Baked ricotta is creamy, smooth, and flavorful. This delicious warm dip is packed with Parmesan and seasoned with dried herbs for the ultimate cheesy dip experience. It’s an easy to prepare appetizer (5 minutes of prep!) that is perfect to serve during the holidays — or any time of the year!
Plus, it takes just 30 minutes to bake in the oven before you can serve up this warm dip. It’s fast, easy, and delicious — everything you want in a holiday appetizer. Serve with toasted bread, crackers, and/or veggies.
Why You'll Love this Baked Ricotta
- Rich and creamy. When it’s baked, ricotta becomes even thicker, smoother, and more spreadable as the water content in the cheese evaporates. This warm ricotta dip is cozy and perfect!
- Mouthwatering Italian flavors. Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley take this ricotta from good to amazing. The delicious aroma will fill your kitchen while the ricotta bakes and your whole family will be ready to dig right in.
- Easy snack or appetizer. Baked ricotta is a prime candidate for the snack table at your next gathering. It takes five minutes to prep the ingredients before it goes in the oven to heat up — perfect for baking while you’re preparing other dishes or putting the final touches on your holiday party.
Ingredient Notes
To make this easy Baked Ricotta, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- ricotta cheese - use whole milk ricotta for the best results.
- eggs
- parmesan cheese - grated asiago or pecorino Romano can be used in place of the parmesan here.
- Italian seasoning - you can use a homemade blend, store-bought blend, or a different spice blend to suit your tastes. A similar substitute would be to use dried oregano instead.
- red pepper flakes - gives the warm ricotta dip a little bit of a kick, but you can reduce the amount or completely omit them for a milder flavor.
- olive oil - add a drizzle on top when serving. This is optional but highly recommended.
- parsley - you can also use other fresh herbs to garnish this dish. Try thyme, rosemary, or dill.
- for serving - serve with crostinis, baguettes, or your favorite crackers. Veggies like broccoli, carrots, sliced bell peppers, snow peas, celery, and endive also make great dippers for this baked ricotta.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and small baking dish (1.5 quart baking dish).
How to Make the Best Baked Ricotta
- Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Bake. Transfer mixture into a small baking dish (1.5 quart baking dish). Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 30 minutes until the ricotta is puffy and golden brown.
- Serve. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil on top and fresh herbs. Serve with toasted bread, crackers, and/or veggies.
How to Serve
Serve Baked Ricotta with crackers, toasted bread, or veggies for dipping. It is also great to include as part of a platter with:
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Serve as a starter or a late-night snack. Warm ricotta dip obviously makes a great appetizer to set out while you’re waiting on the main meal, but don’t forget about a few hours after lunch or dinner when guests are still hanging out and starting to get hunger pangs again!
- Make your own ricotta. Ricotta is one of the easiest cheeses to make at home. If you have extra time on your hands and want a little bit of a challenge, make a batch of homemade ricotta to use in this dip!
- Repurpose leftover baked ricotta. Ricotta goes with everything — add leftover baked ricotta to bagels and sandwiches, pastas, salads, and more to make the most of this dish!
Frequently Asked Questions
Baked ricotta (or fresh ricotta, for that matter) doesn’t typically freeze very well, as the high water content causes the cheese to separate when it’s frozen and thawed.
This recipe works best with whole milk ricotta, but you can make a vegan version with crumbled tofu. The texture will be different, but it’s a delicious alternative. An easy vegan replacement for eggs is aquafaba (also known chickpea liquid, usually from a can). Use 3 tablespoons per egg in this recipe — so 6 tablespoons in total.
Storing Instructions
How to Store
Transfer leftover baked ricotta to an airtight container or cover the serving dish tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
How to Reheat
Reheat leftovers in a 300F preheated oven for 10-20 minutes until warm.
More Cheese Recipes
- Whipped Ricotta Dip
- Fried Goat Cheese Balls
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Baked Mozzarella Sticks
- Whipped Feta
- Queso Mexican Cheese Dip
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Recipe
Baked Ricotta
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Baked ricotta is creamy, smooth, and flavorful. This delicious warm dip is packed with Parmesan and seasoned with dried herbs for the ultimate cheesy dip experience. It’s an easy to prepare appetizer (5 minutes of prep!) that is perfect to serve during the holidays — or any time of the year!
Ingredients
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For serving (optional):
- olive oil
- fresh parsley, finely chopped
- sliced bread, toasted
- crackers
- veggies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
- Transfer mixture into a small baking dish (1.5 quart baking dish). Thank
- Bake for 30 minutes until the ricotta is puffy and golden brown.
- Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil on top and fresh herbs. Serve with toasted bread, crackers, and/or veggies.
Notes
How to store: Transfer leftover baked ricotta to an airtight container or cover the serving dish tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week. It is not recommended to freeze ricotta.
How to reheat: Reheat leftovers in a 300F preheated oven for 10-20 minutes until warm.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
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