White Bean Hummus (from Julia Child)
This White Bean Hummus from Julia Child gets extra flavor from plenty of garlic, Tahini Sauce, and fresh chopped basil! And you can serve this tasty hummus with low-carb pita bread, or use veggie dippers to scoop it up!
PIN the White Bean Hummus to try it later!
This White Bean Hummus from Julia Child is a flavorful white bean dip that’s made with canned beans, fresh basil, lemon juice, Tahini Sauce, garlic, and olive oil. And if you like hummus, I bet you’ll like this version that’s made with white beans.
The amount of beans specified in this recipe is exactly what I measured from one can of beans, so I’ve taken the liberty of specifying a can of beans for the white bean hummus recipe. And that seems to me like good evidence that the cooking goddess may have used canned beans, but you can definitely cook your own beans if you prefer.
It surprised me to see that a recipe from a book published in 1970 included tahini sauce (which Julia called “sesame seed paste”) but that’s definitely the ingredient that gives it the distinctive hummus flavor. I increased the amount of basil a little, and ate my white bean hummus with low-carb pita bread, wishing I was in Paris sharing the plate with Julia Child and Paul. Hope you’ll try this fun hummus recipe with white beans if you’re also a Julia Child fan!
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)
- canned white beans
- fresh basil
- fresh-squeezed lemon juice, I used my fresh-frozen lemon juice
- Tahini Sauce (affiliate link)
- Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper t
- Olive Oil (affiliate link)
What White Beans did I use for this hummus?
I used canned Great Northern Beans for this recipe, but any small white beans will work.
How is the white bean hummus different from traditional hummus?
Other than the obvious difference of using white beans except for garbanzo beans I think the two things here that are a change from traditional hummus recipes are the lemon juice and the use of fresh basil. But if you like those ingredients, I bet you’ll love this interesting take on hummus!
Other Julia Child Recipes I’ve loved:
I adapted the White Bean Hummus recipe from my one-and-only Julia Child cookbook called From Julia Childโs Kitchen (affiliate link) which has now become a collector’s item! The recipe from that Julia Child I’ve made the most is definitely Julia Child’s Eggplant Pizza and if you like eggplant, I highly recommend trying that one as well!
How to make White Bean Hummus (from Julia Child):
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- I made a double batch so I’d have leftovers in the fridge, so be aware that amounts in these photos are two times what the recipe says. I started with canned Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained in a colander.
- It was the end of the season for basil, but luckily I still had enough in the garden to use a generous amount of chopped basil.
- I used the food processor to partially chop the basil before I added the other ingredients, because I wanted finely chopped basil in the finished dish.
- Here’s how the white bean puree looked after I pureed the beans, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic. Decidedly short on looks, but long on flavor.
- Serve the White Bean Hummus with low-carb pita bread or use veggie dippers for a version that’s gluten-free and lower in carbs.
More Dips to eat with Pita bread:
I’m a huge fan of the low-carb pita bread from Joseph’s Bakery, and here are some other dips I’d eat with it:
- Greek Yogurt Vegetable Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Feta
- Hot Artichoke Dip
- Greek Dip with Tomatoes and Feta
- Sheila’s Shrimp Dip
White Bean Hummus (from Julia Child)
Fresh herbs give this White Bean Hummus extra flavor, and I love the fresh basil in this recipe from Julia Child.
Ingredients
- one 15 oz. can white beans (see notes)
- 20 leaves fresh basil
- 1 1/2 T fresh lemon juice (or more)
- 1/4 cup Tahini sauce
- 2 tsp. minced garlic (or more)
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 2 T olive oil (plus more for drizzling on top if desired)
Instructions
- Empty the can of white beans into a colander placed in the sink, rinse well with cold water and let drain at least 5 minutes.
- While beans are draining, wash basil leaves, spin dry in salad spinner or dry with paper towels, then put basil in the food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
- Add beans, fresh lemon juice, Tahini Sauce (affiliate link), and minced garlic and process until beans are well pureed, about 1 minute.
- When mixture is blended, add olive oil through the feed tube, 1 T at a time.
- Taste mixture to see if you want more lemon juice, then season with salt and fresh ground black pepper and pulse a few times to mix in.
- Garnish with fresh herbs if desired, and serve with pita bread, veggies, or crackers.
