The Best Homemade Bean Dip
The Best Homemade Bean Dip Recipe – It’s easy to make delicious, creamy, scoop-able bean dip right at home! Our restaurant-style bean dip recipe can be made on the stove or using an Instant Pot, with dried or canned beans.
Whether we are talking picnics, potlucks, game day gatherings, or backyard barbecues, it isn’t really a party unless there are chips and dip involved.
The perfect dip is creamy with a bit of bite, packed with flavor, and appeasing to nearly all dietary needs. It has to pair well with both a chip or cracker and some sort of fresh produce. And bonus points if it can easily be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.
Our Best Homemade Bean Dip Recipe checks all of these boxes, and then some!
The Best Bean Dip, Made at Home
The first thing we always order at our favorite Mexican restaurant is a large bowl of silky, flavorful bean dip to go along with all of those crunchy tortilla chips. It kicks the meal off just right, although honestly, I could eat the entire bowl myself as my entree!
But I figured, why enjoy such a wonderfully savory starter only when we are out to eat. Especially since it is so easy to make the most amazing Mexican restaurant-style bean dip at home for your family dinners or parties?
Bring a large batch to your next gathering and watch how quickly it disappears. This gluten-free, vegetarian, scrumptious Homemade Bean Dip Recipe is always a huge hit!
What Ingredients You Need for This Easy Bean Dip Recipe
There are only a handful of 6 ingredients needed to make the best bean dip right at home.
You can use canned drained pinto beans to cut down on cooking time, but you’ll save money using dried pinto beans!
- Pinto beans – dried or canned
- Sweet onion – peeled and cut into wedges
- Garlic – smashed
- Pico de gallo – either store-bought or homemade
- Mexican blend cheese – shredded
- Salt
How to Make the Best Bean Dip Option #1: Stovetop Method Instructions
To make this amazing dip on the stovetop, first soak the beans in cold water overnight.
In the morning, pour off the water and place the soaked beans in a large 6-quart sauce pot, and place on the stove. Pour fresh water into the pot, covering the beans by 3-4 inches.
Turn the heat up to medium. Add the onion, garlic, and salt, and stir. Cover and simmer for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Pro Tip: The older the dried beans are, the longer they will take to cook. Check for doneness after the first couple of hours, and continue to monitor until they are ready.
How to Make the Best Bean Dip Option #2: Instant Pot Method
You do not have to soak the beans if pressure cooking them. Simply place the dried beans in the Instant Pot with the onions, garlic, salt, and 5 cups of water, and stir.
Set on Pressure Cook HIGH for 35 minutes. Then perform a Natural Release. Once the steam button has dropped it is safe to open the lid.
Pro Tip: If the beans are too firm, pressure cook for 5-10 more minutes, then perform a Quick Release.
How to Prep Homemade Bean Dip
Cook the beans until they are very soft. Then drain off the liquid and reserve for later use.
To make the best restaurant-style bean dip at home, simply:
- Pour the cooked pinto beans (or drained canned beans) into a large food processor.
- Add the pico de gallo and 1 cup of the reserved liquid. Pulse until mostly smooth but not liquified.
- Then, add the shredded cheese and pulse a few more times to “melt” the cheese into the beans. If you like your bean dip to be looser, add another ¼ to ¾ cups of cooking liquid.
Pour the bean dip into a serving dish, top with a bit more pico de gallo, and enjoy with tortilla chips or fresh veggies. Salt and pepper to taste.
The Best Homemade Bean Dip keeps well stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.
You can serve this dip at room temperature, or reheat it on the stovetop in a small saucepan. Be sure to stir frequently and add a splash of water if needed before enjoying it again.
Get the Complete (Printable) Best Homemade Bean Dip Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make The Best Bean Dip with Canned Beans?
Yes, you can! For an even faster and easier version of our Best Bean Dip Recipe, swap the dried beans for 3 cans of drained pinto beans and heat on the stovetop before pureeing.
You may need to add a little broth or water to loosen them up.
