Need a super simple appetizer that still feels a little bit fancy? Say hello to your new party essential: Whipped Ricotta with Fig Jam. This amazing dip takes creamy whole milk ricotta, whips it with olive oil and lemon zest until it’s light and fluffy, and then swirls in a generous helping of sweet, fruity fig jam. A sprinkle of chopped pistachios tops it off, creating the perfect scoop for crackers or toasty crostini. Five minutes and done! It’s a unique option for the holiday season when you need something that will impress without adding stress to your party prep.
Whipped dip is a thing of beauty
We’re all pretty used to the creamy smoothness of your typical party dip that’s made with some combo of sour cream, mayo, or yogurt, right? Thick enough to pile on a potato chip but yielding enough not to break that chip when you drag it through the bowl. The flavors usually lean herby or vegetal or oniony.
That’s not what this dip is. Whipped ricotta is fluffy and light with ricotta’s cheesy tang. Its consistency lands somewhere between whipped cream and yogurt, still sturdy and scoopable.
But the flavor is where this dip really stands out. It’s a complementary blend of sweet and tangy and salty — not a dessert, but not exactly a savory chip dip either. Mound it on sturdy crackers or spread on toasty crostini. Top with crumbled bacon or prosciutto slices or a drizzle of hot honey, if that’s your vibe.
Serve with your favorite wine or cocktails for an appetizer that feels fussy and sophisticated … but only you will know it was five minutes and done.
Whipped Ricotta with Fig Jam is —
- An impressive, elegant presentation with minimal effort.
- So easy; no cooking required.
- Perfect for holiday entertaining or dinner parties.
- Sweet, slightly tart, crunchy. A delicate and delish combination of flavors and textures.
If you love to serve crowd-pleasing cracker spreads at your parties, you might also enjoy my Pistachio Cranberry Cheese Ball and my Cranberry Pecan Bacon Cheese Log.
Key Ingredients
Ricotta — This is one time when you want to splurge and get the whole milk ricotta. You need the richness of the dairy fats in order for the ricotta to whip up light and creamy and smooth.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Be sure to use a quality EVOO whose flavor you enjoy. The presence of the olive oil won’t be strong, but it will impact the flavor of the dip, so use something nice.
Lemon — Lemon zest adds a nice bright note to the ricotta. Note that you’ll just be using the zest, not the juice.
Fig jam — My favorite brand of fig spread is Davina; they make an orange fig jam that is just out of this world. At my grocery store, some of the fig preserves (including Davina) are found in the deli with other artisanal ingredients, while others are in the jams and jellies aisle. If you don’t have access to fig jam, you could try something like apricot or seedless raspberry preserves.
Pistachios — I love the crunch of pistachios as a topping for a lot of things (salads, desserts), including this dip. While you could substitute just about any nut, I like the contrasting green color they add. Raw pistachios in the shell will give you the most green color. Roasted pistachios might be all brown, inside and out, depending on the brand and their aggressiveness in roasting.
Salt — This dip has both regular salt and finishing salt. Regular salt infuses the dip with flavor, and then a crunchy finishing salt is sprinkled over the top at the end to provide a burst of flavor and texture. If you haven’t tried Maldon sea salt flakes yet (a finishing salt), the holidays are a great excuse to give them a go. I keep a salt cellar with Maldon flakes right next to the stove.
How to Make Whipped Ricotta with Fig Jam
Ready to make the recipe? Skip to the recipe card now to see the full ingredient list, quantities, prep/cooking times, and printable, detailed instructions. Or, keep scrolling for a visual walk-through of making the dip.
Prep notes
Here’s a quick guide for prepping the ingredients, if you need it (not including anything that simply needs to be measured out of a container, such as dried herbs and liquids).
- Zest the lemon on a fine grater, taking care not to go too deep. The white pith just underneath the yellow rind is bitter.
- Chop the pistachios into small pieces. If you purchased them in the shell, look for the ones where the shell is already partially open; it should crack apart easily. The nuts that are completely closed or that have just the tiniest open slit are very difficult to break apart without a hammer, lol.
- Rinse the thyme stem, pat dry with a paper towel, and remove the leaves: Hold the top of the stem, with the leaves pointing upward, grasp the stem with your thumb and forefinger and pull down the length of the stem, dislodging the leaves as you go.
Whip the ricotta
Add the ricotta, olive, kosher salt, and lemon zest to the bowl of a small food processor. Blend until smooth and fluffy.
Layer the ricotta and jam
Spoon about a third of the ricotta on a small rimmed plate, spreading it out in a shallow circle. Spoon some of the fig spread over the ricotta in irregular puddles. Repeat two more times, so that the layers are ricotta-jam-ricotta-jam-ricotta (reserve a little jam for the next step).
Swirl!
Use a rounded spoon to swirl the layers together, spreading out the dip as you go. Spoon the rest of the jam into the center, and give it another swirl. Finish by sprinkling the finishing salt, chopped pistachios, and thyme leaves over the top. Serve with crackers, triangle toasts, or crostini.
Storing
This dip is best when used immediately after making, but you can store it for a short time in the fridge in a covered container.
This whipped ricotta with fig jam has become my go-to appetizer whenever I need something that looks impressive but won’t keep me stuck in the kitchen. The combination of creamy, sweet, and crunchy textures makes every bite absolutely perfect. If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram (@soupaddict).
Whipped Ricotta with Fig Jam
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest from one lemon
- 2 tablespoons fig jam or fig spread
- Finishing salt (such as Maldon flaked sea salt)
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- 1 stem of fresh thyme , leaves only
Instructions
- Whip the ricotta, olive oil, salt, and lemon zest together in a food processor or a bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Mix the fig jam with 1 teaspoon of hot water and stir until blended. The jam should be loose enough to fall from a spoon. (Alternatively, you can add the jam and the water to a small microwaveable bowl and heat for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir well, let cool slightly.)
- Spoon about a third of the ricotta on a rimmed plate or shallow bowl. Drizzle some of the jam over the ricotta in a rough circle.
- Repeat again.
- Spoon the remaining the ricotta over the top. The layers so far will be: ricotta-jam-ricotta-jam-ricotta. Use the back of a round spoon to swirl the ricotta into the jam.
- Top the dip with the remaining fig jam and give it another swirl.
- Sprinkle pinches of the finishing salt across the top, along with the pistachios and thyme leaves.
- Serve immediately with sturdy crackers, crostini, or toasted bread slices.