This Whipped Ricotta Dip is extra creamy, a little spicy, sweet, and garlicky. It's a great appetizer for any holiday party! It's perfect for the fall and winter served with crackers or a toasted baguette. It's simple, comes together in just a few minutes and the recipe is easy to double, triple, or cut in half.
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Why You'll Love This Ricotta Dip
Sweet and spicy - The dip is made with hot honey that gives the dip the perfect balance of sweetness and heat. Honey goes really well with lemon juice, lemon zest, and to add even more flavor, I highly recommend adding fresh thyme. It's super simple but all the flavors go together perfectly!
Light and creamy - Using a food processor to whip ricotta cheese makes it so creamy and light that you'll want to make a double batch! I also add a little bit of good-quality olive oil for more flavor and creaminess and it makes the dip extra smooth and shiny!
Easy to make - Dips made in a food processor are one of the easiest appetizers and snacks you can make! Just toss everything into the food processor and blend until smooth! You only need 6 simple ingredients and a few minutes to make this dip!
Great for any occasion - I love serving this dip during the holidays at Thanksgiving or Christmas parties because the flavor combination of everything is perfect for fall and winter but ricotta is amazing any time of the year! You can switch the herbs to fresh parsley and chives for a more spring or summer appropriate flavor.
Ingredients
- Ricotta - Look for classic full-fat ricotta for the creamiest dip.
- Extra virgin olive oil - A little bit of olive oil adds flavor and helps to make the dip extra smooth and a little shiny.
- Lemon juice and zest - You'll need both fresh lemon zest and lemon juice so I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the bottled kind. Use organic wax-free lemons whenever possible when using lemon zest.
- Hot honey - The combination of sweet and spicy works amazing in this dip, I highly recommend using hot honey if you have it. It adds all the flavor without changing the color or texture of the dip.
- Garlic - Just one clove of garlic is all you need here for added flavor. I like grating the garlic into the food processor to make sure it blends properly. Alternatively, you could also use Roasted Garlic if you prefer.
- Salt and pepper - I always recommend either sea salt or Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
- Fresh thyme - Fresh thyme adds fresh flavor and color to the dip but if you don't have it, you can also use dried herbs here. I recommend using only 2 teaspoon dried thyme because dried herbs are always more potent than fresh herbs.
Variations and Substitutions
- Different herbs - You can add fresh parsley, oregano, chopped rosemary, or even chives if you don't have thyme. Dried herbs also work well. If you want to use dried rosemary, crush it in a mortal and pestle really well first so it's not too spiky and hard.
- No hot honey - If you don't have hot honey, you can add regular honey and crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce instead. Keep in mind hot sauce may change the color and consistency of the dip slightly.
- Heavy cream - Some recipes call for heavy cream to help the ricotta blend and while I don't find this necessary at all, if your ricotta cheese is too thick, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Be careful not to add too much.
- Fig jam - You can add a swirl of fig jam to the finished dip right before serving for extra flavor and sweetness. Alternatively, you can also top the dip with chopped fresh figs just like I did with this Whipped Ricotta Crostini.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add ricotta, olive oil, hot honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse and blend until completely smooth. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if needed.
- Add fresh thyme and pulse a few times to incorporate and blend it in a little bit.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to eat.
Expert Tips
- Add the herbs last - Avoid adding any fresh herbs to the food processor in the beginning so that they don't get too blended in and the dip doesn't turn green.
- Thickness - The ricotta I buy doesn't need any heavy cream to help it get smooth and creamy but if yours is too thick, you can add heavy cream. Be careful not to add too much because the only fix is more ricotta.
- Storing - Whipped ricotta thickens in the fridge so I recommend taking it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving it so that it's creamier and more scoopable again.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the dip in a low bowl garnished with more fresh thyme, a light drizzle of hot honey, and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Crackers or crostini - You can serve it with a selection of crackers or toasted baguette. I like slicing up a baguette and toasting it in the oven with avocado oil at 375F for 10 minutes. I made a similar spread to this dip for this Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Fresh Figs, it's one of my all-time fall favorites as well!
- Crudites - Serve the dip on a charcuterie board or on its own with chopped veggies like carrot sticks, cucumber, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, celery, or lettuce boats.
- On bread - Spread the dip on toasted sourdough bread if you want to turn this dip into lunch or savory breakfast. Add a sunny-side-up egg on top or some breakfast sausages for extra protein!
Storing and Make Ahead Options
You can store the whipped ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can totally make it ahead of time if you're prepping for a big holiday party or doing meal prep.
Keep in mind that the dip will thicken in the fridge so if you want it to be looser and more scoopable, take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving it.
FAQs
I don't recommend it. Ricotta's water content is too high and once defrosted, it won't have the same creamy texture.
You didn't whip it enough. Scrape down the sides of your food processor and keep blending until smooth. If your ricotta is too thick, you can add a small splash or heavy cream to make it looser but be careful not to make it too thin.
If you added too much liquid to the food processor and the dip is too runny, the only way to fix it is to add more ricotta. Keep in mind the dip with thicken slightly in the fridge.
Other Cheesy Dip Recipes
Dips are some of the easiest and most versatile appetizers you can make. Whether it's for a small family gathering or a big party, there's something for everyone! Below are four of my favorite cheesy dips, I thought you might like if you enjoy this ricotta one. Head over to Dips, Dressings, and Spreads to see all the latest ones!
📖 Recipe
Whipped Ricotta Dip
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dip
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Whipped Ricotta Dip is extra creamy, a little spicy, sweet, and garlicky. It's a great appetizer for the fall and winter holidays! Serve with crackers or toasted baguette.
Ingredients
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp hot honey
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme, stems removed (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
Instructions
- Add ricotta, olive oil, hot honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper into a food processor.
- Pulse and blend until completely smooth. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides if needed.
- Add fresh thyme and pulse a few times to incorporate and blend it in a little bit.
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to eat.
- Serve garnished with more fresh thyme, a light drizzle of hot honey, and some freshly ground black pepper with crackers or a toasted baguette to dip.
Notes
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The dip thickens in the fridge. I recommend taking it out of the fridge at least 10-15 minutes before you’re ready to eat to allow the dip to loosen up a little bit.
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Veronika Sykorova says
I love serving this dip with crackers but it's also delicious on toasted baguette as a spread! I'd love to hear how you like as well, let me know in the comments below! :)