White Bean Roasted Garlic Spread (Printable)

A creamy mix of white beans and roasted garlic, ideal for topping toasted sourdough slices.

# What You Need:

→ For the Spread

01 - 1 head garlic
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
03 - 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
05 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
06 - 0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
07 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Serving

08 - 4 slices sourdough bread
09 - Extra olive oil, for drizzling
10 - Fresh herbs (parsley, chives, or thyme) for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F
02 - Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until soft and golden. Let cool slightly.
03 - Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a food processor.
04 - Add cannellini beans, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper to the food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Toast the sourdough slices until golden and crisp.
06 - Spread the white bean and roasted garlic mixture generously over the toast.
07 - Drizzle with extra olive oil and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The roasted garlic becomes sweet and buttery, not sharp or overpowering like raw garlic tends to be.
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
  • Naturally vegan and dairy-free, so it works for almost everyone at the table.
02 -
  • If your spread feels too thick after blending, a splash of water or a tiny bit more olive oil works better than adding a lot at once—you can always blend again.
  • The flavor deepens and mellows if you make this a day ahead and let it sit in the fridge, so it's actually better as meal prep than you might expect.
03 -
  • Don't skip the step of letting your garlic cool slightly after roasting—burning your fingers squeezing hot garlic cloves is a lesson you only need to learn once.
  • Taste the spread before you serve it and adjust the lemon and salt even if the recipe feels complete; personal preference matters more than any instruction.
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