How Do I Make Vegan Bean Dip?
This vegetarian restaurant-style bean dip can easily be made vegan. Just substitute your favorite plant-based shredded cheddar cheese for a delicious vegan bean dip recipe.
Refried Bean Dip Variations and Add-Ins
We love the simple clean robust flavor of this refried bean dip. Yet if you want to mix things up, try adding in…
- Ground cumin
- Green chiles
- Bell peppers
- Green onions (scallions)
- Fresh cilantro
- Chili powder
- Garlic or onion powder
What Other Recipes Can I Enjoy with Homemade Refried Bean Dip Recipe?
Freshly made bean dip is perfect for a dip-able yummy snack, side dish, and so much more!
Use this appetizer dip recipe as part of making a stackable Seven Layer Dip, Mexican Sopes, or in the filling of burritos or tacos.
Looking for More Delicious Dip Recipes?
- Buffalo Cowboy Caviar
- Hot Onion Dip with Fried Onions
- Roasted Poblano Avocado Dip
- Hot Smoked Pimento Cheese Dip
- Amazing Queso Blanco
- Fresh Mango Guacamole Dip
- Smoked Cheese Dip (Spread) with Sour Cream
- Retro Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
- Best Homemade Salsa
- Seven Layer Dip with tomatoes and Refried Beans
- Magic Taco Dip with Taco Seasoning
Check out the printable recipe card below for nutritional information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages.
The Best Homemade Bean Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried pinto beans
- ½ large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4-6 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Stovetop Method:
- To make on the stovetop, soak the beans in cold water overnight.
- Then pour off the water and place the soaked beans in a large 6 quart sauce pot. Pour fresh water into the pot, covering the beans by 3-4 inches.
- Turn the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, and salt. Cover and simmer for 2-4 hours. *The older the dried beans are, the longer they will take to cook.
Instant Pot Method:
- You do not have to soak the beans if pressure cooking them. Place them in the Instant Pot, with the onions, garlic, salt, and 5 cups water.
- Set on Pressure Cook High for 35 minutes. Then preform a Natural Release. Once the steam button has dropped it is safe to open the lid. *If the beans are too firm, pressure cook for 5-10 more minutes, then perform a quick release.
Bean Dip Prep:
- Once the beans are very soft, drain off the liquid and reserve for later use.
- Pour the beans into a large food processor. Add the pico de gallo and 1 cup of reserved liquid. Pulse until mostly smooth. Then add the shredded cheese and pulse a few more times to melt the cheese into the beans. If you like your bean dip to be looser, add another ¼ to ¾ cups of cooking liquid.
- Top with a fresh scoop of pico de gallo on top, and serve with tortilla chips or veggies.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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That amount of raw garlic was overwhelming. I ended up cooking the mash to moderate the garlic flavor and added lots more cheese. It’s not bad, but in the future I’ll either sauté the garlic in some bacon fat before adding or use garlic powder.
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So good. I cheated and used canned beans because I had a 30oz can in the pantry but it was delicious and so easy. I will definitely make this again.
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I made this recipe using canned beans as that’s what I only have available and it still came out amazing! I loved it.
I tried this with canned beans since that’s what I only have available and it was still amazing. Thank you for this excellent recipe I will definitely be making this again!
I’m a great consumer of this dish, but never stopped to consider how it’s made, thought was just beans…as you state it’s usually something you order not make, but love and miss it, and really appreciate making it from scratch to know what goes in it!
This bean dip is amazing. The flavor is perfect.
There is nothing like delicious bean dip! It is so addicting!! This recipe is so creamy & tastes amazing!
This bean dip was fantastic! I actually ate the whole bowl before the party and had to make another batch. Oops.:)
Your quicker recipe with the 3 cans of beans does not mention the onion, garlic, and salt. Is it still needed when warming up the beans?
Hi Sly,
I would sauté the onions and garlic before adding them to the beans. :)
This bean dip is so good and reminds me of the type you would get at most Mexican restaurants!