This creamy Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey is such an easy appetizer. It's a crowd pleaser ready in 5 minutes & made with just a handful of ingredients! Serve this creamy dip on a charcuterie board or in a shallow bowl with a drizzle of honey on top.
As a dietitian, I am on a mission to help you make easy recipes that taste great with fresh ingredients that add flavor. This Whipped Ricotta dip was inspired when I wanted a topping for my baked Sweet Potato Rounds to serve as a delicious appetizer at a dinner party I was invited to for the holidays.
You could also make this ricotta recipe and put it in a big serving bowl with fresh vegetables, pita chips, baguette slices, or crusty bread. For something unique, top it with Crispy Chickpeas. It works great on pizza or a flatbread, too!
You can't beat cheesy dips at the holidays! I'm a fan of baked brie, creamy goat cheese, and whipped feta. But whipped feta dip typically requires some kind of additional ingredients like cream cheese, heavy cream, or Greek yogurt to make it creamy. The best part about this easy whipped ricotta dip is that the ricotta cheese itself is already creamy so it whips up beautifully without needing to add those other things.
Jump to:
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This whipped ricotta recipe uses simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements.
- Ricotta Cheese - I use whole milk ricotta cheese for this recipe because it's thicker and whips up thicker. You can use low-fat if you prefer. Look for a good quality fresh ricotta. Creamy ricotta cheese is a fresh Italian cheese and it has a creamy texture and lightly sweet flavor. Nutritionally, ricotta cheese is a source of protein, calcium, and vitamin B12.
- Honey - a touch of honey enhances the sweetness of ricotta cheese and is balanced out by the olive oil and citrus fruit zest. If you like things with a touch of sweetness, use regular honey. If you like it a little spicy, feel free to use hot honey!
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil is olive oil in its purest form (least processed) so it retains all the antioxidants and nutrients from the olive itself. Olive oil is high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that can reduce inflammation and has been shown to improve brain health. In this recipe, a helps to emulsify the flavors together. If you prefer a more mild flavor, you can use avocado oil instead.
- Fresh Herbs - add fresh herbs on top of the dip for color and extra flavor. I like to add fresh thyme. Fresh rosemary, parsley, basil or mint would work great here too.
- Citrus Zest - depending on what flavor you're going for, add some lemon zest or orange zest. Lemon zest adds a fresh flavor while orange zest adds a distinct sweetness. I suggest adding orange zest for something a little different at the holidays and lemon zest if you're serving this in the spring!
- Kosher Salt - to tie the flavors together. Feel free to add black pepper, too!
- Your Favorite Toppings - I love to add pomegranates on top for a pop of color at the holidays. Halved cherry tomatoes makes a great topping for the summer and spring months. If using tomatoes as a topping, I suggest opting for lemon zest.
How to Make Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey
Below are step-by-step photos for how to make this Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Drain your ricotta cheese to get rid of the excess liquid. Zest the orange or lemon (whichever you are using). Add the ricotta cheese, olive oil, honey, salt, half the citrus zest and half the fresh thyme to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes pushing down the sides as needed until it forms a creamy consistency.
- Step 2: Add the whipped ricotta dip to a serving dish and top with the remaining half of the citrus zest and fresh thyme. Add any other toppings you want!
Hint: my favorite tool to zest a lemon or orange is this Citrus Zester. Be sure to only zest the outer colored part of the fruit. If you get the white part, you've gone too far! That part is called the pith and it has a bitter flavor. Here's a video if you need some help.
Dietitian Tip
Serve this Whipped Ricotta Dip with a side of fresh raw vegetables for the easiest appetizer ever!
Video of How to Make Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey
Here's a short video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the best things about making Whipped Ricotta Dip at home is you can customize them however you want! Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative.
- Spicy - use hot honey or add red pepper flakes on top to give this a kick!
- Pecan & Dates - add a mixture of chopped dates & pecans on top for even more sweetness and a little crunch.
- Cottage Cheese Version - use half ricotta & half cottage cheese if you want more protein.
