Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable)

Delicate spaghetti coated in creamy ricotta and zesty lemon sauce. A quick, elegant Italian main dish ready in 25 minutes.

# Components:

→ 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 - Lemon zest, extra
12 - Freshly ground black pepper

# Method:

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 faster than delivery and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The sauce is silky without cream, bright without being sharp, and clings to every strand of pasta like it was meant to be there.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and that random lemon rolling around your counter.
  • Cleanup is so easy youll actually want to cook it again tomorrow.
02 -
  • Do not rinse the pasta after draining, you need that surface starch to help the sauce cling.
  • Add the pasta water slowly, a tablespoon at a time, because too much will make the sauce soupy instead of creamy.
  • The sauce will thicken as it sits, so if you have leftovers, loosen them with a splash of water or milk when reheating.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing, you might want more lemon juice or a pinch more salt depending on your ricotta brand.
03 -
  • Use the finest holes on your grater for the lemon zest so it melts into the sauce instead of sitting in stringy bits.
  • Warm your serving bowls in a low oven for a minute so the pasta stays hot longer at the table.
  • If you want a hint of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the ricotta mixture before tossing.
  • Reserve more pasta water than you think you need, its easier to have extra than to wish you had saved more.
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