Garlicky White Bean Dip with Kale Stems, Hazelnuts & Crispy Sage

Save your kale stems from the discard pile with this tasty white bean dip with kale stems, hazelnuts and crispy sage leaves.

If you make kale chips or other dishes that only call for kale leaves, you may end up with some leftover kale stems. The stems may seem fibrous and unenticing compared to the kale leaves, but with a little kitchen magic you can turn them into something you'll really want to eat.

I like to dice up kale stems and save them in the freeze. That way it's easy to quickly toss a handful into soups for a bit of extra vitamins and fiber or go a bit further and do something somewhat more adventurous like this bean dip.

The stems shown here are from Lacinato kale (aka cavolo nero or Tuscan kale) but you can also use the stems from regular curly kale or even broccoli stems.

Adding fresh thyme, hazelnuts and crispy sage makes for a hearty and flavorful mix that's great for topping garlicky bean dip.

Ingredients

kale stem bean dip topping

• Kale stems: Kale stems from any variety of kale will work or you can use broccoli stems or stems from other fibrous vegetables like bok choy or chard. The stems should be diced finely into small pieces.
• Butter: Butter helps to sauté the kale stems and brings a nice flavor.
• Garlic: Garlic cloves sliced thinly are sautéed along with the kale stems to add extra flavor.
• Fresh thyme: The herbaceous flavor of fresh thyme adds
• Water: The water helps the fibrous kale stems to soften.
• Hazelnuts: Blanched and roasted hazelnuts are best for flavor but you can also use raw hazelnuts with the peel if that's all you have.
• Fresh sage leaves: Fresh sage leaves sautéed in a bit of butter are an incomparable crispy treat that add a nice texture to a bean dip topping.
• Seasoning (salt, fresh cracked black pepper and dried summer savory or thyme): These seasonings round out the other flavors and go really well with kale, hazelnuts and garlic.

garlicky white bean dip

• Canned white beans: Well-drained canned white beans are the fastest way to make the bean dip. Alternatively you can use chickpeas instead and make some homemade hummus. You can also start with dry beans if you prefer but you'll need to soak and cook them beforehand.
• Garlic: Fresh raw garlic cloves give the white bean dip a pronounced garlic flavor.
• Salt: Salt is the only seasoning necessary but you can always add more seasoning if you like. Good options include thyme, summer savory, sumac, or cumin.

Equipment

You'll need a skillet to sauté the kale stems and crisp up the sage - cast iron or non-stick are ideal since they reduce the chance of the ingredients sticking to the pan.

You'll need a food processor for the garlicky white bean dip.

Instructions

Since the kale stem topping takes a bit of time to cook, it's best to start with that element.

Then while the kale stems are sautéing you can quickly whip up the bean dip (if you like multi-tasking - if not then just do one at a time).

Step 1: Start the kale stems

Making the caramelized onion topping is very simple.

You add everything to a skillet and cook over medium-low heat until reduced and nicely browned. The key to making caramelized onions is that you really need to stir constantly - almost continuously.

If you have a lot of different things on the go in the kitchen at the same time, then keep the heat on low so the onions don't burn in case you lose track of time.

The onions will seem to cook really slowly at first, but then once the water has reduced out of them they can go from soft to burnt very quickly.

This is the only part of the dish that is a bit challenging but as long as you keep an eye on it and stir as necessary, you shouldn't have an issue.

Step 2: Make the garlicky white bean dip

This garlicky white bean dip is really easy to make - it's just a matter of adding all the ingredients to a food processor and whipping it up until super smooth.

If it's a bit too thick, add some of the reserved canning liquid a few teaspoons at a time until the beans are smooth and spreadable / dippable.

Taste and adjust the seasoning to you preference - it could be it needs a bit more salt or you want to add other seasonings.

Step 3: Crisp up the sage then garnish the bean dip

It's really easy to make crispy sage - just add it to the pan with butter. You may just need to flip it once (a small fork is good for this) so it crisps up evenly on both sides.

Serving Suggestion

I served this garlicky white bean dip with kale stems as a starter along with sweet and smoky caramelized onion hummus.

A nice fresh bread is the best way to enjoy bean dips and hummus. Homemade bread is even better.

Here are some nice options that would go well with this bean dip:

• Garlic Butter Naan with Herbs & Chili
• No-Knead Sesame & Olive Loaf
• Easy Braided Whole Wheat Loaf

Related

Looking for more recipes with beans and legumes? Maybe you want to try one of these:

Recipe