- Tomato Basil - in the summer, add burst cherry tomatoes and fresh basil on top with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Talk about a crowd pleaser!
- Herby Olive - add herbed olives with fresh rosemary and thyme on top for a briny flavor at the holidays.
Equipment
All you need to make this quick Whipped Ricotta Dip is either a food processor or a high speed blender. I have a Ninja Blender and love it, but I usually use my handy and beloved KitchenAid food processor for this recipe.
Storage
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. A mason jar works perfectly.
How to Serve Whipped Ricotta Dip
Once you've made a batch of this delicious dip, you can serve it use it in so many different ways.
- Holiday Appetizer - Serve this beautiful dip during the holidays and garnish with juicy pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, flaky sea salt, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. Add a side of warm bread.
- As a Dip with Veggies - make an easy basic crudité platter by cutting up raw vegetables and serving them with this whipped ricotta dip.
- On Sweet Potato Rounds - add a tablespoon of this dip and some pomegranate arils or chopped pecans on top of these baked sweet potato slices as a beautiful gluten-free appetizer during the holidays.
- In a Grain Bowl - use it to add sweetness to a Mediterranean Grain Bowl with quinoa salad and roasted chickpeas.
- With Roasted Vegetables - enjoy this creamy spread with Roasted Carrots and Cauliflower. It goes great with root vegetables like potatoes or turnips or with other cruciferous veggies including broccoli, roasted cabbage steaks, or brussels sprouts.
- Ricotta Toast or Flatbread - It’s the perfect addition to toast or flatbread. Add a thick layer and then your favorite toppings! I love it with arugula and shredded chicken on top.
- As an Accompaniment - Serve it with meat or your favorite plant-protein.
Expert Tips
- Use full fat ricotta cheese for the most creamy end result.
- Drain the liquid out of your ricotta container before adding it to the blender or food processor. This helps the dip be more creamy.
- It will take a few minutes to get creamy in the blender or food processor so be patient!
- Give it a taste before adding the toppings and add more honey if you want it to be a bit sweeter or more salt as needed.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Ricotta cheese contains calcium, protein, and vitamin B12. It is also lower in calories and saturated fats than many cheeses.
I sugget using whole milk ricotta for this recipe. It is creamier and fluffs up a bit better than part skim cheese. With that said, you absolutely can use a reduced fat version of ricotta - it just won't be as creamy!
Yes, this is a gluten-free recipe.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Whipped Ricotta Dip:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Whipped Ricotta Dip with Honey (Ready in Minutes!)
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 15 oz ricotta cheese I use whole fat (2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2-3 teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
- favorite toppings for serving* *see note in "recipe notes" section
Instructions
- Drain your ricotta cheese to get rid of the excess liquid. Zest the orange or lemon (whichever you are using).
- Add the ricotta cheese, olive oil, honey, salt, half the citrus zest and half the fresh thyme to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes pushing down the sides as needed until it forms a creamy consistency.
- Add the whipped ricotta dip to a serving dish and top with the remaining half of the citrus zest and fresh thyme. Add any other toppings you want!
- Hint: my favorite tool to use to zest a lemon or orange is this Citrus Zester. Be sure to only zest the outer colored part of the fruit. If you get the white part, you've gone too far! That part is called the pith and it has a bitter flavor.
Video
Notes
- Use full fat ricotta cheese for the most creamy end result.
- Drain the liquid out of your ricotta container before adding it to the blender or food processor. This helps the dip be more creamy.
- It will take a few minutes to get creamy in the blender or food processor so be patient!
- Give it a taste before adding the toppings and add more honey if you want it to be a bit sweeter or more salt as needed.
Nicole Reid
Easy to make, and soooo delicious! I doubled the recipe and it served four as a single dish meal. Yes, I have an athletic teen with a big appetite.
Mallory
Hi Nicole,
Thank you SO much for taking time to leave a rating and review!! It means so much to me that you enjoyed the recipe and that your teen did too!😊 I hope you have a great day! -Mallory