This whipped ricotta dip is as fluffy as a cloud. With fresh lemon, olive oil, and basil, this 5-minute appetizer is amazing for a party! Dollop it on crostini, serve it with fresh veggies, or eat it by the spoonful. You really can’t go wrong!

A hand using a gold knife to scoop whipped ricotta dip out of a brown bowl. The bowl is on a tan counter next to a white plate of crackers, glasses of wine, and a white bowl of olives.

Every weekend, I get the Sunday Scaries, not because I have to get up early on Monday, put on makeup, and go to an office. (I mean, I am a full-time WFH food blogger after all.) No, I get the Sunday Scaries because it means lazy days of snacking with friends are over for the next 5 days. And if there’s anything I love, it’s having people over for drinks and small bites and good conversations.

But, I am also a firm believer that entertaining doesn’t have to be elaborate or stressful. (No one cares if you don’t mop the floors, ok?) Just open a bottle of wine, whip up a quick no-cook app, and call it a day. And while I don’t have a bottle of wine for you, I can gift you this super easy dip situation!

I learned how to make whipped ricotta cheese when I was in culinary school. We used to put it on pasta, pizza, and sometimes pastries, but it turns out that it also makes an excellent dip! Let’s get into it.

P.S. Once you’ve tried these appetizers, don’t forget to check out my other fave ricotta snacks. My go-to is these spinach and ricotta puff pastry pinwheels!

This ricotta dip is magic

I mean, how could it not be? All you do is add ricotta cheese to a food processor, whip it for like 2 minutes, and the end. You have an appetizer on deck and ready to party. This dip has been my hero this summer through the heat wave (no turning on the oven!) but I truly love it year round. Here’s a few recipe highlights!

  • This recipe has literally 5 ingredients. (And two of those are salt and pepper!)
  • The ricotta takes about 5 minutes to whip up with a food processor.
  • The texture is truly like a cloud. So fluffy, creamy, and delicious
  • Make this ricotta for any party or holiday. It’s always a huge crowd-pleaser!

Ok, let’s make it

A food processor with cheese, lemon zest, and olive oil.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor.
Whipped ricotta in a food processor.
Whip for about 2-3 minutes.
  1. Start by spooning the ricotta into a food processor.
  2. Then, drizzle the olive oil over the ricotta. Add the lemon zest & salt.
  3. Blend the ricotta for about 2-3 minutes, until it’s light and fluffy!

Make sure to dump out any liquid in the ricotta before adding it to the food processor. The extra liquid can make the ricotta too runny.

Olive oil being drizzled in a brown bowl of dip on a tan counter.
Spoon the ricotta into a bowl.
A hand grinding pepper into a brown bowl of whipped ricotta dip on a brown counter.
Garnish with olive oil, pepper, & basil.
  1. Using a rubber spatula, spoon the dip into a serving bowl.
  2. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, more lemon zest, and fresh basil.
  3. Serve the ricotta with crackers, veggies, fruit, and more. Enjoy!

No food processor?

No problem! If you don’t have a food processor, a hand mixer or stand mixer will work too. When I was testing his recipe, I found that the whip attachment worked best. You want to get that ricotta nice and airy! But if you only have regular beaters, it’s totally fine. You just might need to whip the cheese for another 1-2 minutes.

Whatever tools you use, make sure to check for the right texture. The ricotta should be light, airy, and fluffy which can take anywhere from 2-5 minutes.

A brown bowl of whipped ricotta cheese on a tan counter next to white bowls of green olives and crackers.

Topping & serving ideas

I usually serve this dip with crackers or homemade crostini. But it’s also lovely with olives, nuts, veggies (carrot sticks, cucumber slices, red pepper slices, or cherry tomatoes) or fruit (grapes, strawberries, etc.). Also, you can definitely skip the olive oil + black pepper combo and try all kinds of toppings! Here are a few of my favorites.

  • A drizzle of bourbon hot honey
  • Roasted strawberries or cherry tomatoes with balsamic glaze
  • Toasted pistachios or walnuts
  • Fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary, chives, etc.!

Store & re-whip

You can scoop any leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate them up for up 3 days. But the ricotta might lose its airy texture after a few days. If it does, go ahead and whip it with a hand mixer or stand mixer for another 2-3 minutes.

You can also make this dip a few hours in advance! It will hold its texture for at least 3-4 hours covered in the fridge.

A brown bowl of whipped ricotta dip on a beige marble counter next to glasses of white wine and white bowls of green olives and crostini.

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Creamy Lemony Whipped Ricotta Dip

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
This whipped ricotta dip is as fluffy as a cloud. With fresh lemon, olive oil, and basil, this 5-minute appetizer is amazing for a party! Dollop it on crostini, serve it with fresh veggies, or eat it by the spoonful. You really can't go wrong!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese (454 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus more for serving (15 milliliters)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus more for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh basil, for serving (optional)
  • Crostini, for serving

Equipment

  • Microplane
  • Food processor (or a hand mixer or stand mixer)

Instructions 

  • Spoon the ricotta into the bowl of a food processor. Add the olive oil, lemon zest, and a couple of big pinches of salt.
  • Whip the ricotta until it's smooth, airy, and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
  • Spoon the whipped ricotta into a serving bowl. Garnish it with a drizzle of oil, a few cracks of black pepper, more lemon zest, and fresh basil. Enjoy with crostini or crackers.

Notes

Make sure to dump out any liquid in the ricotta before adding it to the food processor. The extra liquid can make the ricotta runny.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whip attachment. Regular beaters will also work in a pinch but you might need to whip the cheese for another 1-2 minutes.
You can make this dip a few hours in advance. It will hold its texture for at least 3-4 hours covered in the fridge.
Try serving this ricotta with crostini, crackers, fruit, and veggies. I like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, red pepper slices, strawberries, and grapes.
Cuisine: American, Italian
Course: Appetizer
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 58kcal, Carbohydrates: 1.6g, Protein: 3.5g, Fat: 4.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 74mg, Potassium: 39mg, Sugar: 0.1g, Calcium: 84mg
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xo Sara Lynn