New England Bean Dip (Century House Copycat)
Description
This New England Bean Dip is a copycat of the famous cold kidney bean dip served with crackers at the Century House in Peabody and the Continental in Saugus. Creamy mayo, sweet relish, and a kick of horseradish — no cooking, ready in 10 minutes, and better the next day.
Ingredients
For the dip
- 2 cups kidney beans , rinsed and drained
- ½ cup mayonnaise, Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- ½ cup sweet pickle relish, drained
- ½ cup onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For serving
- Ritz, Club, or Westminster crackers
Instructions
- Mash the beans. Rinse and drain the kidney beans, then add them to a mixing bowl. Mash lightly with a fork, leaving plenty of whole and half beans — New England bean dip should be chunky, not smooth.
- Add the onion and relish. Stir in the finely diced onion and the drained sweet relish.
- Fold in the creamy ingredients. Add the mayonnaise, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and garlic powder. Fold with a spatula until every bean is coated.
- Season. Add the salt and pepper, taste, and adjust — more horseradish for bite, more relish for sweetness.
- Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for the best flavor. Serve cold with a basket of crackers.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Fork or potato masher
- Rubber Spatula
Notes
- Make ahead: This dip is better after a night in the fridge. Make it up to 2 days before serving.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir before serving.
- Do not freeze: The mayonnaise separates and the beans turn mushy.
- Horseradish: Use jarred prepared horseradish from the refrigerated section, not creamy horseradish sauce.
- Texture: Don’t over-mash. The restaurant version had visible beans.
- Serving: Buttery round crackers are traditional. Keep the bowl cold at parties — set it in a larger bowl of ice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 239kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 6gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 496mgPotassium: 287mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 263IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 2mg