Bean dip facts for kids

A yummy bean dip served with tortilla chips

Bean dip is a tasty dipping sauce made mostly from beans. Sometimes, it uses refried beans. People usually eat it with tortilla chips. You can also enjoy it with crackers or crudités (cut-up raw veggies).

Many kinds of beans can be used. You can use fresh-cooked, canned, or even flaked beans. Lots of other ingredients make it special. These include onion, garlic, chili peppers, and spices. Sometimes, it's decorated with fresh herbs. Bean dip can be served cold, warm, or hot. It's also used in other dishes, like burritos and quesadillas.

What is Bean Dip?

A bean dip made with kidney beans, topped with lime zest

You can make bean dip with many types of beans. Some popular choices are black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. White beans, fava beans, lima beans, and edamame (young soybeans) also work well. Some dips even mix several kinds of beans, like a "three-bean dip."

You can use beans that you soak and cook yourself. Canned beans or refried beans are also great options. Canned beans often make a creamier dip. This is because they are pressure-cooked in the can. Canned beans might be a bit salty. You can rinse and drain them to reduce the salt. Freshly cooked beans can give a richer flavor. Sometimes, canned green chili peppers are a main ingredient too.

Dried bean flakes can also be used. You just add boiling water to them. This makes a bean paste quickly. It's perfect for an instant bean dip. Using dried bean flakes can make a very smooth and creamy dip.

Many other ingredients can be added. These include onion, roasted red bell pepper, and chili peppers. Fresh herbs like cilantro are popular. Lime juice, lemon juice, and sour cream add tang. Oil, lard, vinegar, and water can also be used. Spices like garlic, cumin, coriander, and chili powder are common. Hot sauce, salt, and pepper finish it off.

You can mix or purée these ingredients. A food processor, blender, or even your hands can do the job. Bean dip is often topped with shredded cheese. It can be decorated with chopped cilantro or green onion. Fresh or dried parsley and lime zest are also nice garnishes.

Letting the dip sit for a while helps flavors mix. You can serve bean dip cold, at room temperature, or hot. Hot bean dip can be made ahead of time. Just refrigerate it and cook it later. You can even use a slow cooker to keep it warm. Bean dip can be made vegan and gluten-free. It's usually served with tortilla chips. Other good dippers are crackers, crudités, breadsticks, and pita bread. Toasted bread like baguette also works.

Bean Dip in Stores

Some companies make bean dips in large amounts. For example, Frito-Lay makes Fritos Bean Dip. These store-bought dips often have extra flavors. Cheese or jalapeño are common additions. Some might have a higher fat content. This is due to ingredients like lard. You can also find refrigerated bean dips. These are kept in the cold section of grocery stores.

Using Bean Dip in Other Meals

Bean dip is a key part of seven-layer dip. It's also used in other dishes. You can add it to quesadillas, burritos, and nachos. It makes these meals even more delicious!

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  A seven-layer bean dip

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  A close-up of a seven-layer bean dip

Images for kids

• More Bean Dips
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  Black bean dips: one with whole beans (left) and one with mashed beans

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  A white bean and Parmesan cheese bean dip served with pita bread

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  Herbed white bean dip with crudités

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  Spring rolls with a black bean dipping sauce

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  Bissara is a Moroccan broad bean dip or soup

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  A bean dip made with white beans and roasted red pepper, on a tortilla chip

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  Bean dip made with white beans

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  Black bean dip with tortilla chips

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  A close-up of a lima bean dip

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  A bean dip served with plantain chips