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Lemon Ricotta Pasta

A delicious homemade lemon ricotta pasta recipe.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 440
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz rigatoni or penne
  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta
  • Zest and juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Boil. Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve 1.5 cups of pasta water before draining.
  2. Sauté. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Mix. In a bowl, whisk together the ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, and half the parmesan until smooth.
  4. Toss. Add the drained pasta to the skillet, then pour the ricotta mixture over. Toss vigorously, adding pasta water a splash at a time until you get a silky, creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper, top with basil and remaining parmesan.

Notes

Use whole milk ricotta for the creamiest sauce. Low-fat ricotta will taste grainy. Zest the lemons before juicing them. It's much easier to zest a whole lemon. The pasta water is essential. The starch helps the ricotta emulsify into a smooth sauce instead of clumping.