This Whipped Ricotta with Honey and Lemon recipe just might be my new favorite easy appetizer! It's light and creamy and the bright lemon and warm sweet honey are a match made in heaven! It's a simple recipe that only takes about 10 minutes to make! I actually first saw a few different versions of this this going viral on tiktok and I knew I had to try my version!
I make this whipped honey ricotta in my food processor and it comes together so easily. The processor makes it nice and creamy and only takes about a minutes to do it's job. When I'm in a rush to make an easy appetizer, this is one of my go-to recipes!
How to make whipped ricotta:
To the processor you'll add in the whole milk ricotta, half of the honey, rosemary, salt, olive oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. (Exact measurements are in the recipe card below) And always make sure to zest your lemon before juicing it. A juiced lemon is so much harder to zest since it loses it's shape. And if you don't have a zester, that's ok. Just skip the zest and add in an extra teaspoon of lemon juice.
How to make whipped ricotta without a food processor:
If you don't have a food processor, you can use a blender. You could also use a hand mixer. It won't come out quite as smooth but it's a great substitute in a pinch. You could also make whipped ricotta by hand with a whisk if you're up for it!
Once you have everything smoothed out and blended, you can add the mixture to a serving bowl. If you're making this in advance, this is the point where you'll add this to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.
When you're ready to serve the whipped ricotta, add it to your serving dish and smooth it out or make swirls with the back of a spoon. Warm your honey in the microwave and pour over top along with some fresh cracked pepper and a little extra lemon zest.
Toasting the bread to make crostini:
There are a couple ways you can make your toast (or crostini) to dunk in this glorious dip. You'll start by choosing your bread and slicing it into about ½ inch slices. I used an Italian loaf this time but you can also use sourdough, ciabatta, or french bread. It's totally up to you!
The first way to toast the bread is what I do when I'm just making a small batch. I add about a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil to a skillet and just toast each side until golden brown then sprinkle with a bit of salt.
If I'm making a large batch of toast, I brush each piece of bread with melted butter or olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Bake on a baking sheet at 450 degrees for about 7 minutes per side or until golden brown.
Also, did you know that if you buy a baguette, most grocery stores will slice it for you in the bakery!? Such a time saver!
Can you make whipped ricotta ahead of time?
Yes! You can make most of this ahead of time. Before adding the warmed honey, place the ricotta mixture straight from the food processor into an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to serve (up to 4 days). When you're ready to serve, add the mixture to your serving dish, warm your honey, then drizzle over the whipped ricotta. Add a sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper, and some lemon zest and you're good to go!
This whipped ricotta with honey and lemon is such a crowd pleaser! It's so impressive and "fancy" looking yet deceptively easy to make! Be sure to leave a comment below if you try it!
Other ways to enjoy whipped ricotta:
- On your breakfast bagel
- Spread on crostini and top with bruschetta
- Serve it on fresh baked focaccia bread
Other recipes you might like:
- Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Stuffed Mushrooms with Bacon and Boursin
- One Pot Italian Chicken and Orzo
- Italian Pastina Egg Drop Soup
Whipped Ricotta with Honey and Lemon
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 16 oz whole milk ricotta
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons honey (divided)
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Baguette or crackers for dipping
Instructions
- Add the ricotta to a food processor or blender along with the olive oil, salt, rosemary, and 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Zest your lemon before cutting it then add in the lemon zest, and lemon juice to the mixer. (if you don't have a way to zest the lemon, you can just add in an extra teaspoon of juice for extra lemony flavor).
- Turn the food processor on high for about 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and pulse for 30 more seconds.
- Once everything is smooth, you can add it to your serving bowl.
- When you're ready to serve, take the extra 2 tablespoons of honey and warm it in the microwave for just a few seconds. Be careful not to use too small of a bowl because it tends to bubble over. Pour the warm honey over the ricotta. Top with fresh cracked pepper and an extra sprinkle of lemon zest and enjoy!
Toast
- There are a couple ways to make the toast / crostini for this recipe. - You can add some olive oil and butter to a pan and cook the bread until crispy.- You can brush them with oil or butter and toast them in the oven at 450° for about 7 minutes per side. (this works best when making enough for a large crowd)
Andrea says
Love this appetizer! It's so easy to make and everybody loved it. This side dish was gone so fast!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you so much!
Ieva says
This has very quickly become our favourite dip in the world! So creamy and flavoursome! And goes with pretty much anything. Thanks a lot for the recipe!
Coco and Ash says
I love hearing that! Thank you!
Juliane says
My mom and I are trying this later! We are excited!
Anjali says
I love ricotta cheese and combining it with honey and lemon just took it to a whole other level! I spread it on some toast and enjoyed it for breakfast - yum!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
Honey and lemon is such a delicious combination with the creamy ricotta. Love this idea!
Coco and Ash says
Thank you!
Chris David says
Really delicious recipe
Joleen S says
Absolutely delicious, definite crowd pleaser. How far in advance can you make this?
Coco and Ash says
Thank you! You can make the main part a few days in advance and just add the honey when ready to serve
Judy says
I have some ricotta left over from making lasagne and wondered what to make with it so I’m glad to have found your recipe. Have you ever combined cream cheese with it? I don’t have enough ricotta so instead of going to to buy more I wondered if it would work to combine them.
Coco and Ash says
I haven’t tried that but it sounds delicious!
judy macaulay says
turns out I had enough ricotta so didn't add the cream cheese. However, the dip is pretty runny is that how it's supposed to be? It looks thicker in your pictures. Maybe I over processed it...
Kay says
Very nice & refreshing. 🙂
Kris Robinson says
I love this recipe, it’s absolutely delicious! I’ve tried it twice now and it’s always more runny than I think it should be. Not sure what todo about that other than less of the added liquids.
Barbara says
I brought this to a family gathering as an appetizer dip. For dippers I brought celery, carrots and sweet red bell peppers along with store-bought bruschettini toasts. Nothing but raves and requests for the recipe. I shared your link.
Coco and Ash says
Thank you so much Barbara!
tim says
Great recipe! I'm going to top it with hot honey when I serve it. Also, if you don't have a zester, you can use the smallest holes in your box grater in a pinch.