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Lemon Ricotta Pasta
vegetarian
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Home / Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Silky lemon ricotta sauce coats tender pasta in this bright and creamy weeknight dinner. It comes together in under 30 minutes with pantry staples.

4.5
30 min
🍴4 servings
🔥480 cal
🔖Easy
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30 second summary

Creamy lemon ricotta sauce tossed with pasta and fresh herbs for an easy weeknight meal.

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Nutrition per serving

480Calories
18gProtein
68gCarbs
15gFat
3gFiber

Ingredients

4servings

base

sauce

topping

garnish

seasoning

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Instructions

1

Cook the Pasta

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining reserve at least half a cup of starchy pasta cooking water.

2

Saute the Garlic

While the pasta cooks heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant but do not let it brown.

3

Build the Ricotta Sauce

Reduce heat to low and add ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Stir together and add 3 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to thin the sauce to a creamy consistency.

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4

Toss Pasta in Sauce

Add the drained pasta directly to the skillet with the ricotta sauce. Toss over low heat adding more pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce clings to every piece of pasta.

5

Finish and Serve

Remove from heat and stir in half the Parmesan. Divide into bowls and top with remaining Parmesan, torn basil, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.

Substitutions

whole milk ricottacream cheese thinned with a splash of milk
rigatoniany short pasta such as farfalle or fusilli
fresh basilfresh parsley or baby arugula for a peppery bite

Common mistakes

Forgetting to save pasta water which is essential for making the sauce creamy and smooth
Adding ricotta over high heat which causes it to seize and become grainy
Under-seasoning the pasta water so the final dish tastes bland
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