Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil
Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil
Ok, this Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes is definitely my new favourite appetizer! The ricotta is so light and fluffy and mild in flavour. It’s whipped up with a little lemon zest, garlic and salt which brightens it up a little. Paired with the juicy roasted tomatoes, basil and balsamic reduction, it’s the best combination. It’s absolutely perfect for late spring and summer entertaining. It’s also one of the easiest appetizers I’ve ever made. You only need 8 ingredients and 30 minutes to make it.
I’m going to be bring this with me to all of the summer parties, gatherings, bbq’s, you name it! It’s simple, but insanely delicious. It will easily be a crowd pleaser. I love to serve it up with crusty sourdough bread (drool), a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh cracked black pepper on top. It’s a great way of using up all of the tomatoes in your garden this summer! Let’s go over some of the main ingredients that you will need:
Ricotta - Ricotta cheese makes the base of this delicious appetizer. Try to find extra smooth ricotta when you buy it at the store. If you can’t find extra smooth thats ok. It will get whipped anyway. You just may need to whip it for another minute to make sure it’s extra smooth and fluffy.
Lemon - Lemon plays a BIG role in this appetizer. The ricotta is very mild in flavour and it needs a little acid to bring it to life. You will need 2 lemons for this recipe; the zest is used in the whipped ricotta and a squeeze of the juice finishes off the entire dish.
Salt - Salt is also an important ingredient in this recipe. It will help to emphasize the flavours of the dish.
Garlic - I love my garlic, so I had to add some to the whipped ricotta. It adds flavour but also a little zing. I recommend using fresh minced garlic for this recipe.
Olive oil - Olive oil is what we will use when we roast the tomatoes. You could use avocado oil as well.
Tomatoes - I love to use heirloom cherry tomatoes for this recipe because of their pretty colours. Grape or regular cherry tomatoes also work well.
Basil - Adding a little basil gives some colour to the dish as well as flavour. Tomatoes and basil is a well-known complimentary pair!
Balsamic reduction - I garnished the whole dish with sweet balsamic reduction; yum! It definitely makes it! You make your own or buy it at the store. You can find it with the oils and vinegars.
Flakey sea salt - It’s totally optional, but I also like to garnish the appetizer with some flakey sea salt. It just levels it up a little more.
You will also need either a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the whipped ricotta.
Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil
Whipped Ricotta with Roasted Tomatoes and Basil
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cherry tomatoes
- olive oil, for roasting
- 1 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
- 1 round loaf of artisan sourdough bread
- 1 475g container extra-smooth ricotta cheese
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- zest of 2 lemons
- 2-3 basil leaves, sliced
- the juice from 1/2 lemon
- balsamic reduction, for garnishing
- *optional* flakey sea salt, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and add the cherry tomatoes to a small baking dish. Drizzle them with olive oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, shaking the dish once halfway through.
- While the tomatoes are roasting, prepare the bread: Slice the entire loaf of sourdough bread and then cut each slice in half diagonally. Lay the slices out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush both sides of the slices with olive oil.
- When the tomatoes are done, put the bread in the oven and bake for 5 minutes or until crispy. Set aside.
- Make the whipped ricotta: Add the ricotta to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Add the lemon zest (no pith), garlic and 1/2 tsp sea salt to the ricotta and beat on medium-high for about 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Transfer the whipped ricotta to a large plate and spread it out in a circle.
- Top the whipped ricotta with roasted tomatoes, sliced basil leaves, lemon juice and balsamic reduction. Garnish with flakey sea salt, if desired.
- Serve with crusty sourdough bread and enjoy!