Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable)

Creamy ricotta and zesty lemon create an elegant, light pasta dish ready in just 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti
02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Ricotta-Lemon Sauce

03 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
04 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
05 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped
11 - Extra lemon zest
12 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How-To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth and creamy.
03 - Add the hot drained spaghetti to the bowl with the ricotta-lemon sauce. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta luxuriously.
04 - Divide among bowls. Top with extra Parmesan, fresh basil or parsley, more lemon zest, and a grind of black pepper.
05 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, no multitasking or fancy knife work required.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every noodle without feeling heavy or rich.
  • Lemon keeps it lively and interesting, never boring or one note.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already sitting in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's the secret that turns a broken sauce into something silky and cohesive.
  • Add the hot pasta directly to the ricotta mixture, the heat helps everything meld together instead of sitting in clumps.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after tossing, add more pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it loosens up.
03 -
  • Zest the lemon directly over the ricotta bowl so the flavorful oils fall right into the sauce instead of sticking to your cutting board.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing it with the pasta and adjust the lemon or salt, it should be bold enough to stand up to all those noodles.
  • Use tongs instead of a spoon to toss the pasta, it helps coat every strand evenly without breaking the noodles apart.
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