New England Bean Dip (Century House & Continental Copycat)

This New England Bean Dip is the creamy, tangy kidney bean dip that the Century House in Peabody and the Continental in Saugus set on the table with a basket of crackers the moment you sat down. If you grew up anywhere north of Boston, you know the one — and you’ve probably been trying to track down the recipe ever since.

It’s a no-cook, 10-minute recipe: canned kidney beans, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, a spoonful of horseradish, dry mustard, and Worcestershire. Mix, chill, and serve cold with crackers. One bowl disappears before the main course every single time.

If you love restaurant copycat dips, make my Hooters Buffalo Chicken Dip or Air Fryer Hot Crab Dip next.

What Is New England Bean Dip?

New England bean dip is a cold, mayonnaise-based dip made with red kidney beans — not the hot, bacon-and-brown-sugar “Boston baked bean dip” you’ll find elsewhere. The beans are lightly mashed, then stirred with mayo, sweet relish, onion, horseradish, dry mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. It lands somewhere between deviled-egg filling and a bean salad: creamy, a little sweet from the relish, sharp from the horseradish, and impossible to stop eating on a buttery cracker.

The dip became a North Shore legend at the Century House, a Route 1 landmark in Peabody, Massachusetts, where it came out with crackers before every meal. The Continental in Saugus served its own version the same way. That’s why you’ll hear it called Century House bean dip, Continental bean dip, or just “that bean dip with the crackers,” depending on which restaurant your family went to for birthdays and Sunday dinners. [Add one sentence here with your own memory of it, if you have one.] This recipe gets you that same flavor at home in about ten minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A retro party hit. Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Patriots games — it’s the bowl people hover around.
• Tastes like the restaurant version. Same pantry ingredients the North Shore restaurants used: kidney beans, mayo, relish, horseradish, Worcestershire.
• No cooking. A can, a bowl, and a fork. Ten minutes.
• Better the next day. Make it ahead and the flavors meld overnight.
• Feeds a crowd for a couple of dollars. One can of beans makes enough for 6 to 8 people.

Ingredients for Century House Bean Dip

Full measurements are in the printable recipe card below.

• Red kidney beans: One standard can, rinsed and drained. Red kidney beans are the classic; dark red work too.
• Mayonnaise: Real mayo, not Miracle Whip. Hellmann’s is what most New England kitchens reach for.
• Sweet pickle relish: This is the signature sweet-tangy note. Drain off the excess liquid so the dip doesn’t go watery.
• Onion: Finely diced white or yellow onion for a little crunch and bite.
• Prepared horseradish: Use the jarred horseradish from the refrigerated case, not creamy horseradish sauce. If you love that kick, you’ll like my Arby’s Horsey Sauce too.
• Dry mustard: Adds background heat without changing the color.
• Worcestershire sauce: The savory depth that makes people ask what’s in it.
• Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper: Season to taste — relish and mayo already carry salt.

How to Make New England Bean Dip

Step 1 – Mash the beans. Rinse and drain the kidney beans. Add them to a mixing bowl and mash lightly with a fork, leaving plenty of whole and half beans for texture.

Step 2 – Add the onion and relish. Stir in the diced onion and the drained sweet relish.

Step 3 – Add the creamy ingredients. Fold in the mayonnaise, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and garlic powder until everything is coated.

Step 4 – Season and taste. Add salt and pepper, taste, and adjust — a little more horseradish if you want it sharper, a little more relish if you want it sweeter.

Step 5 – Chill and serve cold. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better). Serve cold with a basket of crackers.

What to Serve With New England Bean Dip

Crackers, always. At the restaurants this came with buttery round crackers and saltines, so start there: Ritz, Club, Captain’s Wafers, or Westminster crackers if you can find them. For a party, set out a bowl of my Air Fryer Ranch Ritz Crackers or Air Fryer Old Bay Saltine Crackers alongside the plain ones. Celery sticks and pita chips work if you want something lighter.

To turn it into a full New England spread, serve it ahead of a pot of Instant Pot New England Clam Chowder, or put it next to a hot dip like my Air Fryer Artichoke Dip so there’s one warm and one cold option on the table.

Pro Tips

• Don’t over-mash. The restaurant version was chunky. You want visible beans, not refried-bean paste.
• Drain the relish. A tablespoon of relish juice is the difference between creamy and runny.
• Make it the day before. Thirty minutes is the minimum; overnight is when it actually tastes like the Century House.
• Taste after chilling. Cold dulls salt and horseradish, so adjust once it’s been in the fridge.
• Keep it cold on the table. Set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice for parties — this is a mayo dip.

Variations

• Old Yankee style: Some vintage New England versions add a few tablespoons of ketchup, finely diced green pepper, and a scoop of small-curd cottage cheese for extra creaminess.
• Spicier: Double the horseradish or add a pinch of cayenne.
• White bean version: Swap in cannellini beans for a milder, smoother dip.
• Lighter: Replace half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt. It’s tangier but still tastes right.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Store New England bean dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s a cold dip, so there’s nothing to reheat — give it a stir and serve. Don’t freeze it: mayonnaise separates when thawed and the beans turn mushy.

New England Bean Dip FAQs

Is this the Century House bean dip recipe? This is a copycat of the bean dip the Century House in Peabody, Massachusetts served with crackers before meals. It’s made with the same kidney beans, mayo, sweet relish, horseradish, and Worcestershire base, and tastes like the one people remember.

What’s the difference between New England bean dip and Boston baked bean dip? They’re completely different dips. New England bean dip is cold, creamy, and made with kidney beans and mayo. Boston baked bean dip is a hot dip built on sweet, smoky baked beans with bacon and brown sugar. If that’s the flavor you’re after, make my Air Fryer Baked Beans instead.

Can I use a different type of bean? Yes. Cannellini or black beans work, but red kidney beans give the authentic flavor and color.

Can I make bean dip ahead of time? Absolutely — it’s better after a night in the fridge. Make it up to two days before your party.

Can you freeze New England bean dip? No. The mayonnaise breaks and the texture goes grainy. Make a fresh batch; it only takes ten minutes.

What crackers go with New England bean dip? Buttery round crackers like Ritz or Club are the classic, with saltines as the runner-up. Westminster crackers are the true old-school New England choice.

More Recipes You’ll Like

If you like a good copycat, my Outback Steakhouse Blue Cheese Dressing and Homemade Cracker Barrel Tartar Sauce are built the same way — mayonnaise base, a handful of pantry ingredients, five minutes.

For more no-cook dips and sauces, try my Greek Yogurt BBQ Sauce or Cilantro Lime Sour Cream Crema, or browse all my dip recipes.