Delicious pasta smothered in a rich lemon ricotta sauce. Flavors of garlic, spinach, parmesan, and fresh parsley take this easy pasta dish to a scrumptious level. Lemon Ricotta Pasta goes great with chicken, fish, and pork as a side dish, but actually, it’s so tasty, you might want to eat it as a stand-alone.
Lemon Ricotta Pasta is an easy pasta dish to put together. Using your favorite pasta like linguine or spaghetti, stir in a delicious sauce of garlic, ricotta and parmesan cheeses, lemon juice and rind, plus wilted spinach. It’s easy and it tastes great.
Because lemon is such a complimentary flavor to so many other flavors, it’s the perfect side dish for some of my favorites like chicken, seafood, or pork loin.
Making Lemon Ricotta Pasta
First, choose your favorite pasta (for example: linguine, spaghetti, or maybe angel hair) and make it according to package directions until it’s al dente. You’re going to need some of the pasta water for the recipe, so be sure to salt the water for added flavor.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the garlic in the butter for about a minute or two, just don’t brown it.
Next, add in the lemon juice and rind, the parmesan and ricotta cheeses, and about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Just dip a measuring cup into the water while the pasta is still cooking.
For a little zing, add in a pinch (or more) of the crushed red peppers; it’s a great added flavor.
Stir this until the sauce looks smooth and creamy.
What’s next?
When the pasta is done, go ahead and drain it. Play it safe, though, and take a little more pasta water (1/2 cup) just in case you want it. Pasta tends to absorb moisture, which thickens the sauce. Adding the water thins the sauce.
Next, add the drained pasta, and the spinach, to the skillet and stir to evenly coat.
Continue cooking over medium-low heat just until the spinach has wilted.
Lastly, top it all off with some freshly chopped parsley, then serve immediately while it’s good and hot. Enjoy!
Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Materials
- 8 oz. pasta (such as linguine, spaghetti, or angel hair)
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk)
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups baby spinach
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional topping)
Instructions
- In large pot, cook your favorite pasta in salted water until al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in another large pot or skillet, melt better. Add garlic and cook for about a minute on medium-low heat.
- Add lemon juice and zest, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, reserved pasta water, and red pepper flakes. Stir until smooth.
- Drain pasta. Add pasta and spinach to skillet, stir to coat. Simmer on low heat for 1 - 2 minutes until spinach is wilted. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Loving everything lemon?
Me, too, which is why I wanted to share some of these other lemony recipes.
- No Bake Lemon Blueberry Dessert
- Sugar Cookie Lemonade Crumble
- Glazed Lemon Bread
- Pomegranate Lemon Cream Pie
- Lemon Oreo Cheesecake
- Grilled Lemon Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs
In short, I hope you really love this recipe. Follow me on Pinterest and post a picture of your Lemon Ricotta Pasta. Below you can rate the recipe and leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers, so please feel free to reach out.
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