Creamy lemon ricotta pasta is one of my favourite one pot pasta recipes for weeknight dinners as it is essentially a no-cook recipe! (If you don’t count cooking the pasta and warming the sauce) It is bursting with bright lemon flavors which goes so well with the mild creaminess of the homemade ricotta sauce.
Why you should make this easy one-pot pasta
Suitable for vegetarians and can be prepared vegan Easy pasta recipe requiring a handful of ingredients, minimal effort and without much time Great meatless weeknight dinner – a delicious one-pot pasta for students or busy families Uses up leftover ricotta – great as an easy dinner for one or two! Delicious pasta dish with a creamy lemon ricotta sauce – the flavors of lemon are addictive! One pot recipe requiring little clean up.
Ingredients
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post Pasta There is no rule on what type of pasta you use whether you use a short pasta such as penne, bow tie, fusilli pasta, rigatoni or a long pasta. You can also use wholewheat pasta or any gluten-free pasta. Reserved pasta water – the starchy water reserved from the cooked pasta is so important it’s part of the main ingredients list! The Ricotta – you need fresh ricotta for this recipe. Use whole milk ricotta cheese to make the sauce extra creamy and for richer flavour. Use leftovers to make Indian style fudge- Ricotta Cheese Peda Lemon – I have used a whole unwaxed lemon for fresh lemon juice and lemon zest Extra virgin olive oil Garlic – I have used fresh minced garlic for the best flavours. You can use garlic powder as an alternative. Parmesan cheese – I have used a vegetarian friendly hard cheese but you can use any hard cheese that you prefer Red pepper flakes – chili flakes add a pop of colour and delicious flavor. Add more or less depending on your taste or omit totally Heavy cream – I like to add a spoon or two of heavy cream to make the sauce extra silky however you can leave this out. Black pepper and salt Optional: Fresh basil or parsley – torn or chopped as garnish Fresh arugula (rocket) as garnish, as a side or stirred into the sauce Add some frozen peas as the pasta cooks Stir some baby spinach into the final dish – the heat will allow the fresh spinach to wilt Add some white beans as a great way to add protein to the recipe.
Vegan Ricotta Pasta
In place of the ricotta, you can use a vegan soft cheese which has similar-ish texture to fresh ricotta. Use vegan hard cheese in replacement of the parmesan.
One-Pot Ricotta Lemon Pasta Recipe
Firstly, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (this is approximately 1-2 minutes less than package instructions cooking time. Drain the pasta but reserve a cup of the pasta water. Next, prepare the lemon ricotta pasta sauce in the same pot. Heat the pan on a medium heat. Add the ricotta, garlic, lemon zest and juice, chilli flakes, cream and parmesan. Stir to the bottom of the pot to prevent the cheese from sticking or burning Stir the warm pasta into the ricotta mixture with 1/2 cup pasta water. Add more pasta water if you want a thinner sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Tips
Cook the pasta al dente for the best texture. For this, cook the pasta a little less than package directions. If you find the sauce is a little too thick and you have run out of pasta water, add a splash of milk or cream if you have it Add the garnish just before serving so it doesn’t wilt
Serving Suggestions
Pasta dishes always go great with garlic bread. I love my White Bean Panzanella or White Bean Bruschetta with pasta. For a wholesome meal, serve with Chickpea Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing.
Storage
For leftovers, store in an airtight container. If you saved any pasta water left, now is a good time to mix in a little as the sauce will thicken when it cools. Keep in the fridge and consume by the next day. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan with either water, milk or cream if it is too thick. I do not recommend freezing this pasta as it will loose its texture upon defrosting.
Other Pasta Recipes
One pot Pumpkin Pasta TikTok Air fryer Pasta Chips (Low carb and Gluten-free) Saffron and Asparagaus Pasta (Vegan) Kale Spaghetti Genovese Air Fryer Pasta Casserole As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations! Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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