Notes
Julia's recipe says garbanzo beans or black beans can also be used.
This recipe slightly adapted from my only Julia Child Cookbook โย From Julia Childโs Kitchen.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 138Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 256mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 3gSugar 0gProtein 5g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
The White Bean Hummus will never be strictly low-carb because of the beans, but if you check the nutritional information, this might be lower in carbs than you think. I ate it with low-carb pita bread, and you could serve with celery, red bell pepper, or jicama dippers for a low-carb option. Of course, canned white beans are a perfect low-glycemic food, and this dip without the pita bread would be suitable for any phase of the original South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalynโs Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes Iโm sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This white bean hummus recipe was first posted in 2009 as an event celebrating Julia Child’s birthday. It was last updated with more information in 2025.
31 Comments on “White Bean Hummus (from Julia Child)”
Only had cannellini beans ….Delicious!!
Sounds good to me! Glad you enjoyed it.
I make this with black beans all the time. Really great.
I like the sound of that!
What a beautiful dip. I just got some basil plants for my windowsill so I'll be trying this soon!
Loving this, Kalyn! Thank God I have white beans in the pantry. ๐ I adore anything beany, and your puree looks amazingly good. Thank you so much for taking part in the celebration!
I really like the sound of a basil white bean hummus!
This sounds really good. I have several Julia Child cookbooks and am looking forward to trying to cook from them soon.
This recipe sounds really good!
I have been reading your blog for weeks now after going back on south beach. You have inspired me with a lot of new dishes, and this one looks just as amazing. Thank you!
Hah! I'm sure most of Julia's recipes are anti-South Beach. Looks like you found a winner though!
This sounds like it would be great spread on a sandwich made with leftover chicken too. Thanks for the great recipe, Kalyn–and wasn't Julie & Julia fun?
I'm obsessively working on printer friendly recipes (all of 2009 done!) so I'm even worse than usual responding to comments. I do read and appreciate them though. Glad people are liking Julia's version of this; loved the basil flavor it in myself.
Looks great. Thanks. I have all of Julia Child's cookbooks, I guess the reason I'm so chubby. She definitely was my idol and I cooked many of her wonderful recipes over the years. I always go back to her rabbit cooked in red wine, with prunes. Delicious. Happy Birthday Julia, RIP.
looks great! Julia is one of my heros! Now I want to blog something for her birthday!
Mmm, this sounds like something the kids and I would LOVE. I cannot wait to try it. I have some white beans just begging to be used too …
This is the first Julia Child recipe I've seen around the blog world that has made me go OOOOH I want to make this! Perfect choice.
This looks great!
Just be careful, "Brandade" means salt cod so if you are ever in a French restaurant be forewarned! ๐
Deliciously simple – that's what I love about many of Julia's recipes. (And I'm dying to see the movie!)
oh YUM! That sounds amazing.
White bean puree is one of my favorite things to make, although I've always cooked it and served as a side dish. But I love this version – it sounds like a great no-cook dip perfect for a hot summer day.
That looks wonderful! I wonder how hard tahini was to find back then? I love the addition of basil.
Just came across your blog, I saw a free preview of the movie a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. I even bought Mastering the Art of French cooking. I started my own blog and I'm interested in participating in the Julia event so thanks for linking to it.
This hummus looks delicious, I'm a big fan of hummus. I'll have to try Julia's version!
I saw the movie last night, and can't wait to try some of her recipes again from my own copyof her book. This one's a keeper.
What a wonderful take on hummus. I like the addition of hummus and, really, anything with tahini gets my vote. This recipe shows that Julia appreciated the simple recipes as much as the elaborate ones.
Oh Kalyn this looks so delicious…
thanks for the link to the Julia birthday blog event too- I will have to go through my JC books and come up with a dish for my blog- fun!
Gotta try white bean hummus. I've had it before at a tapas bar and it was delicious!
Oh yeah! Julia does it again. I know this will be on the table soon.
My mother made this for years – so so so good. I had completely forgotten about it! Your version looks fantastic!
I love white bean hummus- and with fresh basil, garlic and olive oil- so Italian. It would be delicious spread on a cooked pizza crust topped with a fresh spinach salad.
I am loving this! I am sure the basil brings out a fabulous flavor. I will be trying this one soon! Thanks!