Unlike traditional spinach dips, which are built around sour cream, this version gets its luscious texture from pureed part-skim ricotta cheese and fiber-rich cannellini beans.
Warm Spinach & White Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 5 ounces baby spinach (3 cups)
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Variety of sliced fresh vegetables, such as radishes, carrots, celery, fennel, etc.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the dip: Wash spinach, leaving some water clinging to the leaves. Transfer to a large saucepan. Cover, and steam spinach over medium heat, stirring once, until wilted, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove spinach using a slotted spoon, and let cool. Squeeze out excess liquid using a kitchen towel; coarsely chop. Pulse ricotta and cannellini beans in a food processor until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Add chives, lemon zest, and salt. Season with pepper. Stir in spinach. Transfer to a 1-quart baking dish. Bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Season with pepper. Serve warm with crudités.