This is nothing like you expect — a ricotta jam jar?
What is it, exactly?
It’s not just jam — it’s a snack in a jar: creamy ricotta layered with pesto and finished with a quick tomato jam. Served with crunchy, salted toasted baguette slices, it’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory.
This jar is an incredible snack, and often, depending on how you eat it, a meal. It’s ideal for an appetizer, an easy party contribution, or just a fantastic thing to dip into at home.
I first tried this at Nordstrom Cafe and recreated it at home using recipes I already had for whipped ricotta, basil pesto and a quick tomato jam. It’s basically a happy accident of combining familiar flavors into a layered jar, and the result tastes heavenly.
I tested it quickly after tasting it — I loved it so much I bumped another recipe just to share this one. It’s one of my top favorite snacks ever. The creamy, whipped ricotta is practically soft-serve, the bright pesto cuts through, and the warm, jammy tomatoes bring a sweet-tart finish.
With summer winding down, this recipe is perfect for using garden-ripe tomatoes and heaps of fresh basil. It’s also festive — red, green and white — so it doubles as a holiday appetizer that can be prepped ahead: make the tomato jam in advance, use store-bought pesto if needed, and assemble when you’re ready.
Ingredients peak in late summer, so now is the ideal time to enjoy this. Use ripe cherry tomatoes for the jam, fresh basil for pesto, and good-quality ricotta for the base. Toasted bread or baguette slices are essential for scooping and crunch.
This recipe was inspired by Nordstrom Cafe and combines three simple components into one irresistible jar. It’s easy to assemble and impressive to serve.
Ricotta and Tomato Jam Jar
Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
for each jar
- 1 baguette, sliced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch of sea salt
- sprinkle of garlic powder
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 to 4 tablespoons pesto
- 1/4 cup quick tomato jam
- a handful of fresh herbs (basil or oregano)
quick tomato jam
- 1 1/2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
pesto
- 4 cups fresh basil
- 1/2 cup asiago cheese
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Note: store-bought pesto, jam or ricotta will work fine if you’re short on time.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the baguette into thin slices, arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Bake 10–12 minutes, until golden and crunchy.
- While the bread toasts, place ricotta in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Spoon the ricotta into a jar.
- Spread pesto on top of the ricotta, then add a layer of cooled tomato jam. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with the toasted baguette slices.
quick tomato jam
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, lime juice and vinegar. Stir often until the tomatoes begin to burst, then simmer and break them down for 10–15 minutes.
- If you prefer a smooth jam, blend the cooled mixture until puréed. Let it cool completely, then store in a sealed container in the fridge; it will thicken as it cools.
pesto
- In a food processor combine basil, cheese, pine nuts and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped, then stream in olive oil with the processor running until desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
- To toast pine nuts, heat them in a skillet over low heat, stirring until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
| Cuisine: Italian
Honestly, once you try a ricotta jam jar, you might wonder how you lived without it.