Whipped Ricotta Dip with Pistachios, Olives, and Harissa Oil
Creamy whipped ricotta meets spicy harissa oil, briny olives, and crunchy pistachios in this quick, crowd-pleasing dip. Swap the toppings and it;s easy to customize this ricotta cheese dip to suit your tastes!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Ricotta Dip
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
- French baguette, crostini, or pita chips
Harissa Oil
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped green olives
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Make the ricotta dip. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, lemon zest, and Kosher salt. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of olive oil. Whisk until well combined and fluffy.
- Make the harissa oil. In a small skillet set over medium heat, warm olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, lower the heat and add the harissa paste. Stir until the paste somewhat dissolves and the oil turns a beautiful red-amber color, about 1 minute.
- Add the olives and pistachios. Stir in the green olives and pistachios and warm for about 30 seconds or so. Remove from the heat.
- Plate and serve. Spread the whipped ricotta in a small, shallow serving bowl and top with the harissa oil, olive and pistachio mixture. Sprinkle with fresh mint and serve with sliced french baguette (even better if you quickly grill the bread in a cast iron skillet), crostini, or pita chips.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil, olives, and harissa (spicier) or harissa (mild) used in this recipe.
- Customize it:
- Swap the herbs: Replace the fresh mint with chopped dill, parsley, cilantro, or basil for a slightly different aromatic note that still pairs beautifully with ricotta.
- Try a different nut: Substitute toasted almonds, pine nuts, or walnuts for the pistachios to change the texture and flavor profile.
- Switch up the olives: Kalamata olives have a deeper, brinier bite, while Castelvetranos are buttery and more subtle.
- Add roasted garlic: Whisk 2 or 3 smashed roasted or confit garlic cloves into the ricotta to give it a mellow, savory depth.
- Make it sweet: Skip the harissa and top the whipped ricotta instead with honey, black pepper, and fresh thyme leaves instead!
- Storage: Leftovers keep well for up to 2 days when stored separately; give the ricotta a quick stir before serving and spoon the warmed harissa oil over the top.
Nutrition
Calories: 200.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.6g | Protein: 5.9g | Fat: 18.5g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.7g | Cholesterol: 21.1mg | Sodium: 379.8mg | Potassium: 112.4mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 0.9g | Vitamin A: 279.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 97.7mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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