Italian Baked Ricotta Cheese Dip with Fresh Herbs
Make this creamy baked ricotta cheese dip for the holidays and see a crowd gather! Whole milk ricotta is baked with fresh herbs, garlic and a bit of lemon zest for a cheesy spread perfect for crusty Italian bread or crackers. Keep this easy dip in your back pocket to add to your favorite appetizer recipes list!
Servings 10
Equipment
- small baking dish
Ingredients
- 15 oz ricotta
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup grated parmesan divided
- 1 T fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- 2 teaspoons fresh garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚.
- Beat the ricotta and eggs in a medium mixing bowl either with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Stir in the 1/2 cup of the parmesan, garlic, herbs and seasoning.
- Pour into a small baking dish, sprinkle over remaining parmesan and bake for 35 minutes. Turn on the broiler and bake until browned about 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish with additional lemon zest and fresh thyme, as desired.
- Serve with pita chips, chunks of Italian bread or French baguette; or fresh veggies like thickly sliced cucumbers, stalks of celery, and big pieces of red pepper.
