Ever tried serving baked apples as a savory appetizer? These Savory Baked Apples with Ricotta, Beets & Honey are a showstopping way to impress guests with minimal effort. The creamy ricotta-mascarpone filling melts into the tender apple, while roasted beets and candied nuts add earthy sweetness and crunch. Perfect for a cozy dinner party or holiday gathering!
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Elegant yet effortless: Looks restaurant-worthy but comes together easily.
- Balanced flavours: The creamy filling, sweet apples, and earthy beets complement each other beautifully.
- Versatile: Works as an appetizer, a perfect side dish, or even a light dessert.
- Wine-friendly: Pairs beautifully with Chardonnay or Pinot Gris.
Ingredients
Apples
- Apples
- Lemon juice
Beet & Apple Mixture
- Beets
- Olive oil
- Apples
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- Salt and pepper
Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling
- Ricotta cheese
- Mascarpone
- Egg yolk
- Lemon zest
- Candied walnuts or almonds
- Chives
- Thyme
- Honey
- Salt and pepper
Garnish
- Microgreens
- Honey or hot honey
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Instructions
Pre-roast the Beets
📌TIP: To save time, you can use pre-roasted or vacuum-packed cooked beets. They're convenient, tender, and still hold their earthy sweetness.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Toss diced beet cubes with ½ tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Spread on a foil-lined sheet pan, cover with foil, and roast for 14-16 minutes, until mostly tender. Remove and let cool slightly.
Make the Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling
In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, mascarpone, egg yolk, lemon zest, chives, thyme, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Prepare the Apples
Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C).
Slice off the top ½ inch of each apple. Brush the tops and cored areas with lemon juice to prevent browning.
Core the apples, leaving about ½ inch of flesh on the sides and bottom. (See TIP below)
📌TIP: To core an apple, use an apple corer, melon baller, measuring spoon and/or a sharp paring knife. Start by cutting around the stem, then scoop out the center with a spoon, being careful not to pierce the bottom. You want a hollow center about the size of a golf ball to hold the filling.
Peel the reserved apple tops and dice them into ¼-inch cubes.
Toss the Beet & Apple Mixture
In a medium bowl, gently combine roasted beets, diced apple tops, candied nuts, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Assemble
Spoon the ricotta-mascarpone mixture into each cored apple, filling to the top.
Add a generous spoonful of the beet & apple mixture on top, pressing gently into the cheese.
Bake
Arrange the filled apples upright on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the apples are tender and the tops are lightly golden.
Garnish & Serve
Let cool slightly. Top with microgreens and a drizzle of honey or hot honey.
Serve warm, whole or halved, with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Gris, or for a non-alcoholic pairing, try a Rosemary-Ginger Tonic.
Tips, Substitutions & Serving Suggestions
Tips
- Drain your ricotta if it's very wet for a creamier filling.
- Use pre-roasted or cooked beets for a shortcut without sacrificing flavour.
- When coring apples, keep about ½ inch of flesh at the bottom to hold the filling.
- To prevent tipping, slice a tiny piece off the bottom of the apple base so it stands upright
Substitutions
- Swap Honeycrisp apples for Pink Lady or Ambrosia.
- Replace mascarpone with cream cheese for a tangier flavour.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey for a deeper, caramelized sweetness.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with toasted baguette slices or crackers for a more substantial starter.
- Turn it into a composed salad: serve halved baked apples over arugula with a drizzle of vinaigrette.
Other Savory Apple Recipes to Try Next:
- Apple Cider Glazed Chicken with Apples and Fennel
- Sheet Pan Apples, Fennel and Hot Sausages
- Hasselback Honeynut Squash and Apples (with a Hummus Dressing)
- Savoury Bread Pudding with Apples & Kale
Equipment Used: Prepared on the Hestan Culinary OvenBond Quarter Sheet Pan, and mixed in the Provisions Bowls. The quarter sheet pan is the most used piece of cookware in our kitchen, because it is ideal for prep, cooking, and serving, plus it fits our countertop oven perfectly. All opinions in this post are our own.
📖 Recipe
Savory Baked Apples with Ricotta, Beets & Honey
Ingredients
Apples
- 4 large Honeycrisp apples
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Beet & Apple Mixture
- 2 small beets about 1 cup diced, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (pre-roasted or instructions below)
- ½ tablespoon olive oil for roasting the beets
- Diced apples See Prepare the Apples instructions
- 1½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoon honey
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling
- 1 cup ricotta cheese drained if needed
- ¼ cup mascarpone
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of 1½ large lemons
- 2 tablespoon candied walnuts or almonds roughly chopped
- 1½ tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 1½ teaspoon finely chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Garnish
- Microgreens
- Drizzle of honey or hot honey
Instructions
Pre-roast the Beets
- 📌TIP: To save time, you can use pre-roasted or vacuum-packed cooked beets. They're convenient, tender, and still hold their earthy sweetness.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Toss diced beet cubes with ½ tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Spread on a foil-lined sheet pan, cover with foil, and roast for 14-16 minutes, until mostly tender.
- Remove and let cool slightly.
Make the Ricotta-Mascarpone Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, mascarpone, egg yolk, lemon zest, chives, thyme, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Prepare the Apples
- Reduce oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Slice off the top ½ inch of each apple. Brush the tops and cored areas with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Core the apples, leaving about ½ inch of flesh on the sides and bottom.
- 📌TIP: To core an apple, use an apple corer, melon baller, measuring spoon and/or a sharp paring knife. Start by cutting around the stem, then scoop out the center with a spoon, being careful not to pierce the bottom. You want a hollow center about the size of a golf ball to hold the filling.
- Peel the reserved apple tops and dice them into ¼-inch cubes.
Toss the Beet & Apple Mixture
- In a medium bowl, gently combine roasted beets, diced apple tops, candied nuts, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
Assemble
- Spoon the ricotta-mascarpone mixture into each cored apple, filling to the top.
- Add a generous spoonful of the beet & apple mixture on top, pressing gently into the cheese.
Bake
- Arrange the filled apples upright on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the apples are tender and the tops are lightly golden.
Garnish & Serve
- Let cool slightly. Top with microgreens and a drizzle of honey or hot honey.
- Serve warm, whole or halved, with a glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Gris, or for a non-alcoholic pairing, try a Rosemary-Ginger Tonic.
💬We'd really appreciate your feedback!
- Please take a moment to rate and review this recipe below. Your thoughts help others, and it would really make our day! Thank you - James & Elaine!
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