whipped ricotta, game day style

what I'd make for game day (if I watched)

Jan 09, 2026

I’ll admit it: I’ve never been into sports. I played soccer as a kid and would literally run away from the ball. Sorry to all my coaches.

That said, I have been to a few game days. And as someone who does not watch the game, I’m absolutely there for the food.

So while I can’t tell you who’s playing, I can tell you what to make so game day is great for the non-watchers, and even better for the ones yelling at the TV.

whipped ricotta with giardiniera and sesame pitas

serves 4-6 | 30 minutes

This is so easy I almost felt guilty sharing it. Almost.
It doesn’t look easy though, it looks chic, like you tried (which is my favorite lane to be in).

You’ll whip some ricotta with a few add ins, warm up your favorite giardiniera, and suddenly you’re the person who “really understands balance and texture.” Minimal effort and maximum payoff.

Cool food. Zero sports knowledge required.

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what the heck is giardiniera: a mix of pickled vegetables (usually peppers, cauliflower, carrots). It’s crunchy, tangy, and often spicy. If you like pickles, you’ll like this. There’s different variations, some come finely diced and some come unchopped so you may need to blitz it yourself to get to an almost tapenade texture.

where to find it? you can usually find it in the pickle/antipasti section at the grocery store, near olives and roasted pepper and labeled “mild” or “hot”. Hot is usually HOT so be warned, I’d go for mild and add some chili flakes if you like.

can’t find it? sub with: chopped pepperoncini + olives, pickled peppers + a little oil or anything briny and crunchy you already have

simplify: use premade pita chips - these cedar valley ones are my favorite lately and you can find a giant bag at costco.

⏰ make ahead: whip your ricotta ahead of time, chill and leave out for about 10 minutes before serving. Smear on plate and heat your giardiniera mixture when you’re ready to serve. The pita chips are best fresh, but if you don’t have time or oven space, use premade like I say above.

📦 storing: store in the fridge covered for a day or two.

🔄leftovers: ideally store the whipped ricotta separate, but if it’s too late just mix them together and smother it on some toast. Better yet top it with some meatballs in marinara.

🌾make it GF: ✅

🧀make it DF: ❌ sorry

whipped ricotta with giardiniera and sesame pitas

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For the ricotta:

1 cup whole milk ricotta
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1/2 lemon

For the giardienara:

1/2 cup giardienara (finely chopped if not already)
2 tbsp olive oil

For the pitas:

4 large pitas
1/4 cup olive oil
salt
2 tbsp sesame seeds

To finish:

2 tbsp pistachios, finely chopped
fresh dill, to garnish

make your pitas

preheat oven to 375F. Slice pitas into small triangles and place on a lined baking sheet. Douse generously in oil and sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds. Bake for around 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden. Watch closely and remove if the sesame seeds start to darken too much. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

whip your ricotta

to your food processor, add 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta, 1/2 cup cream cheese, 1/2 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt and zest of half a lemon and blend until smooth.

make your giardienara

mix together 1/2 cup finely chopped giardienara (drained from liquid as much as you can) and 2 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.

assemble

smear ricotta in a circular motion onto your plate, then dollop on giardienara. Finish with finely chopped pistachios and some fresh dill, and serve with your warm pita chips.