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This Italian White Bean Hummus is a fresh, lighter take on a classic - it's creamy, elegant, and unexpectedly delicious. Made with cannellini beans and one of Italy's most beloved staples, fennel, it has a super smooth texture and a bright, savory flavor that feels both familiar and new. A simple technique (more on that later) creates an irresistibly silky hummus, while the fennel adds a subtle sweetness and lightness that makes this version feel less heavy than traditional hummus.
The Easy Secret Technique
The secret to this ultra-silky Italian White Bean Hummus is a simple step that makes all the difference. Before blending, the cannellini beans are briefly simmered with the chopped fennel and garlic in water with a small amount of baking soda. This quick simmer softens the fennel and garlic, bringing out a gentle sweetness and savory depth, while the baking soda helps break down the beans. The result is a hummus that blends up exceptionally smooth and creamy, lighter in texture and irresistibly silky - with minimal effort!
Ingredients at a Glance
The hummus itself is made with just a handful of simple ingredients. Creamy cannellini beans form the base, while fennel adds a delicate sweetness and light, fresh flavor. Tahini brings richness, and a bit of classic hummus flavor, lemon zest and juice add brightness, and a touch of ground coriander gives gentle warmth without overpowering. A drizzle of good olive oil rounds everything out, creating a smooth, balanced hummus that feels both simple and refined.
The crowning glory
What truly sets this Italian White Bean Hummus apart is the vibrant Mediterranean-style topping. Juicy cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced roasted red peppers, and briny Kalamata olives add color, texture, and a burst of fresh, savory flavor.
Finished with a drizzle of olive oil, a scatter of pine nuts, and a shower of fresh basil, this simple topping brightens every bite and turns a humble bowl of hummus into something beautiful and bursting with fabulous flavor.
Serving suggestions
This Italian White Bean Hummus is wonderfully versatile. Serve it simply with crostini, rustic bread, pita chips, or your favorite crackers for an easy appetizer.
It's also delicious tucked into a warm pita or wrap with grilled or rotisserie chicken, fresh greens, and a drizzle of olive oil. The hummus itself makes a fabulous sandwich or panini spread, adding creamy richness without heaviness, and it's wonderful spooned onto a charcuterie or antipasto board alongside cheeses, olives, and marinated vegetables.
Make it!
This Italian White Bean Hummus is one of those recipes that feels elevated without being fussy. With its silky texture, fresh Mediterranean flavors, and beautiful topping, it's the kind of dish that works just as well for a casual afternoon snack as it does for effortless entertaining. Simple ingredients, a secret technique, and a little finishing flair come together to create something truly memorable.
- You'll need a food processor for this recipe. I love this Cuisinart model. It's quiet and easy to store and clean.
- You can also make this hummus in a blender, but it will require stopping the machine frequently to scrape down the sides. I find that a food processor works much better.
- No food processor or blender? Hummus has been made for hundreds and hundreds of years, way before food processors and blenders were invented. The traditional way was to use a mortar and pestle or simply smashing the ingredients with a fork or potato masher. The results will be slightly coarser with a rustic texture, but still delicious!
- This recipe calls for tahini. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and gives hummus its classic flavor. Tahini is available at most grocery stores in the international aisle, usually grouped with other Mediterranean ingredients.
- I love this tahini in a squeeze bottle. It's super easy to measure out what you need, and the oil doesn't separate as it does with jarred tahini.
- Don't skip the simmer: That quick boil softens and mellows the fennel and garlic, and the baking soda breaks down the beans, which is the key to the ultra-smooth texture; it makes a noticeable difference!
- Serve at room temperature: Like most hummus, the flavor and texture really shine once it's had a little time to warm up.
- Taste and adjust: Beans vary, so don't be afraid to add a touch more lemon or salt to suit your taste.
- Make it ahead: The hummus can be made a day or two in advance. Make the topping a few hours ahead. Don't combine them and add the basil and pine nuts until just before serving for the freshest look and flavor.
- Leftovers: Use any extra hummus as a spread for sandwiches, wraps, or even a grain bowl base.
- A favorite lunch: We love to warm pitas with a drizzle of olive oil until golden, then top with a spread of this Italian White Bean Hummus, slices of grilled chicken (or a broiled chicken burger) and the delicious tomato/roasted red pepper topping. It's a healthy, hearty, super delicious meal that takes you on a culinary magic carpet ride to the sunny Mediterranean!
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Italian White Bean Hummus
Ingredients
For the hummus
- 1 15.5 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (1 15.5 ounce can)
- 8 ounces fresh fennel (one 8-10 ounce bulb), cored and roughly chopped (reserve fronds, if available)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- ½ cup tahini, I love tahini in a squeeze bottle
- finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- water, as needed
For the topping
- 12 medium cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup well-drained and thinly sliced roasted red peppers, (about ¼-inch thick) I use one 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers.
- ⅓ cup Kalamata olives, halved
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For garnishing:
- fennel fronds, optional
- fresh basil leaves
- roasted, salted pine nuts
Instructions
For the Hummus
- Combine the drained cannellini beans, chopped fennel, garlic cloves, and baking soda in a medium-sized pot. Cover with water and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes, reducing the heat slightly if the water threatens to boil over.
- Pour the mixture into a strainer and allow it to drain for 2-3 minutes, giving it a few shakes to remove excess water.
- Transfer the drained bean mixture to the bowl of a food processor along with the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground coriander, and salt. Process for 1-2 minutes until smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- With the processor running, add 2 tablespoons of ice water and continue processing for 2-3 minutes, stopping every 15-20 seconds to scrape down the sides. Add more ice water as needed until the hummus is very smooth and creamy.
- If the hummus seems too thick, add water 1 teaspoon at a time to thin it. Keep in mind that it will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Add the olive oil and process just until combined. Taste and adjust with additional lemon juice and/or salt, if needed.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.
For the Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, roasted red pepper strips, and Kalamata olive halves.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, and gently stir to combine.
To Serve
- Transfer the hummus to a platter or large, shallow bowl and spread evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Spoon the tomato mixture over the hummus. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and garnish with fennel fronds, fresh basil leaves, and a scatter of pine nuts.
- Serve with crackers, crostini, rustic bread, or pita chips.
Nutrition
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Can you please tell us something we can substitute for the fennel? My husband and I really dislike the flavor of fennel. For the topping, what can we substitute for tomatoes, or can we just leave them out? My husband cannot tolerate raw tomatoes, but eats ketchup, marinara. Would this be good at all, without the toppings?Thanks!
Hi Carlos, I think you would be really surprised if you tried this recipe with the fennel. When fennel is roasted or cooked, it loses its sharp flavor and becomes sweet and mellow. That said, you could substitute an onion or a yellow bell pepper for the fennel. The flavor will be different but still delicious.
Regarding the tomatoes, you could just skip them and go with simply roasted red peppers, olives, and a drizzle of olive oil. A sprinkle of Feta would also be delicious.
We love this hummus on its own and spread it on pita quite frequently.