Harissa-Roasted Carrot and White Bean Dip
Source: Joe Yonan, Cool Beans
Recipe Type: Appetizers and Sides | Seasons: Autumn, Winter
The combination of harissa and mint—one spicy, one cooling—takes this dip into can’t-stop-eating territory. Use cannellini, navy, great Northern, or another white bean.
Makes about 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
½ pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon harissa, plus more (optional) for finishing the dish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing the dish
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 ¾ cups cooked or canned no-salt added white beans (from one 15-ounce can), drained but not rinsed (reserve the liquid)
¼ cup lightly packed mint leaves, plus more chopped mint for finishing the dish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
On a small rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with the harissa, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the salt. Place the garlic on one side of the sheet. Roast until the carrots are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Squeeze the soft garlic cloves out of their skins into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the carrots and use a spatula to scrape in as much of the browned roasted harissa bits from the pan as possible. Reserving a few whole beans for garnish if desired, add the rest to the food processor or blender, plus the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mint, and lemon juice and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add a little water or some of the reserved bean liquid, a few tablespoons at a time, to loosen the mixture if it is too pasty in texture. Taste and add more salt if needed.
To serve, spoon the dip onto a shallow plate and use the back of a spoon to swirl it. Add the whole beans and a little dollop or two of harissa, if desired, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the chopped mint. Serve with pitas, crackers, or raw vegetables.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Reprinted with permission from Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking with the World’s Most Versatile Plant-Based Protein, with 125 Recipes by Joe Yonan, copyright © 2020. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography credit: Aubrie Pick © 2020.
