This Maple Bacon Ricotta Dip is the perfect balance between sweet, salty and savory. It’s an easy appetizer that all your guests will love! A creamy base with crispy bacon, salty parmesan and sweet, sticky maple syrup makes a special appetizer for holidays, game days or just a casual night at home.
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Why you’ll love this recipe!
This sweet and salty flavor combination is incredible! The salty smoky bacon pairs perfectly with the subtle sweetness of the maple syrup. Combined with the ricotta, each bite has a little bit of everything. For a crunchy accompaniment, pair this dip with these sourdough crostini!
It’s a great way to use leftover bacon! You can also adjust the amount of bacon in this recipe. If you’re craving a more meaty and savory flavor, add more in! If you prefer less bacon-y flavor and would rather just a hint, take some out.
I love that this dip can be made ahead of time. You can easily assemble the base in advance and put it in the fridge until you’re closer to serving time. Pro tip: if you don’t want to cook the bacon, premade bacon or bacon crumbles work just fine.
Ingredients
- Ricotta Cheese – Ricotta cheese is the creamy foundation of this dip. I recommend using whole milk ricotta for the richest flavor and it also prevents having a watery final dish. Since the ricotta is the main ingredient, I recommend making your own homemade ricotta if you can. You can even go a step further and strain it in a cheesecloth for 1 hour before mixing for an ultra-rich base.
- Parmesan Cheese – Grated parmesan adds a salty, savory flavor that balances out the sweetness of the maple syrup. It also adds a little extra richness to the ricotta base. You can swap for Pecorino or Asigo if that’s what you have on hand.
- Maple Syrup – A small amount of maple syrup adds just enough sweetness and I love to drizzle some right on top before serving. Be sure you’re using real maple syrup for the best flavor.
- Garlic – The garlic in this recipe can be optional but I think it adds a nice depth of flavor and blends all the flavors together really well.
- Thyme – Thyme is a great pairing with maple syrup and adds a level of fresh flavor to the dip. You can swap for dried thyme for a quick substitute. Play with different herbs! While thyme is a great match up in this dip, rosemary also makes a delicious herb pairing. Chives or scallions also make a delicious and fresh garnish. You can play with fresh, dried and different varieties to find what flavor you like.
- Bacon – Crispy bacon is what gives this dip its salty meaty flavor. If you plan to make the dip over a day in advance I recommend omitting the bacon until you’re ready to bake it in the oven. Don’t forget to save a bit of bacon for the top for texture! Yes! Pre-cooked bacon or even bacon crumbles work just as well here. I prefer the flavor of freshly made bacon but pre-made works great in a pinch.
How To Make Maple Bacon Ricotta Dip
This dip is super simple to make! It’s just a matter of mixing the base and baking! You can mix the base (without bacon) up to two days ahead of time and store in the fridge. Then before you’re ready to bake, add the bacon in and bake. Top with crumbled bacon and maple syrup to finish.
I like making this dip in a small cast iron skillet. This means it can go from the fridge, to the oven to the table. Less dishes and a great appetizer. That’s a win in my book!
How To Serve This Dip
This dip is best served warm! Anytime you’re ready to serve this dip, be sure to warm it up. I recommend serving in a cast iron as that vessel holds heat the longest but any oven-safe vessel will do.
- I love serving this dip with some of my toasted sourdough maple pecan loaf. The pecans in the loaf add an extra little crunch to your bite!
- For a fun morning twist, spread some leftover ricotta dip on easy sourdough bagels. It’s a great surprise cream cheese substitute and has all the great flavors of breakfast mixed right in!
- You can’t go wrong with a classic combo of crackers and dip and these discard crackers with parmesan and rosemary make the perfect paring and enhance all the flavors already in the maple bacon ricotta dip.
How To Store and Freeze
This dip will store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to serve it again, give it a quick mix and reheat it in the oven until warmed through.
This dip is also great for making ahead! Mix everything together and transfer it to an oven-safe baking dish, then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.I don’t recommend freezing this dip, as the ricotta can release excess moisture and become grainy once thawed, which may affect the creamy texture.
Ingredients
- 450 g Whole milk ricotta cheese
- 20 g Parmesan Cheese, (shredded)
- 15 g Maple syrup
- 2 Garlic Cloves, (minced)
- 1 g Thyme
- 4 g Salt
- 2 g Black Pepper
- 40 g Bacon, (approx. 6 rashers, cooked and crumbled)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, maple syrup, grated garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and remaining bacon. Transfer mixture to an oven-safe baking dish.
- Top with a small drizzle of maple syrup. Bake in the oven on 350 for about 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
- Top with an extra drizzle of maple syrup, reserved bacon and fresh thyme. Serve warm. Dip can be mixed and placed in an oven safe dish ahead of time and baked just before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Re-warm when serving.
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