Description
Lemon Ricotta Pasta is a bright and creamy vegetarian dish featuring tender spaghetti tossed with a smooth ricotta and parmesan sauce infused with fresh lemon zest, garlic, and baby spinach. Ready in just 25 minutes, this quick and flavorful meal makes a perfect weeknight dinner using simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound spaghetti (or pasta of choice)
Sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- ½ teaspoon salt (plus more for pasta water)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Add-ins
- 1 (5-ounce) container baby spinach
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot, keeping it covered to retain heat.
- Prepare the Ricotta Sauce: In a high-speed blender, combine the whole-milk ricotta, freshly grated parmesan, olive oil, garlic cloves, lemon zest and juice, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy.
- Toss Pasta with Sauce and Spinach: Add the ricotta sauce, ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, and the baby spinach to the hot pasta in the pot. Set the pot over low heat and gently stir as the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water gradually until your desired consistency is reached.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with additional grated parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy this quick and flavorful lemon ricotta pasta warm.
Notes
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta is a zesty, vegetarian, quick weeknight meal made with simple pantry staples and ready in just 25 minutes.
- Using whole-milk ricotta ensures a rich, creamy sauce but part-skim ricotta can be substituted for a lighter option.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.
- Reserve pasta water is key to achieving a silky, smooth sauce consistency.
- This dish pairs well with a crisp green salad or crusty bread for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 431 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 447 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 29 mg
