Make this elegantly simple Whipped Ricotta dip recipe for your next party! Whipped up luxuriously light and creamy with rich honey, a touch of Parmesan cheese, garlic and dried oregano, topped with a drizzle of jalapeño hot honey for a subtle kick of spicy sweet heat, this easy appetizer recipe delivers elevated results without a lot of fuss.
Why This is The Perfect Party Appetizer
- Just like my #1 Whipped Feta Dip with Honey recipe and my Whipped Feta with Apples, Bacon & Walnuts, this whipped ricotta dip recipe is EASY to make! All of the ingredients go straight into a food processor or mixer, and the jalapeño infused honey is made by warming the two together on the stovetop.
- It’s quick. This gorgeous appetizer is so low fuss though no one would know it. It takes less than 5 minutes to whip the cheese and about 5 minutes to infuse the honey. There aren’t many crowd pleasing appetizer recipes that come together like that.
- It’s elegant. With its candied jalapeños, red cranberries and drizzle of honey, this whipped ricotta dip is a luxe showstopper whenever it’s served.
- It’s different. Even though ricotta and honey are a classic pair, this is probably a dip your guests haven’t had before. Meaning it will get a LOT of attention, and you’ll be asked for the recipe as many times as you are asked for its name!
Ingredients & Recipe Overview
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
- whole milk ricotta cheese
- heavy cream
- grated Parmesan cheese
- honey
- lemon juice
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- dried oregano
- coarse ground black pepper (or red chili flakes)
- salt
- jalapeños
- Optional Toppings: dried cranberries
Substitions: Instead of oregano, try dried basil instead! Or use fresh herbs if you have access to them. Use chopped nuts, like pecans or pistachios as a garnish with the cranberries for a little crunch.
How To Make Whipped Ricotta Dip
Make the simple Jalapeño Honey. Heat ½ cup honey and jalapeño slices over medium heat on the stovetop. Allow the honey to come to a boil while stirring. When it begins to bubble and rise, remove from heat and stir until all the bubbles are gone. Place in the refrigerator to cool.
Whip the Dip. Place all of the ingredients for the whipped ricotta in a blender and whip until smooth and creamy. ( A small bowl and a hand mixer can be used too.)
Dizzle & Top. Spoon your dip into a shallow bowl. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls and valleys in the whipped ricotta. Drizzle jalapeño honey over the dip, filling up the swirls and valleys. Garnish with the honeyed jalapeños, sprinkle with a few cranberries and more black pepper if desired. (I also used a few sprigs of fresh thyme for a festive look.)
Enjoy! Serve immediately with crostini, pita bread, toast points, crackers, apples, pears, grapes or figs.
Tips for Making the Best Creamy Whipped Ricotta Dip
- For the best whipped texture, use whole milk ricotta cheese.
- To avoid runny whipped ricotta, drain off any water that might be in the container before adding the cheese to the food processor.
- Additionally, add only 1 tablespoon of heavy cream in the beginning. Blend the dip and test the texture of the dip before adding the second tablespoon. Only add the second tablespoon of cream if a smoother texture is needed.
- If you don’t think you’ll like the taste of jalapeño honey, then add ¼-1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the honey instead. Heat on the stovetop as directed to infuse the honey with flavor.
- Remove any jalapeños from the honey before storing any leftover honey. If you don’t, it will only get hotter with time! The infused honey will last 1 month in the fridge and is super tasty on chicken tenders, drizzled over cream cheese or anything you might eat honey on.
What To Serve with Whipped Ricotta & Honey
This dip is heavenly with soft naan or warm pita bread. We also like it with crostini made from baguette slices or toast points. Crackers, pita chips, slices of apples, pears, halved figs and pretzel chips make a gorgeous appetizer spread with this whipped ricotta recipe.
Want to serve whipped ricotta dip for brunch? Use it as a bagel spread, along apple, pears and figs as dippers!
Make Ahead & Storing Instructions
To make ricotta dip ahead of time, prepare the cheese, herbs and spices in the food processor. Spoon it into a bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate.
Make the jalapeño infused honey. Strain or dip the jalapeños out and refrigerate them separately from the honey.
Assemble the dip according to the recipe, drizzling on the honey and adding the toppings before serving.
To store leftover whipped ricotta, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate 2-3 days. If dip separates some, just stir together, drizzle with new honey and serve again.
More Party Appetizer Dip Recipes To Love
Whipped Ricotta Dip with Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons honey
- juice from half a lemon
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper (or red pepper flakes)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Jalapeno Honey & Optional Toppings
- ½ cup honey
- 1 medium jalapeño, sliced
- dried cranberries & more black pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat ½ cup honey and jalapeño slices to make the jalapeño honey. Allow honey to come to a boil while stirring. When honey begins to bubble & rise, remove from heat and stir until all the bubbles are gone. Place in the refrigerator to cool.
- Place all of the ingredients for the whipped ricotta in a blender and whip until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon dip into a shallow bowl. Use the back of a spoon to create swirls and valleys in the whipped ricotta.
- Drizzle jalapeño honey over the dip, filling up the swirls and valleys. Garnish with the honeyed jalapeños, a few cranberries and more black pepper if desired.
- Serve immediately with crostini, pita bread, toast points, crackers, apples, pears, grapes or figs.
Notes
- For the best whipped texture, use whole milk ricotta cheese.
- To avoid runny whipped ricotta, drain off any water that might be in the container before adding the cheese to the food processor.
- Add only 1 tablespoon of heavy cream in the beginning. Blend the dip and test the texture of the dip before adding the second tablespoon. Only add the second tablespoon of cream if a smoother texture is needed.
- Remove any jalapeños from the honey before storing any leftover honey. If you don’t, it will only get hotter with time! The infused honey will last 1 month in the fridge and is super tasty on chicken tenders, drizzled over cream cheese or anything you might eat honey on.
Nutrition
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