Ingredient Dairy Cheese Ricotta Cheese Lemon-Thyme Whipped Ricotta 4.8 (4) 4 Reviews This stunning yet easy appetizer recipe infuses creamy ricotta with fresh herbs and lemon. Serve with whole-grain crackers and cut-up vegetables or use as a spread for sandwiches or sauce for pasta. By Danielle Centoni Danielle Centoni See More Danielle Centoni is a longtime food writer, editor and cookbook author based in Portland, Oregon. Danielle started cooking seriously in high school, often catering small events and even creating elaborate wedding cakes for friends and family. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 16, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H, RD, is a Chinese and Jewish chef and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She is a recipe developer, culinary nutritionist and marketing specialist with more than 15 years of experience creating editorial and digital content for top food and kitchen brands. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco. Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 15 mins Servings: 8 Nutrition Profile: No Added Sugar Sesame-Free Nut-Free Soy-Free Vegetarian Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed and tested at its original yield and has not been tested at other yields. Note that only the ingredient list is scaled, so you may need to make adjustments to ingredient amounts, cooking times and equipment sizes in the recipe steps. Scaling could also impact the nutrition analysis. Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings 1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish 1 teaspoons minced shallot or 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest ¼ cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon ground pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Directions Combine 1 container ricotta, 2 tablespoons thyme, 1 tablespoon shallot (or 3 tablespoons chives), 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco. Transfer to a serving bowl; swirl the top with the back of a spoon. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil. Garnish with additional thyme, if desired. Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco. To make ahead Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Recipe Updates Based on earlier review and comments of this recipe, we’ve retested and made the following adjustments (and updated the nutritional analysis accordingly):Increased shallot (or chives) (to improve flavor).Increased lemon zest (to improve flavor).Updated October 2025 EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2014 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 87 Calories 5g Fat 4g Carbs 6g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Serving Size 3 Tbsp. Calories 87 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 4g 1% Dietary Fiber 0g 1% Total Sugars 0g Added Sugars 0g 0% Protein 6g 12% Total Fat 5g 7% Saturated Fat 3g 14% Cholesterol 16mg 5% Vitamin A 61µg Vitamin C 4mg 4% Vitamin D 0µg Vitamin E 0mg 1% Folate 9µg Vitamin K 4µg Sodium 121mg 5% Calcium 151mg 12% Iron 0mg 2% Magnesium 10mg 2% Potassium 86mg 2% Zinc 1mg 7% Vitamin B12 0µg Omega 3 0g Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.