Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post
This lunchbox centers on a creamy, chili-lime-seasoned black bean dip, which can be made as mild or as spicy as you like. (The dip recipe also works well with pinto or kidney beans.) Served with crisp, colorful vegetables and chips for dipping, it’s a lunch that is as fun to eat as it is satisfying and tasty.
Storage Notes: Leftover dip can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
Tested size: 1 servings; makes about 1 1/2 cups dip
Make the dip: In a small skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chili powder, cumin and coriander and remove from the heat. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
In the small bowl of a food processor or a mini-chopper, combine the beans, lime juice, water, salt and pepper, and the remaining oil. Add the onion mixture and process until smooth. Add the cayenne pepper and additional salt, if desired. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of dip; you will need a heaping 1/3 cup for the lunchbox. Refrigerate the remaining dip until needed for another lunchbox or use.
Make the lunchbox: Place 1/3 cup of the dip in one section of a divided container or into a separate small, lidded container. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Fill the rest of the divided container with the peppers, carrots, celery or jicama, or pack them in a separate container. Pack the chips in a separate small bag so they keep their crunch. To eat, dip the vegetables and chips in the black bean dip.
From cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger.
Tested by Jess Eng and Olga Massov.
Email questions to the Food Section.
Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.
SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.
More about badges | Request a badge
Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.
More about badges | Request a badge
Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.
More about badges | Request a badge
Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.
More about badges | Request a badge
This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.
Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge
Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.
More about badges | Request a badge
World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.
More about badges | Request a badge
This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.
More about badges | Request a badge
Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.
You must be logged in to report a comment.
You must be logged in to recommend a comment.
Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.
All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.
To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.
Calories per serving (heaping 1/3 cup dip plus contents of the lunchbox): 270
*Percent Daily Value based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Total Fat: Less than 65g
Saturated Fat: Less than 20g