Looking for a quick and easy appetizer for your next dinner party? This whipped ricotta recipe features ricotta cheese, olive oil, cream, and a touch of honey blitzed together in a food processor until smooth, fluffy, and light. It’s incredibly simple and comes together in less than 10 minutes!
Whipped ricotta is creamy, fluffy, and milky; its simple flavors make it the perfect base for experimentation, from savory dishes to sweet desserts. I first tried a version at Misi in Brooklyn, NY, a popular restaurant focusing on simple Italian cuisine.
Their signature is whipped ricotta on toast piped in large squiggles, topped with flaky sea salt and olive oil. It’s SO good, and I’m going to show you how to do it. For more tasty appetizers, burrata bruschetta, white bean dip, or baked brie with fig jam.
Ingredient Notes
- Whole milk ricotta cheese: Opt for whole milk ricotta for the silkiest texture; low fat will be too watery. If you really want to go all out, I have a homemade ricotta cheese recipe! As for store-bought ricotta, I recommend Calabro.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream helps achieve a smooth texture. The amount you need will depend on how watery your ricotta is, so you can add a little bit at a time and adjust as needed.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
Serving Suggestions
This is a perfect vessel for dipping carb-y items like pita chips, toast, or fluffy focaccia. I also love layering it on a plate as a base and topping it with marinated peppers, roasted beets with herby yogurt, or fruit compote. Alternatively, make my blistered tomatoes and spoon a big dollop of it on top!
Make it a Dip
Once you’ve processed the cheese into a fluffy, creamy texture, you can easily serve it as a dip. Drizzle some olive oil, flaky salt, and black pepper on top, and it’s good to go!
Serve on Toast
Grab a baguette from the grocery store, slice into ½-inch pieces, drizzle with some olive oil, and bake in the oven at 400°F until nice and toasty. Alternatively, grill the bread in a grill pan on the stove top with a bit of olive oil. Spoon the ricotta on crostini and spread it with a knife or pipe on top.
How to Pipe Ricotta:
- Transfer the ricotta to a piping bag (or a large Ziploc bag). Place a larger circular piping tip in the bottom corner of the bag, and snip off the end.
- Gently pipe the cheese in squiggles from one end of the toast to the other.
Recommended Equipment
- Food Processor: A food processor is the easiest way to achieve a fluffy, smooth consistency.
- Hand Blender: I’ve also used a hand blender with success, though it doesn’t produce as fluffy of a texture.
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer: You can also use a whisk attachment with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Again, it may not be as smooth, but it will still taste great. You may need to add more heavy cream or olive oil here to get things going.
How to Make This Recipe
If you’re unfamiliar with whipped ricotta, it’s essentially just ricotta cheese processed in a food processor or hand blender. Olive oil or heavy cream are typically added to help thin out the cheese into a creamy spread.
Step 1 – Place the ricotta in a food processor or in a blender cup with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, and heavy cream.
Step 2 – Pulse (or blend) until light, fluffy, and creamy. Season to taste.
Step 3 – If desired, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice for a bit of acidity, or add a bit more olive oil or heavy cream to thin it out.
Step 4 – Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil, flaky salt, and a little honey.
Expert Tip
A little cream and oil go a long way, so don’t overdo it! You just need enough to get a smooth consistency; too much and you’ll have a soupy mess.
Variations
- Hot honey: Drizzle or swirl in some hot honey. You can also make your own hot honey by heating up honey with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cool the liquid, then drizzle atop the creamy ricotta!
- Pesto
- Crispy garlic: Top with my homemade garlic chips.
- Fresh herbs: Add some freshly chopped mint, basil, or parsley.
Recipe FAQs
I can’t recommend dairy-free ricotta as I haven’t tried it myself, but Galbani Cheese makes a great lactose-free version that whips up well.
To avoid grainy ricotta, make sure to select a high-quality whole milk version that is rich and creamy. Dry or low-fat versions won’t whip up properly. A little bit of liquid, such as cream or olive oil, will help smooth everything out.
Runny ricotta can occur for a couple of reasons:
1) Your ricotta was already watery to begin with. If this is the case, I recommend straining the cheese over a cheesecloth before whipping it up.
2) You added too much liquid (either from the olive oil or heavy cream). If this happens, you can add more ricotta to thicken it up.
Whipped ricotta can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Over time, the cheese might release excess liquid. Feel free to drain it off (or give the ricotta a little mix) and you should be good to go! Remove the ricotta from the fridge before serving to take the chill off. For best results, serve at room temperature.
Other recipes you might like:
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This recipe was originally published on August 7, 2022 and most recently updated on May 8, 2025 with new photos, video, and clearer instructions.
Creamy Whipped Ricotta with Honey
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
For the whipped ricotta dip:
- 1 ½ cups high-quality whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 – 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping
- 1 – 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 medium lemon, zested, plus a squeeze of juice (optional)
- Salt and black pepper
- Flaky Salt, optional | for topping
- Honey, for drizzling
- A handful of fresh herbs, optional | finely chopped
For serving:
- Crusty bread, crackers, or crudites
Instructions
Make the whipped ricotta:
- In a food processor or blender, process 1 ½ cups high-quality whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, and lemon zest until light, fluffy, and smooth, about 1 – 2 minutes. If desired, add in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream for richness and/or olive oil for creaminess and process again until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, squeeze a bit of lemon juice if desired.
To serve as dip:
- Drizzle dip with olive oil and 1 – 2 teaspoons of honey. Garnish with flaky salt and fresh herbs (if using) and serve alongside Crusty bread, crackers, or crudites.
To serve on toast:
- Once the whipped ricotta is ready, transfer it to a piping bag. If you're using a piping tip, attach it securely to the bag. If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a Ziploc bag and snip off a small corner.Meanwhile, toast the slices of crusty bread until they reach your desired level of crispiness. I like to grill the bread on a stovetop grill pan with a bit of olive oil until crispy on the outside.Hold the piping bag just above one slice and gently squeeze, piping the ricotta in a zigzag motion from one end of the toast to the other. Apply light, steady pressure to create a thick, rippled layer that evenly coats the surface without spilling over the edges. Top with flaky salt and fresh herbs (if using), olive oil, and/or honey.
Video
Notes
- Honey: Honey should be nicely spoonable; if too thick, heat in the microwave for 5 seconds.
- Tip: To avoid grainy ricotta, make sure to select a high-quality whole milk ricotta cheese (such as Calabro) that is rich and creamy. Dry or low-fat versions won’t whip up properly. If your ricotta is quite wet, I recommend draining off any excess liquid before processing.
- Serving ideas:This is a perfect accompaniment to carby things like crackers, toast, or pasta. I also love layering it on a plate as a base and topping it with marinated peppers or roasted beets.
- Storage: Store ricotta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 – 4 days. Just note that the mixture might weep a bit of water; feel free to drain it off or mix in and you should be good to go! Before serving, allow the ricotta to come to room temperature.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I keep coming back to this recipe again and again! Always a crowd favorite!
So happy to hear that, Tressa!