Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Published: September 6, 2021 | Last modified: December 10, 2022.
This Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta is a delicious, quick and easy meal made with minimal ingredients that you can have on the table in 20 minutes!
This Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta is one of my favourite back pocket pantry pastas and everyone looks forward to it.
I simply adore anything with lemon, and this recipe is bursting with fresh, aromatic lemon and garlic, nutty parmesan and loads of creamy ricotta cheese.
Ideal for a quick weeknight dinner or side dish when you’re short on time, it’s equally special and luxurious enough to wow your guests at your next dinner party, too.
There are so many ways to serve this dish and everyone will love it. Try freshening it up with some peppery arugula, steamed broccoli or fresh herbs. Or make it a more complete meal simply by pairing it with your protein of choice.
We love it served with Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs, grilled shrimp or scallops!
Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Makes 6-8 servings; prep and cook time 20 minutes total.
Ingredients:
1 lb pasta (I used cavatappi)
Pinch of sea salt
4 tablespoons butter of your choice
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1-1½ cups reserved pasta water
¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red chili flakes to garnish (optional)
Optional add-ins: greens like spinach or peppery arugula, steamed or grilled veggies, fresh basil and/or thyme
Instructions:
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions. Reserve 1-1½ cups pasta water, drain pasta and set aside.
Using the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in minced garlic and let cook for a few seconds just until slightly browned and fragrant.
Stir in lemon juice and ricotta and keep stirring until creamy. Add 1 cup of reserved pasta water and continue stirring until the sauce is silky smooth.
Add pasta back into pot and stir until combined. Gradually add the parmesan cheese and stir until well incorporated. If you’d like the sauce a little creamier, add a little more reserved pasta water and continue to stir until desired consistency is reached.
Transfer to serving plates and top with lemon zest, more parmesan and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Pasta: I like short pastas for this recipe. They’re a little chewier and I love how the ricotta gets into all the twists and crevices.
Cooking pasta: For best results try cooking pasta for 1 minute less than package instructions. This will result in pasta that is firm but not hard – al dente – which for me is the ideal texture for this recipe.
Reserved pasta water: The starchiness of the reserved pasta water will help the sauce emulsify, generating a silky, creamy consistency that will bind to the pasta surface perfectly.
Lemon: I highly recommend using fresh lemon if you have it. This dish can be made with bottled lemon juice if needed, but the lemon zest really enhances the overall flavour in this dish taking it to a whole other level.
Leftovers: This dish is best served immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. To reheat simply add a touch more milk to restore creaminess and then warm in a pot on low heat until heated through.
