Whipped Lemon Ricotta

This creamy lemon ricotta is whipped to perfection, then topped with honey and fresh herbs. It's a delicious appetizer, especially when paired with crispy crostini or a fresh baguette. The fluffy ricotta pairs perfectly with the brightness of lemon and sweetness of honey.

A fluffy whipped lemon ricotta dip makes for a delicious appetizer. The freshness of the lemon pairs beautifully with the creamy ricotta.

The olive oil, lemon juice, and honey topping adds that bit of sweetness to make this almost feel like a dessert (which it can be!) Top with fresh basil (or other herbs) for those savory notes.

Next, serve with whatever you prefer! This lemon ricotta dip goes great with crostini, fresh bread, or crackers. Or you can dip veggies in it or fresh fruit like strawberries.

The lemon ricotta is so fancy, it's perfect for entertaining or parties, but easy enough to make any day of the week as an easy dish.

Ingredients:

• Ricotta cheese - I prefer to use whole milk ricotta in this recipe
• Lemon - Fresh lemon will give you the bright flavor. You'll use both the lemon zest and some of the fresh lemon juice
• Olive oil - I prefer to use an extra virgin olive oil
• Honey - I always try to use local honey, but whatever you have will work!
• Salt - A sprinkling of salt helps to marry the sweet and savory flavors
• Fresh basil - The fresh herbs add a touch of savory notes to the lemon ricotta

Where do you find ricotta?

Ricotta cheese is a soft cheese that can be used in a variety of ways. It's white, fluffy, and can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

For sweet dishes, it's commonly used in cakes, cookies, or pancakes. For savory dishes, you commonly see ricotta cheese in lasagna, stuffed pastas, or a dollops on top of pizza.

Ricotta can be found in the refrigerated cheese section of the grocery store. It comes in tubs, and you can find whole-milk, skim, etc. For this recipe I prefer using whole milk ricotta.

Can you use other herbs?

Yes, I love fresh basil in this recipe because it transports me to Italy, but if you don't have fresh basil or aren't a basil fan, you can swap it out for different herbs for a different flavor profile. Just try to choose herbs that will pair well with the flavors in the lemon ricotta, and you may need to use less based on what you use.

How to zest a lemon:

Take your lemon and wash it. Next, get your microplane or zester and go around the lemon, removing the yellow peel with the microplane. Leave the white part behind, as that is the pith of the lemon and tastes bitter.

I like to zest my lemon over a bowl or paper towel so that way I can easily use the zest later in the recipe.

Customizations:

• For a touch of spice, you can sprinkle some red pepper flakes after adding the honey mixture.
• Take a few leaves of sliced mint and add on top.
• For a bit of texture, add some chopped and toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds or pine nuts.

What to serve this with:

My favorite way to serve the lemon ricotta is with some freshly made crostini. To make these, slice up a baguette, brush one side with olive oil, and then stick under the broiler until the tops are browned and bread is crunchy.

You can also make air fryer crostini! Quick and easy.

The whipped lemon ricotta can also be served with some crackers, vegetables, fresh fruit (I recommend dipping strawberries in it!), or even just a simple untoasted baguette that is sliced.

If you're looking for other dishes to pair it with, I love this asparagus pesto tart, roasted asparagus with tomatoes, these parmesan harissa zucchini chips, or air fryer parmesan tomatoes.

And if you have any ricotta cheese leftover, make this tomato ricotta puff pastry tart!

Recipe tips:

• Zest your lemon before juicing! It's hard to zest a lemon once it's been sliced. Much easier to zest when whole.
• The lemon ricotta dip is on the cooler side if you use the ricotta fresh from the refrigerator. For a more room-temperature dip, let the ricotta slightly warm up either before or after mixing (before adding the honey/lemon mixture).
• The whipped ricotta can be used as a dip, or served with a spoon so you can spread it onto crackers, bread, or crostini.

How to make:

First, zest your lemon! This will allow you to zest the peel of your lemon before slicing and juicing.

Mix your honey, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lemon juice together in a small bowl.

Take your ricotta cheese and salt, and whip together with a mixer (stand or handheld). Then add to a plate or bowl and add fresh lemon zest.

Top the whipped lemon ricotta with the honey lemon mixture, then add your fresh herbs. Serve with crostini, crackers, a fresh baguette, or however you desire!