Perfect Whipped Ricotta
Updated Sep 05, 2025
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Whipped ricotta is so simple to make, but it's about to transform your cooking! Use fresh ricotta, season to taste, and see how many ways you can use it.
This whipped ricotta recipe is a five-minute kitchen upgrade with endless uses. Using high-quality, whole-milk fresh ricotta, you simply blend it up smooth and creamy with olive oil, salt, and pepper—then riff as you wish with lemon zest, herbs, or even a swirl of honey. The result? A lusciously spreadable cheese ready for crostini, bruschetta, graze boards, grilled veggies, or whatever needs a flavor boost.
I have been on a whipped fresh ricotta kick – nay, a bender – lately, and I have no intention of stopping. Fresh ricotta here is key—go for the best ricotta you can buy, and you’ll be rewarded with a spread that makes you look (and feel) like a kitchen genius. No cooking, barely any effort, and all the creamy, dreamy goodness you could want.
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How to Use Whipped Ricotta
- Spoon it onto crostini or bruschetta and top with squares of roasted red pepper. Also, try roasted tomatoes.
- Stuff some under the skin of bone-in chicken thighs and roast them.
- Add to sandwiches such as a BLT, or a sandwich made with leftover roast beef or pork.
- Pair it with grilled peaches and a drizzle of honey.
- Add it to a graze board.
- Add it to this radicchio and blue cheese flatbread. Yum.
Substitutions and Variations
- Whipped Basil Ricotta: Throw in a handful of chopped basil leaves (or some other herbs).
- Whipped Red Pepper Ricotta: Add 1 roasted, peeled, and seeded red bell pepper. You may choose not to add any olive oil at all, since the roasted pepper will add a lot of moisture. If you do want to add some olive oil, start with 1 tablespoon and go from there, or it might get very loose – but in that case, you will have a lovely red pepper ricotta sauce, perfect for drizzling over a plate of sliced ripe tomatoes and onions or roasted or grilled veggies, or using as a dip.
- Whipped Mint Basil Pesto Ricotta: Add 2 tablespoons of Mint Basil Pesto to the ricotta, and then start with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add more of either as desired.
- Whipped Ricotta with Feta: Use half feta or goat cheese instead of the ricotta, and add a bit of lemon zest. Try that in this butternut squash dish with persillade.
- You could also use a combination of whole milk, half and half, or cream and olive oil to loosen the ricotta and allow it to get whipped and creamy/fluffy.
FAQs
It matters! While commercially packaged ricotta is fine for baked dishes, the secret to exceptional whipped ricotta is starting with the freshest, creamiest ricotta you can find—think cheese shops or a good Italian deli. It makes all the difference when ricotta is the star of the show.
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Absolutely. Whipped fresh ricotta can be made a day or two ahead and kept in the fridge. Give it a quick stir before serving, and it’s ready to go.
Definitely! Try stirring in lemon zest, herbs like chives or basil, or even a little honey for a sweet twist. You can also blend in feta for a tangy variation.
Just about anything: crostini, crackers, crisp veggies, or dolloped alongside roasted vegetables, grilled meat, or even spooned onto a salad. It’s a multitasker.
For best results, whole milk ricotta works best for a dreamy, creamy texture, but you can use part-skim if you prefer lighter results—it just won’t be quite as rich.
You can find fresh ricotta at cheese shops, Italian markets, and nice deli counters. Sometimes it’s sold behind the counter, packaged to order, and sometimes it’s pre-packaged in the refrigerator section.
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Easy Whipped Ricotta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk fresh ricotta
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or more as desired; see Note)
Instructions
- Place the ricotta and salt and pepper in a food processor and start processing.
- Add the olive oil in a slow stream into the feed tub, and process until cery creamy. You can add additional olive oil (or a bit of fresh cream or milk; see Note) if desired.
Notes
- Whipped Basil Ricotta: Throw in a handful of chopped basil leaves (or some other herbs).
- Whipped Red Pepper Ricotta: Add 1 roasted, peeled, and seeded red bell pepper. You may choose not to add any olive oil add all, since the roasted pepper will add so much moisture, but if you do want to add some olive oil, start with 1 tablespoon and go from there, or it might get very loose – but in that case you will have a lovely red pepper ricotta sauce, perfect for drizzling over a plate of sliced ripe tomatoes and onions, or using as a dip.
- Whipped Mint Basil Pesto Ricotta: Add 2 tablespoons of Mint Basil Pesto to the ricotta, and then start with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and go from there.
- You could also use a combination of whole milk, half-and-half, or cream and olive oil to loosen the ricotta and allow it to get whipped and creamy/fluffy.
