Impress your guests (or just treat yourself) with the easiest, most elegant appetizer you’ll ever make! This Lemon Garlic Baked Ricotta is a revelation. With just five simple ingredients, we transform creamy ricotta into a warm, savory, and luxurious dip with a beautifully golden, slightly crusty top. It’s bright from lemon, fragrant with garlic, and impossibly creamy. Served with toasted bread or crackers, it’s the perfect starter for a dinner party or a luxurious snack that feels like a 5 star restaurant experience at home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unbelievably Easy: 5 minutes of prep, 15 minutes in the oven, and you have gourmet magic.
- Minimal Ingredients: Ricotta, lemon, garlic, salt, and oil are all you need for maximum flavor.
- Elegant & Versatile: Serve it as a dip, spread it on crostini, or even use it as a fancy pasta sauce.
- Crowd Pleasing: This warm, cheesy dip is a guaranteed hit at any gathering, from casual to formal.
Ingredients for Lemon Garlic Baked Ricotta
- 2 cups (16 oz) whole milk ricotta cheese (fresh, high quality if possible)
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk (only if your ricotta seems dry)
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
For Serving:
- Baguette, sliced and toasted
- Optional garnishes: Fresh thyme, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of honey
Instructions for Making Lemon Garlic Baked Ricotta
1Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2Create the Creamy Base: Place the ricotta in a medium bowl. If you’re using standard supermarket ricotta (which can be a bit grainy and dry), stir in 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream or whole milk. You’re aiming for a smooth, easily spreadable consistency, like creamy peanut butter. Fresh, high quality ricotta often won’t need this.
Add the lemon zest, minced garlic, and salt to the ricotta. Stir until everything is perfectly combined.
3Bake to Golden Perfection: Lightly grease two 1 cup capacity ramekins, small oven safe dishes, or one small baking dish (like a 5×7 inch).
Divide the ricotta mixture between the dishes and smooth the tops. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the edges are just beginning to pull away from the sides of the dish.
4The Finishing Touch: Carefully remove the dishes from the oven. Immediately drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh, high quality olive oil over the hot, bubbly ricotta.
5Serve Immediately: Serve the baked ricotta right away while it’s warm and gloriously creamy. Place the dishes on a platter with a basket of toasted baguette slices.
Pro Tip: For an extra flavor boost, rub the warm toasted bread lightly with a cut garlic clove before serving.
Lemon Garlic Baked Ricotta
Ingredients
- 2 cups 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk if needed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a bowl, mix ricotta. If it seems dry, stir in 1-2 tbsp cream until spreadable.
- Stir in lemon zest, minced garlic, and salt.
- Spread mixture into greased ramekins or a small baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.
- Bake for 15-20 mins until top is lightly golden.
- Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Serve immediately with toasted bread.
Notes
