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This lemon ricotta pasta comes together in just 20 minutes! Made with a handful of simple ingredients, it’s the creamy, lemony ricotta sauce that makes this dish a keeper.
If you’re looking for a delicious and easy pasta recipe, this lemon ricotta pasta with savory bright flavors is exactly wat you need! Just like our basil pesto pasta, Mediterranean pasta with artichokes and olives, spaghetti aglio e olio and spinach pesto pasta, this easy vegetarian pasta makes a delicious weeknight dinner that’s ready in no time, using just a few ingredients.
When I was developing this creamy, lemony pasta recipe, I had one goal in mind: to create a light and easy dish that screams summer, with bright flavors and a creamy texture. And I’m so happy to tell you that I succeeded, and you will love this recipe!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy: This dish very simple to make and doesn’t require any special skills.
- Quick: Just like our cherry tomato pasta, it takes less than 30 minutes to make pasta with ricotta sauce from start to finish, making this the perfect weeknight dinner.
- Bright flavor: Thanks to lemon, ricotta and parmesan, this easy pasta dish is packed with citrusy bright flavors that’s perfect for spring and summer.
Ingredients
- Pasta: I usually use spaghetti for this recipe but you can also use penne, rigatoni or linguine if desired.
- Olive oil: Good extra virgin olive oil always makes the dish taste better.
- Ricotta: Whole milk ricotta works best for this recipe because of its fat content. It’s best to have the ricotta at room temperature. This recipe calls for 8 ounces of ricotta. If you have a large tub of ricotta, either double the recipe to feed a crowd or use the rest of it to make our favorite whipped ricotta.
- Lemon: You’re going to use both lemon zest and juice to make the sauce. The zest will add the perfect aroma and flavor.
- Parmesan: It’s best to use a block of parmesan and grate it yourself.
- Red pepper flakes: This is optional, but it adds a nice subtle kick to the sauce.
How To Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Prepare the pasta according to the packaging instructions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
As the pasta is cooking, sauté the garlic in olive oil, then add in the ricotta and cook for a minute or so.
Add in the zest and juice of a lemon, followed by the grated parmesan and red pepper flakes (if desired).
Stir in 1/2 cup of the paste water. Add in the cooked pasta and gently toss so it’s coated with the sauce. If you’d like the pasta to be creamier, add more pasta water and cook for a minute.
Taste the pasta to make sure it’s salty enough for your taste. Then plate, and top with more parmesan if desired.
Recipe Tips
- It’s best to have the ricotta come to room temperature before you start cooking the sauce. This would help the cheese to mix smoother with the lemon and olive oil.
- This pasta comes together in only 20 minutes, therefore it’s best to make it right before serving so it’s fresh and very creamy.
- As mentioned above, I don’t recommend using low fat or skim ricotta cheese in this recipe as it would change the texture of the final dish.
Jazz Up Your Creamy Lemon Pasta!
- Add a handful of baby spinach or chopped kale to the ricotta sauce and cook until is wilted.
- Top the pasta with a generous drizzle of olive oil for extra creaminess.
- Add sundried tomatoes or homemade pesto to the sauce for another layer of flavor.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve lemon ricotta pasta with bruschetta or a side salad such as Mediterranean salad, homemade caesar salad, caprese salad or burrata salad with peach and tomatoes. You can also serve it with grilled chicken orroasted vegetables for a more filling meal.
Leftovers and Reheating
Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, place the pasta in a pan over medium heat. Add some more parmesan and a few tablespoons of water. Heat and stir occasionally until the pasta is completely heated though.
Can I freeze ricotta pasta? I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the texture would change and will get grainy after thawing.
More Pasta recipes
Quick and Easy Dinner
Mediterranean Pasta with Artichokes and Olives
Turkish Recipes
Turkish Pasta Recipe
Vegetarian
Creamy Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe
Rice and Pasta
Cherry Tomato Pasta
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Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta , 8 oz
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to add to the sauce later.
- As the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic until golden.
- Add the ricotta and cook for 2 more minutes Add in the lemon zest and juice to the ricotta and stir to combine.
- Add in the freshly grated parmesan, red pepper flakes and salt. Give it a good stir. Add in 1/2 cup pasta water and mix to combine.
- Add the cooked pasta to the lemon ricotta sauce and toss gently to make sure it's fully coated with the creamy sauce. It the sauce is not creamy enough, add the rest of the pasta water and cook for a minute more.
- Garnish with more parmesan, fresh basil and red pepper flakes.
Video
Notes
- I prefer using spaghetti for this recipe but other kinds such as penne or rigatoni would work too.
- Freshly grated parmesan adds a lot more flavor to the dish compared to the shelf stable variation.
- Reduced fat or skim ricotta will not result in a creamy pasta therefore it’s best to use whole milk.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, place the pasta in a pan over medium heat, add more parmesan and a little bit of water and heat for 10-15 minutes.
- I don’t recommend freezing this pasta as the texture will change and won’t be creamy anymore.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Fabulous! I doubled the sauce and used a lot more garlic, it was SO delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe, it was so easy and packed with flavor, the hub was super happy!
How much lemon zest? Did I miss it? I don’t see it in my view, I’m wondering why the question hasn’t been asked!
Zest of 1 lemon would be enough, as it has been mentioned in the recipe card.
Absolutely perfect! Loved it. This is a new favorite. I always have these ingredients in the kitchen. Thank tou!
Wonderful exactly as written, right down to the garnishes. I added a few pine nuts for good measure.
Love this!
Such a tasty delicious pasta recipe! Thank you so much!
Oh man, this was soooo good. So creamy and the lemon flavor really brightens it up. Absolutely delicious.
I made this pasta for lunch today and OMG was it delicious! The flavor was so light and bright!
Loving the flavors in this comforting and hearty pasta dish. It’s a perfect meal for my family.