Easy Whipped Ricotta with Hot Honey & Pistachios
This creamy whipped ricotta topped with hot honey, crunchy pistachios, and fresh thyme is an easy appetizer that's guaranteed to impress. Serve it with toasted bread, naan dippers, or pita chips for a simple yet elegant appetizer that's perfect for parties, holidays, or casual entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Whipped Ricotta
- 32 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 teaspoons olive oil optional, for a smoother texture
For Serving
- 1 sourdough baguette or your favorite crusty bread
- Olive oil or softened butter for brushing the bread
- Garlic flaky salt to taste
- Hot honey for drizzling
- ½ cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Naan dippers or pita chips optional
- Folded salami grapes, or other charcuterie favorites (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Whip the Ricotta
- Drain any excess liquid from the ricotta if needed. Add the ricotta to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. If desired, add the olive oil for an even creamier texture.
- Whip on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, or until the ricotta becomes smooth, light, and fluffy.
Step 2: Toast the Bread
- Slice the baguette into ½-inch slices.
- For grilled bread, lightly brush the slices with olive oil and toast them on a hot grill pan or cast iron skillet until golden with grill marks.
- For garlic toast, spread the slices lightly with butter, place them under the broiler for a few minutes until golden brown, then sprinkle with garlic flaky salt while they're still warm.
Step 3: Assemble
- Spread the whipped ricotta into a shallow serving bowl, creating soft swirls with the back of a spoon.
- Top with:
- chopped pistachios
- a generous drizzle of hot honey
- fresh thyme leaves
Step 4: Build the Board
- Arrange the toasted bread, naan dippers, or pita chips around the whipped ricotta.
- For an easy entertaining board, add extra chopped pistachios, fresh thyme, and hot honey nearby so guests can add more toppings as they enjoy the dip. Add folded salami, grapes, or your favorite charcuterie items to fill out the board if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Whole milk ricotta produces the creamiest texture.
- A stand mixer with the whisk attachment creates an incredibly light, fluffy consistency in just a few minutes.
- No sourdough? French bread, ciabatta, crostini, crackers, pita chips, or naan dippers all work beautifully.
- This recipe serves 8 to 10 people as an appetizer, depending on what else you're serving and the size of your appetizer board.
- Leftover whipped ricotta can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir before serving again.