Whipped Ricotta, The Little Black Dress of Cheese
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Whipped Ricotta is referred to as the little black dress of cheese, it’s mild flavor lending itself well to both sweet and savory offerings.
Want the easiest classy snack you can throw together? Stay with me here – when it comes to whipped ricotta, make a lot because once you latch onto this, the little black dress of cheese, you’ll soon see how hard it is to actually share.
Beaten or whipped, ricotta becomes delightfully smooth, fluffy, and VERY hard to stop eating. This 5-minute creamy cheese is the foundation for many sandwiches, flatbreads, and appetizers, enhanced with smoked salt, lemon zest, and quality olive oil.
The end result is creamy, crowd-pleasing, and completely customizable depending on how you intend to use it. It’s both rich enough to take the place of crème fraiche in baked dessert tarts and soups, and yet light enough to drizzle with honey and serve alongside fresh fruit for breakfast.
Its uses are limited only by your imagination, but today, I enjoy it bare bones alongside some wonderfully toasty baguette slices.
Do You Have What’s Needed To Make Whipped Ricotta? Check The List!
fresh whole milk ricotta cheese
cream cheese
whole milk
olive oil
lemon zest
flakey sea salt or smoked salt
ground black pepper (optional)
What Kind Of Ricotta Cheese Is Good For Making Whipped Ricotta?
Look for a high-quality brand of whole-milk ricotta, without stabilizers if possible. You can whip part-skim milk ricotta, but it won’t be quite as rich and creamy. I use a good brand of ricotta or simply make my own, which is also surprisingly easy, but that’s a lesson for another day.
How Long Is Whipped Ricotta Good For?
Prepared, whipped ricotta will keep in the refrigerator for several days, although it may separate slightly. To breathe life back into it, simply drain off any liquid and then take a whisk to it.
As an aside, and if you are familiar with smoked finishing salt, I have recently discovered a smoked oak finishing salt which brings whipped ricotta to an entirely new level. I added the fewest number of grains of this flavor profile to my finished ricotta so that my lemon zest and olive oil would still shine.
Combined with the smoked salt, this ricotta was AMAZING. It was also the first bowl on the snack table that was emptied…
How To Make Whipped Ricotta?
Place the ricotta and the cream cheese in a food processor with metal blade or a blender and drizzle with the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the milk (or cream). Pulse several times, scraping down the sides. The ricotta should be thick but easily spreadable. Season with smoked salt, black pepper, lemon zest, and olive oil. Serve at room temperature over crusty char-grilled country bread slices.
Modifying The Norm To Make It Not Entirely Average…
There is not too much more that can be added to this simple list of ingredients to make Whipped Ricotta “better” than I am demonstrating here. I would however say there is always that caveat…honey. If using Whipped Ricotta as a dessert base, the addition of a tablespoon or two of a local raw honey is beautiful.
Saba (grape must that has been cooked down to a fine syrup, and is un-aged) syrup is also a good sweetener used in moderation to enhance Whipped Ricotta as a base for poached fruit desserts, compotes, and port-soaked fruits.
If looking to add a savory flavor to Whipped Ricotta to be used as an ingredient in a dish or as a stand alone dip, consider smoked paprika, chopped fresh tarragon, and chopped fresh mint.
How To Use Whipped Ricotta In Recipes?
Keep this method for Whipped Ricotta handy. Anywhere you see a recipe specify the use of ricotta cheese, you can likely substitute a whipped version.
If you are looking for immediate recipe inspiration, consider my recipe for Ricotta Crostini with Peaches and Prosciutto or my method for Elegant Eggplant Napoleons. It’s also KILLER in my Easy Four Cheese Baked Stuffed Shells when substituted for the plain ricotta in the recipe card.
Whipped Ricotta may be used alone as a dip with charred country bread, or added to many dishes for added creaminess, stability, and as a flavor component.
By itself, ricotta cheese is an ingredient familiar to most of us for homemade lasagnas, pizzas, and raviolis. Whipped Ricotta Cheese is an elevated and classy version of ricotta. By simply creaming it together with cream cheese and the slightest bit of milk, plain ricotta becomes Whipped Ricotta. It yields an unexpected silkiness, texture, and can lean sweet or savory.
My favorite way to enjoy Whipped Ricotta is with a good chargrilled country bread, brushed lightly with olive oil and toasted to perfection. By simply drizzling a bit of olive oil and adding both some fresh lemon zest and a pinch of a good smoked finishing salt, Whipped Ricotta may as well be a meal.
I do provide links below to recipes which specify the use of Whipped Ricotta, and hope you will consider them when looking to up your cheese game by making a batch of Whipped Ricotta, The Little Black Dress Of Cheese.
If You Like This Recipe…
…you might also like:
- Whipped Feta Dip With Toasted Walnuts And Garlic
- Smoked Gouda & Ricotta Fritters
- Piquant White Cheddar Pimento Cheese
- Easy And Elegant Eggplant Napoleons
Whipped Ricotta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta
- ¼ cup cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- liberal drizzle olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest whipped into the ricotta, additional for garnish
- liberal pinch smoked salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Place the ricotta in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer, whip for one minute.
- Add the softened cream cheese and the milk and whip again, this time until very smooth. The ricotta should be thick but easily spreadable. If you think it’s too thick, stir in another teaspoon of milk.
- Spoon the luscious whipped layers onto a flat-bottomed platter for serving. Drizzle with olive oil and dust with a finishing salt such as a smoked salt or Malden sea salt. Zest as much additional lemon over the top as your heart tells you, and dress with fresh herbs. I use thyme and rosemary, but chives and marjoram work beautifully, too! Serve with toasted baguette.
Video
Notes
The nutrition value can vary depending on what product(s) you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Please note that table salt and iodized salt are NOT substitutions for Kosher salt. Do not deviate unless otherwise specified.