Baked Ricotta with Calabrian Chile and Honey

Creamy baked ricotta dip swirled with Calabrian chile paste and finished with honey. A warm, sweet-spicy Italian dip for crusty bread.

Why I Love It

This baked ricotta dip is hot and cheesy, with the perfect hit of spicy and sweet.

If you’ve been around for a while, you know I’m obsessed with Calabrian chile paste. It’s not just heat: it’s a little tangy, a little salty, and rich with olive oil. It has depth. I keep a jar in the fridge and reach for it constantly.

Swirling it into baked ricotta felt obvious. The ricotta puffs and turns lightly golden at the edges, soft and custardy in the center. Then the chile paste melts into little pockets of heat. A thick drizzle of honey over the top brings everything into focus. Sweet against salty. Warm and creamy against a chewy, crunchy crostini. It’s everything I want from a ricotta dip.

Baked ricotta is one of those brilliant Italian appetizers. You mix everything in a bowl, spoon it into a dish, and bake until bubbling. That’s it! I make this when friends come over, but also on weeknights when I want something hot and savory to scoop with good bread and a glass of steely white wine. It’s just as good warm as it is at room temperature, which makes it easy to set out and forget about.

If you love ricotta the way I do, this lives in the same world as my chicken ricotta meatballs and these lemony ricotta fritters. You can cover your whole day with ricotta!

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how to make baked ricotta:

more recipe tips:

Choose a creamy ricotta. Some premium brands can be surprisingly grainy. For this baked ricotta dip, the smoother the better. I’ve had consistent results with Galbani.

Season confidently. Ricotta needs salt. Taste the mixture before baking and adjust so it doesn’t fall flat once heated.

Don’t overbake. Pull it when the edges are golden and the center is just set. It will firm up slightly as it cools.

Make it ahead. Assemble the dip up to one day in advance and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.

Change the swirl. Instead of chile paste, try a spoonful of creamy kale pesto or homemade hot honey for a different (but equally delicious!) finish.

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