This simple, fast and Delicious Ricotta Appetizer for Two is my favorite year-round appetizer. It’s a mix of ricotta, lots of chopped herbs, minced garlic, a juiced lemon and zest, olive oil and plenty of salt and pepper. It’s simple but special – perfect to whip together to snack on while you make dinner.
I prepare this year-round, changing the herbs according to what I have on hand, but I make it most often in the summer, when I want an appetizer that will pair nicely with beet salad, frittata, pesto chicken cob salad and so many other dishes.
Turkey-lasagna is one of our favorite comfort dishes that uses ricotta and when cooking for two, I find I only use ½ of a container – this appetizer often finds itself on our table the next night with a grilled baguette. Absolutely Delicious!
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Ricotta Appetizer Ingredients
Here’s what you will need for this simple Ricotta Appetizer:
- fresh ricotta
- lemon zest plus fresh lemon juice - a quick tip is to zest the lemon before juicing
- garlic clove
- extra-virgin olive oil - use a premium quality olive oil such as California Olive Ranch Global Blend Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Gaea Fresh (New Harvest) as this will bring a fresh, fruity and Peppery flavor to the ricotta
- mix of herbs like chives, parsley, mint and tarragon, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 1 baguette
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Fresh ricotta will often have liquid in the container, it’s best to first drain this. Line a strainer with a double thickness of damp paper towels or cheesecloth, place it over a bowl, spoon in the ricotta, place a paper towel on top or pull the cheese cloth around the cheese and weight it with a plate or a can of something. Place in the refrigerator and let it strain for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day.
Put the ricotta in a medium bowl or a food processor bowl. Using a hand blender or a food processor, puree the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and the olive oil until smooth. If using a food processor, scrape into a medium bowl. Stir in the herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before tasting and adjusting for salt, pepper and lemon juice and serving.
Light a grill. Brush the baguettes with olive oil. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, 3 minutes. Drizzle the herbed ricotta with olive oil and garnish with herbs and cracked pepper
Variations
I make this ricotta dip year-round, and I don’t think I make it the same each time, changing it up with herbs I have on hand. Below are some mixed herbs combinations that work well together.
Variation 1: Dill, parsley, tarragon, thyme, cilantro and/or basil.
Variation 2: Swap out garlic for 1 scallion and 1 tablespoon minced shallots (white and light green parts only) thinly sliced.
Top tip
If there’s liquid in the ricotta container, it’s best to drain the cheese. Line a strainer with a double layer of paper towels or cheesecloth, place it over a bowl, spoon in the ricotta. Cover with a paper towel and place in the refrigerator and let it strain for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day.
FAQ
According to its nutritional profile, ricotta cheese aids in bone health, weight loss, and blood pressure reduction and is an anti-inflammatory. More reasons to make this a staple in your refrigerator.
Store in an airtight container and cover the top of the ricotta with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for no longer than 1 day.
Yes! The more ricotta appetizer, the better. Increase the servings in the recipe card and the measurements will automatically adjust – no math needed!
Related
Looking for other appetizer for two recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite main dishes to serve with this Ricotta Appetizer for Two:
Delicious Ricotta Appetizer for Two
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh ricotta
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove finely grated.
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for brushing and drizzling
- ½ cup finely chopped mixed chives parsley, mint and tarragon, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- 1 baguette split lengthwise.
Instructions
- Before you begin: If there’s liquid in the ricotta container, it’s best to first drain the cheese. Line a strainer with a double thickness of damp paper towels or cheesecloth, place it over a bowl, spoon in the ricotta, place a paper towel on top or pull the cheese cloth around the cheese and weight it with a plate or a can of something. Place in the refrigerator and let it strain for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day.
- Put the ricotta in a medium bowl or a food processor bowl, using a hand blender or a food processor, puree the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic and the olive oil until smooth. If using a food processor, scrape into a medium bowl. Stir in the herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before tasting and adjusting for salt, pepper and lemon juice and serving.
- Light a grill. Brush the baguettes with olive oil. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, 3 minutes. Drizzle the herbed ricotta with olive oil and garnish with herbs and cracked pepper. Serve with the bread.
Your Notes, Tips and Tricks
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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