Tomato Ricotta Toast (Printable)

Mediterranean-inspired toast with whipped ricotta and roasted cherry tomatoes, ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Roasted Tomatoes

01 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

→ Whipped Ricotta

06 - 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
07 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
09 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
10 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Assembly

11 - 4 slices rustic sourdough or country bread
12 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish
13 - Additional extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
14 - Flaky sea salt for finishing

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F
02 - Arrange halved cherry tomatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
03 - Roast tomatoes in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until softened and caramelized.
04 - While tomatoes roast, combine ricotta cheese, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor or mixing bowl. Blend with hand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
05 - Toast bread slices until golden brown using a toaster or grill.
06 - Spread a generous layer of whipped ricotta onto each toasted bread slice.
07 - Top each toast with warm roasted tomatoes, drizzle with additional olive oil, and garnish with fresh basil leaves and flaky sea salt.
08 - Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen but only takes half that time, most of it hands off while the oven does the work.
  • The whipped ricotta feels luxurious and restaurant fancy, but it's just ricotta with a little lemon zest and a quick buzz in the food processor.
  • You can eat it for breakfast without feeling guilty and serve it at brunch without anyone knowing how easy it actually was.
  • The tomatoes get jammy and sweet when roasted, turning into something that tastes nothing like the raw version.
02 -
  • Don't skip roasting the tomatoes, raw ones are too watery and tart, but roasting concentrates their sweetness and makes them almost jam like.
  • Whipping the ricotta transforms it from grainy to creamy, and the difference is so noticeable that you'll never want to use ricotta straight from the container again.
  • Use parchment paper on the baking sheet or you'll spend ten minutes scraping caramelized tomato bits off the pan later.
  • Flaky sea salt at the end is not optional in my book, it adds little bursts of saltiness that make each bite more interesting.
03 -
  • Let the ricotta sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before whipping, it blends smoother and gets fluffier when it's not ice cold.
  • If your tomatoes aren't very sweet, add a tiny pinch of sugar before roasting to help them caramelize better.
  • Toast the bread just before assembling so it stays crisp, soggy toast ruins the whole experience no matter how good the toppings are.
  • Save the olive oil that pools around the roasted tomatoes and drizzle it over the finished toast, it's packed with tomato flavor and shouldn't go to waste.
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