Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta - A simple yet elegant hot appetizer that is perfect for parties. Simply stir together ricotta cheese, Meyer lemon zest and juice, herbs and seasoning, and pop it into the oven! | foxeslovelemons.com

While I had an amazing trip to Italy last fall, I have one major regret: I didnโ€™t eat any cannoli there!

Can you believe it? I went all the way there, and never got to try the sweet-ricotta-cheese-filled-fried-pastry delicacy in its homeland.

Granted, I had a huge list of foods I wanted to try, including cacio e pepe, gelato, suppli, oven-fired pizza, fettuccine bolognese, bistecca alla Fiorentina, ribbolita and more gelato, so there just wasnโ€™t time (or room in my stomach) for everything.

Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta - A simple yet elegant hot appetizer that is perfect for parties. Simply stir together ricotta cheese, Meyer lemon zest and juice, herbs and seasoning, and pop it into the oven! | foxeslovelemons.com

With no transition other than โ€œricotta!,โ€ letโ€™s talk about this fun little party appetizer. Iโ€™ve been noticing baked ricotta, whipped ricotta and other varieties of ricotta dip more and more on restaurant menus lately.

Ricotta cheese is such a perfect starting point for a dip because it has a luscious creamy flavor on its own (and so good dolloped on top of rigatoni meat sauce), but is also endlessly adaptable to whatever flavors you want to add to it.

That’s why I make my lasagna with cottage cheese recipe and save the ricotta for an appetizer!

With Meyer lemons nearing the end of their season, I may have bought too many Meyer lemons this week.

To the tune of a HUGE bowl of them that is staring me in the face and making me feel guilty every time I open the fridge (don’t worry, I used a few for a lemon margarita).

I might need to make another batch of Candied Meyer Lemon Cookies, and it looks like this baked ricotta was destined to be flavored with Meyer lemon, too.

Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta - A simple yet elegant hot appetizer that is perfect for parties. Simply stir together ricotta cheese, Meyer lemon zest and juice, herbs and seasoning, and pop it into the oven! | foxeslovelemons.com

For this Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta recipe, I stirred Meyer lemon zest and juice into a generous portion of ricotta. I added a little spice with both Dijon mustard and a pinch of cayenne pepper (red pepper flakes would work well, too).

For an herbal note, I used chopped rosemary and thyme. I prefer fresh herbs for this dish, but if you wish to use dried herbs instead, simply use half the amount that is called for.

I transfer the mixture to my adorable mini baking dishes that I am always itching to use, but one medium baking dish or several oven-safe ramekins would work just as well. If youโ€™re making a large batch for a party or as part of a New Year’s Eve charcuterie board or football charcuterie board, you could even use a small cast-iron skillet!

Bake the mixture until bubbly, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil, some freshly cracked black pepper, and flaky sea salt.

Serve this Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta with crostini, crackers or vegetables. I love it paired with blistered tomatoes.

Psst – if you have any extra ricotta, you might want to try my easy cannoli dip! And if you have leftover rosemary after making this, whip up a batch of my rosemary syrup recipe for delicious rosemary gin cocktails and mocktails!

Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta - A simple yet elegant hot appetizer that is perfect for parties. Simply stir together ricotta cheese, Meyer lemon zest and juice, herbs and seasoning, and pop it into the oven! | foxeslovelemons.com
Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta

Meyer Lemon Baked Ricotta

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Baked Ricotta:

  • 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon grated Meyer lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Pinch cayenne

For Garnishing and Serving:

  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
  • Toasted bread and/or crackers

Instructions

  1. Make the Baked Ricotta: Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, stir together ricotta, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, lemon zest, rosemary, black pepper and cayenne. Spread evenly in 2 cup baking dish or several individual oven safe ramekins. Transfer to oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are bubbling.
  2. To serve, garnish with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Serve immediately with toasted bread and/or crackers.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 132Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 211mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 8g

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