Quick Baked Ricotta Appetizer with Garlic and Herbs

This baked ricotta appetizer is one of the quickest, most impressive starters in my collection. A few simple ingredients are stirred together, baked, and you get a souffle-like, airy, crisp-topped cheese spread that’s irresistible with veggies, crusty bread, or crackers.

As a child I associated appetizers and finger foods with a kind of grown-up elegance. I’d raise my pinky and feel very proper while nibbling on little sausages and cheese on crackers. Those theatrics have faded, but the love of small bites hasn’t. Today I’m more likely to elbow my way to the good stuff than to worry about posture—especially when I’m competing with six hungry people at once. Still, one of them will occasionally check, “Did Mom get any?” and everyone remembers to be polite for a moment before digging back in.

This baked ricotta is quick, elegant (pinky optional), and deeply satisfying. It becomes a toasted, garlicky, cheesy, souffle-like spread you can serve from individual ramekins or a single baking dish. That versatility means you can bake your own portion and keep it all to yourself if you like. Butter the dish, bake, and enjoy.

The formula is wonderfully simple: whole-milk ricotta (full fat for best flavor and texture), freshly grated Parmesan (not the powdery shaker kind), eggs, minced garlic, fresh herbs like oregano, a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want some heat, and salt and pepper. Beat everything together, spoon it into a generously buttered oven-safe dish, and bake in a hot oven until the mixture puffs like a souffle and the top develops golden and browned spots. Let it rest a few minutes, then serve hot with bread, crackers, or raw vegetables.

Despite the amount of cheese, the finished dish is surprisingly light and airy while still tasting rich. It’s versatile—perfect as a Thanksgiving starter, a game-day snack, a cozy date-night appetizer, a potluck contribution, or a satisfying after-school bite.

Cook’s Notes

• Use any oven-safe dish you have: a shallow baking dish, individual ramekins, or a small casserole. Butter the dish well before adding the mixture.
• If you divide the mixture into small ramekins, they’ll cook faster—start checking around 10 minutes.
• A deeper dish with the whole batch may take longer; a shallow dish may finish closer to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on browning and puffing.
• Resist tasting the raw mixture too much, since it contains raw egg.

Ingredients

• 1 container whole milk ricotta (about 15 ounces)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, not powdered)
• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, finely minced (or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Butter for the baking dish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Generously butter a 2-cup capacity baking dish or individual ramekins.
• Using a stand mixer, hand mixer on high, or a sturdy spoon, beat the ricotta and Parmesan with the eggs, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute, until smooth and cohesive.
• Scrape the mixture into the buttered dish, set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake 25–35 minutes for a single dish, or until puffed and golden with some darker brown spots. If using smaller ramekins, start checking around 10 minutes.
• Let rest 3–5 minutes, then serve warm with crusty bread, crackers, or vegetable sticks.

Notes

If you bake the mixture in smaller ramekins, they will finish faster—watch them closely from the 10-minute mark. A larger or deeper vessel will require more time. The goal is a golden, puffed surface with some browning.

Originally published November 9, 2013. Updated November 2017 with new photos and notes.