Ingredients

Pasta: We love it with rigatoni. Substitute farfalle, conchiglie, fusilli, penne, ziti, or long-shaped noodles. You can also use gluten-free pasta.

Spinach: Fresh baby spinach. You can replace spinach with most vegetables. For example, try frozen peas, sautéed asparagus, roasted cauliflower, roasted mushrooms.

Ricotta: You can use regular Italian whole milk ricotta cheese. For dairy-free, use our homemade vegan ricotta.

Grated parmesan cheese: (Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano). To keep the recipe dairy-free, substitute a grated non-dairy cheese for the parmesan.

Lemon: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is optional.

How to make lemon ricotta pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the salt. Wait for the water to boil again, and add the pasta.

Stir, then halfway through, add the fresh spinach.

Cook the pasta al dente, as per package instructions. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce.

To a large mixing bowl, add ricotta, grated parmesan, olive oil, grated lemon zest, grated nutmeg, salt, black pepper, and a ladleful of pasta cooking water.

Whisk well until the sauce is smooth and the ingredients well combined.

Once the pasta is al dente, reserve one cup of the starchy pasta water, drain the pasta, and toss it in a bowl with the ricotta sauce.

If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water to make it creamier.

Variations

Ricotta has such a mild and neutral flavor that you can pair it with most vegetables. Here are some suggestions.

Frozen peas	Cook them with the pasta just like the spinach. Add thyme leaves on top.
Roasted butternut squash	Roast it in the oven, then toss it in with the pasta.
Roasted cauliflower florets	Cook small florets in the oven, then toss them in with the pasta.
Sautéed asparagus	Sauté on the stovetop, then toss in with the pasta.
Roasted broccoli florets	Toss in with the pasta.
Steamed artichokes	Steam, then mash the artichokes with a fork and mix them with the ricotta sauce.
Roasted eggplant cubes	Cook them with the pasta just like the spinach. Add thyme leaves on top.
Roasted red peppers	Roast them, peel them, chop them up, and toss them with the pasta.
Sautéed or roasted mushrooms	Sauté on a pan or roast in the oven, then toss with the pasta.
Arugula	Toss it in with the pasta.
Cherry tomatoes	Halved, seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper,and tossed with the pasta.
Roasted zucchini	Bake in the oven, then toss them with the pasta.

Tips

Water & Salt Ratios:
- 8 oz pasta → 2 quarts water + 1 tbsp salt
- 12 oz pasta → 3 quarts water + 1½ tbsp salt
- 1 lb pasta → 1 gallon water + 2 tbsp salt

Bring water to a boil, salt it well, then add the pasta and stir occasionally.

How Much Pasta Per Person?
- 3.5 oz (100 g) if it’s the main dish
- 3 oz (85 g) if part of a 2-course meal
- 2–2.5 oz (60–70 g) if part of a larger menu

Nico’s tip: For this lemon ricotta pasta, 3 oz per person is a great serving size—it’s rich, creamy, and satisfying!

Storage

Make ahead: this is not the best recipe to make ahead because the ricotta sauce dries up and won’t be as creamy as when it’s just made.

Refrigerator: if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Ideally, keep some of the reserved pasta water too.

Reheat it on a large skillet on medium heat with a dash of reserved pasta water (or tap water) until the sauce is creamy again. One minute in the microwave is good too.

More easy pasta recipes

If you tried this Ricotta Pasta or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!

5 from 12 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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