This Whipped Ricotta Cheese with honey and thyme is creamy, lemony, and ready in under 10 minutes. Finished with warm honey, fresh thyme, and olive oil, it's the kind of easy Mediterranean appetizer, like the Marinated Mozzarella Balls, that feels special without requiring much effort.
Whipped Ricotta Cheese At A Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 10 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 8
- 🍋 Cuisine Type: Mediterranean / Italian-inspired appetizer
- 🧀 Flavor Profile: Creamy whipped ricotta topped with honey, lemon, fresh thyme, olive oil, and flaky salt for a bright, savory-sweet finish
- 🥖 Best Served With: Crostini, grilled bread, pita chips, fresh vegetables, or as part of a Mediterranean appetizer board
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; vegetarian; can easily be adapted for entertaining or holiday spreads
- 📦 Storage Notes: Store the whipped ricotta and topping separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days for the freshest texture
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This whipped ricotta cheese feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in under 10 minutes with simple ingredients and big Mediterranean flavor.
Save And Summarize This Recipe
If you love simple Mediterranean appetizers that feel a little special, this Whipped Ricotta Cheese fits right in. Pair it with Baked Brie With Honey and Walnuts, Muhammara Dip, or Prosciutto Wrapped Dates for an appetizer spread that looks impressive but is surprisingly low effort. Add warm crostini, pita chips, or fresh vegetables and you have an appetizer board people love to gather around.
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This whipped ricotta also works beautifully alongside fresh, bright Mediterranean dishes. Serve it with Cherry Tomato Confit, spoon it onto grilled bread with Walnut Pesto, or add it to a summer spread with Nectarine Caprese Salad or Italian Pasta Salad. The creamy ricotta, honey, and thyme combination pairs especially well with roasted vegetables, tomatoes, and anything fresh from the grill.
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this whipped ricotta dip:
- Ricotta Cheese - Whole milk ricotta is the key to getting ultra creamy, smooth whipped ricotta cheese. During testing, whole milk ricotta consistently produced the best texture and flavor, while part-skim versions tasted slightly grainy and less rich after blending. If your ricotta looks watery, let it drain for 15-20 minutes before whipping so the dip stays thick and silky instead of loose. If you enjoy baking with ricotta, my Italian Almond Cookie with Ricotta uses the same creamy cheese to create a soft, tender texture with classic Italian flavor.
- Fresh Thyme - Fresh thyme gives the whipped ricotta an herby, savory note that keeps the dip from tasting overly sweet. During testing, adding the thyme directly into the honey mixture worked better than blending it into the ricotta because the flavor stayed brighter and more pronounced. Start with a small amount and add more to taste since thyme can quickly become overpowering, especially after the dip sits for a few hours in the refrigerator.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- Spicy: Make the topping spicy by using hot honey, chili crisp, or red pepper flakes.
- Herbs: Add more herbs like parsley, basil, rosemary, or mint.
- Tomatoes: Add some marinated cherry tomatoes on top. Marinate them in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and some diced shallots. Let them sit for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavor.
How To Make Whipped Ricotta Cheese: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: In a food processor or large bowl, add the ricotta, sea salt, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pulse until creamy or use an electric hand mixer and mix until creamy.
Step 2: Spoon into a serving bowl.
Step 3: Prepare the topping by combining the honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well combined.
Step 4: Spoon the topping over the ricotta dip. Serve.
Serving Suggestions
While I love this as a dip, there are certainly other ways you can use this dip:
- Warm bread: Brush slices of a baguette or sourdough with olive oil, then bake in the oven until warm or grill until crusty. I like to season the warm bread with salt for even more flavor!
- Pita chips: We're obsessed with these Za'atar Pita Chips but you could opt for store-bought. Pita chips are a great option if you don't want to worry about heating up bread right before serving.
- Fresh veggies: Crisp and colorful veggies-like cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, and celery-are delicious dipped in whipped ricotta!
- Make whipped ricotta toast: Get creative with the toppings! Honey, lemon, and fresh thyme are still delicious, but so are toppings like marinated onions, marinated tomatoes, or pinches of spices like a good Za'atar or Sumac. Experiment with your favorite veggies, spices, and herbs to find combinations you love.
- Serve it under roasted vegetables: It is a delicious creamy base for these Roasted Heirloom Carrots or these Smashed Fingerling Potatoes.
Whipped Ricotta Cheese FAQ's
Ricotta on it's own is an extremely mild flavor. It makes for a delicious base in which to build other flavors around it. You can use it in both sweet and savory preparations.
It's best to use a high quality whole-milk ricotta for this recipe. It will whip into a creamy consistency.
Yes. You can whip the ricotta in a large bowl using a hand held electric mixer.
Other Dip Recipes
Let me know your thoughts on the Whipped Ricotta Cheese by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Whipped Ricotta Cheese With Honey and Thyme
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Equipment
Ingredients
Ricotta Dip
- 16 ounces whole-milk ricotta
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
Honey Lemon Thyme Topping
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 lemon zested, and 1 ½ tablespoons of juice
- sea salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
Ricotta Dip
- Place the ricotta, sea salt, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a food processor.
- Pulse until creamy and well combined.
- Spoon into a serving bowl and set aside.
Honey Lemon Thyme Topping
- In a small bowl combine the honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Stir until well combined.
- Spoon the topping onto the ricotta dip and serve.
Gwen Wolken says
You will love this recipe!