Black Bean Dip Recipe

Heather Dessinger

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bean dip recipe

Let’s play a game. I’ll say superfood, and you yell the first word that comes to mind. Ready? SUPERFOOD! Hmmm, you didn’t say beans. Okay, I see where you’re coming from. Although they’re a staple in many parts of the world, beans aren’t really considered a superfood. However, they do have a surprising upside: When cooked and cooled, beans contain a lot of resistant starch, which is indigestible to us but a favorite food of the beneficial bacteria that lives in our digestive tract.

Keeping those guys healthy has a huge positive impact on our overall health and mood, and this bean dip recipe is one delicious way to do that. Hearty and bursting with flavors like cumin and garlic with a hint of jalapeno, it’s a favorite of my husband’s. His official review when I first served was just one word – WHOA – which is pretty high on the unofficial star rating around here. We usually serve ours with veggies for dipping, but crackers or chips would work, too.

Should I Soak Beans Before Cooking?

Before we get to the recipe, I want to mention something I’ve been researching lately. In traditional food circles, it’s often recommended to soak nuts/seeds and grains/legumes in salt or an acid medium to improve their digestibility. The reason for this is to reduce naturally occurring compounds such as phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, which can bind to minerals and prevent the body from using them.

However, improving digestibility for humans seems to convert some of the prebiotic compounds (indigestible to us, but the preferred food of our microbiome) into non-prebiotic form. (source)

So is it a good idea to soak grains/legumes in an acid medium or not? Opinions are split on that matter, but there is some evidence that suggests phytic acid may actually have some antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. (source 1, source 2)

Interestingly, Mark Sisson states that:

Certain gut flora can actually turn phytic acid into inositol, preventing mineral-binding and releasing a nutrient involved in mood regulation and insulin sensitivity. The more phytate-rich foods you eat, the better your gut bacteria get at breaking it down (they learn, remember?).” (source)

Whether you decide to soak your beans or not is completely up to you. If you choose to, here’s a guide to soaking beans get you started. Or, if soaking feels like too much of a hassle you can buy sprouted black beans. Sprouting is similar to soaking in that it reduces phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, and you can buy beans that have already been sprouted and dried. You can prepare them in the exact same way as you would regular dried beans – find them here.

black bean dip recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Black Bean Dip Recipe

Calories 0kcal
Author Mommypotamus

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups dry black beans (either regular or sprouted - see post above for more info on the difference)
  • 1 small onion (roughly chopped)
  • ½ red bell pepper (roughly chopped)
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic (minced)
  • ½ tsp jalapeño (seeded and finely chopped)
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ¾ tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • 2 tbsp grass-fed ghee

Instructions

  • In a medium/large pot, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, thyme, and jalapeño and sauté until the onions are softened - about 5 minutes.
  • Add beans, chicken broth, cumin, pepper and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
  • Partially cover the pot with a lid and simmer - stirring occasionally - until the beans are tender. Mine usually take about an hour and fifteen minutes. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the cilantro. Place mixture in the fridge and allow to cool overnight. The next day, place mixture in a food processor and puree. Serve chilled with veggies or crackers.

Nutrition

Calories: 0kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 0mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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5 thoughts on “Black Bean Dip Recipe”

  1. Ahhh the soaking debate continues. Physic acid is bad but good. Ha. Maybe we’ll never know. We eat pulses and legumes in our home often, usually soaked but sometimes not. Balance I guess 🙂 do you soak your beans? thank you for the recipe

    Reply
  2. The book about healing your teeth by Ramiel Nagel really put me off beans although I have always loved them. It’s so confusing with all these opposing opinions. He was positive oats also cause tooth decay……… ?? Not sure what to think any more ……. I think getting stressed about what’s good and bad doesn’t help either

    Reply
  3. Hey there, so you’re actually suggesting that we don’t always need to be soaking our beans every time, and you are NOT calling for soaking them for this recipe? Yep confusing stuff indeed. And especially as I’m making an effort to improve my dental health these days.

    Reply
    • I think there might be some previously unknown benefits to skipping the soaking, but ultimately everyone should go with whatever makes them most comfortable. To account for both approaches in this recipe, I recommended using either unsoaked beans OR sprouted beans, which is a traditional method of preparation that reduces phytates.

      Reply