Easy Whipped Ricotta Cheese Crostini With Honey and Walnuts

Customize Your Ricotta Crostini

Ricotta cheese is such a versatile ingredient. It pairs well with a variety of toppings and seasonings.

Instead of the honey and walnut topping, you could substitute these simple ingredients:

• mix in some red pepper flakes, or drizzle with hot honey for a little extra kick
• top with roasted garlic and red peppers(sprinkle on some finely grated parmesan cheese for even more flavor!)
• top with fresh fruit, such as thinly sliced apples or pears
• top with fresh vegetables like sliced grape tomatoes and scallions (the red & green colors make nice holiday appetizers)
• mix in fresh herbs–fresh thyme, basil, or oregano are particularly nice
• add bright flavors to the creamy ricotta cheese mixture with a little fresh lemon juice or lemon zest

Ricotta Cheese Dip

These whipped ricotta crostinis aren’t the only easy appetizers you can make if you have a tub of store-bought ricotta in your fridge.

It’s so easy to put together a ricotta dip using many of the same ingredients. Just use the whisk attachment on your mixer to whip the cheese until smooth and creamy, then add your choice of seasonings.

Serve this delicious appetizer as an easy dip with some pita chips or fresh vegetables.

Cheese Ball

Another great ricotta cheese appetizer is a cheese ball.

Cream cheese is a typical ingredient in cheese balls, and whipping in 4 ounces of it with the ricotta cheese will give you a more firm cheese ball that would be perfect on a charcuterie board.

Drizzled with honey and sprinkled with your choice of chopped nuts makes it perfect to serve as an appetizer before a dinner party, as part of a New Year spread, or even as a pretty addition to your next party on game day.

Football or tailgating parties typically include many savory dishes and hot dips, so this cool, and mild creamy dip or whipped ricotta crostini would be a nice contrast.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

That tub of ricotta in the fridge can go a long way. If you have some left over, it makes the easiest zesty lemon pasta in just minutes.

• In a large skillet, saute a little butter and garlic until fragrant– about 1-2 minutes.
• Add 8oz of your favorite pasta, fully cooked and drained, to the skillet with a little of the starchy pasta cooking water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
• Add about 1 cup of ricotta, a handful of Parmesan, a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of lemon zest. Stir until everything is well combined, and the ricotta has warmed enough to form a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
• Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

There are so many great ricotta cheese recipes.

I’ve served whipped ricotta cheese crostini with honey and walnuts as an appetizer on date night at home, and I’ve also served it as a cheese ball for dinner parties.

It’s definitely a staple ingredient.

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