I like to leave a small amount of texture in the dip so I don't ever over-process the dip mixture.
Taste and adjust the flavor: You can easily adjust the flavor after blending. Add more lime for tang, a bit of maple syrup for sweetness, or extra jalapeño for spice.
With the strong flavors of jalapeño, cilantro and garlic as well as finer flavors of lime juice and salt, one flavor could easily come through too strong and overpower the dip. This is especially true if you allow the dip to refrigerate before serving and allow the flavor to develop further. Therefore, tasting your black bean dip after processing it is a crucial part of this recipe!
Guide to adjusting flavors:
- If your bean dip is too salty or tangy from the lime juice, add some maple syrup to balance it out.
- If the flavors of the dip are not popping enough, add some more lime juice and salt to brighten the flavor.
- If the dip is too strongly flavored overall, add some homemade vegan sour cream to lighten the entire dip and add some creaminess.
How long does bean dip last in the fridge?
You can store leftover black bean dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. It can be frozen for up to three months if wrapped tightly, but given how quick and easy it is to make I would recommend just making a fresh batch!
More Vegan Dip Recipes
If you are looking for more fresh, flavor-packed vegan dip recipes you should definitely try my chipotle guacamole recipe together with my salsa fresca - they work so well together with chips, fresh veggies and Mexican inspired dishes too. You can find plenty more Mexican dishes in my Cinco de Mayo roundup.
Another fan favorite dip recipe is my cilantro hummus with jalapeño. This hummus is just the best on all sorts of dishes and having a reliable and tasty recipe on hand is a must!
Other favorite dips you must try are a delicious vegan French onion dip and creamy roasted garlic dip that are perfect for any occasion. A great creamy dip recipe to try alongside those is my vegan nacho cheese sauce which is not only a dip, but also a great vegan cheese sauce you can add to almost any dish to amp up the flavor!
I hope this recipe inspires you to incorporate black bean dip into your appetizer/spread rotation. If you give this recipe a try, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating it! And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it @eatingbyelaine and #eatingbyelaine so I can see!
@eatingbyelaine Happy Cinco de Mayo 💃🏼 #blackbeans #blackbeandip #homemadedip #cincodemayorecipes #mexicanrecipes ♬ original sound - eatingbyelaine
5 Minute Healthy Vegan Black Bean Dip
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade black bean dip is 100% vegan and made with canned black beans, for ease. It’s a simple, healthy plant-based appetizer option or snack choice that’s ready in 5 minutes. Toss all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth—the result is a creamy, slightly spicy wholesome black bean dip or spread.
Ingredients
Black Bean Dip
- 1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves (large stems removed)
- ¼ cup red onion, peeled and diced
- ¼ jalapeno (~ 1 tablespoon diced), seeds removed*
- 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 large juicy lime, zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup**
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Garnishes:
- Easy Homemade Vegan Sour Cream (highly recommend - pairs perfect with this dip)
- fresh cilantro leaves
- finely diced red onion
- thinly sliced jalapeno or diced jalapeno
- lime zest
- Homemade Pico de Gallo (Salsa Fresca)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in food processor in the order listed above. Puree until smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides with a spatula.
- Taste and adjust flavors as needed. You may want to add more jalapeno for added spice, more salt to bring out the flavors or a touch more of garlic or lime zest.
- Serve with your favorite raw veggies or tortilla chips. Or, use in burritos, tacos, wraps or sandwiches.
- Garnish with desired toppings from above. I highly recommend swirling a good amount of the vegan sour cream in the center.
- Store leftover black bean dip (without the garnishes) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
*The amount of jalapeno you use is very personal depending on how spicy you like your food. If you are making this for kids, leave the jalapeno out as it makes the dip quite spicy. Removing the seeds helps to reduce the amount of heat but even without the seeds ¼ of a jalapeno pepper is still quite spicy. If you are a fan of spicy foods, feel free to use as much as you want. I recommend starting with a small amount, tasting and adding more as needed.
**Maple syrup is optional - I really like it for a touch of sweetness but some prefer the dip without. I like it paired with the spiciness of the jalapeno, pungent garlic flavor and the zesty lime juice.
If you want an extra creamy black bean dip, add ¼ cup vegan sour cream into the food processor before processing. Really good!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: easy vegan black bean dip recipe
Johan says
What a great recipe! I will definitely be making this again!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Johan!