One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon : Ugly Duckling Bakery

Name: One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: ½ pound (8 ounces) short pasta; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 lemon, zest and juice; 1 cup ricotta cheese; ¼ cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan; ¼ cup chopped parsley or basil or combination of both; salt and pepper to taste

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This one pot pasta with ricotta and lemon was inspired by reader requests for quick and easy meals. It’s something you can make on a weeknight when everyone is tired and hungry and no one wants to cook. I want more of those meals too.

The last time I made this lemon ricotta pasta, it took me exactly 33 minutes from the time I started to fill the pasta pot to when the plates were placed on the table. And, truthfully, more than half of this time was spent waiting for the water to boil.

It’s quick, easy, and very lemony. And it gets bonus points for being a one pot recipe. Because fewer dishes means less time spent cleaning up.

a plate of ricotta and lemon pasta with green beans.

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Tips and tricks for this recipe

Ingredients

This one pot pasta with ricotta and lemon mostly uses ingredients that you likely already have in your refrigerator and pantry. The ricotta might be a more specific purchase for you. But maybe you have leftover ricotta after you’ve made my one pan vegetarian eggplant lasagna.

About ricotta

Ricotta is a soft, Italian cheese that can be made from the whey from a variety of animals. You can make homemade ricotta from whole milk if you want to make your own. It takes a bit of time, but the hardest part about making ricotta is finding milk that isn’t ultra-pasteurized!

What pasta shape would work best in this recipe?

Any short pasta would be ideal for the ricotta and lemon sauce. Think penne or fusilli or cavatappi.

Or this recipe would be a great place to use cascatelli, the new pasta shape developed by Dan Pashman of the Sporkful podcast. Have you tried it yet?

What to serve with this one pot pasta with lemon and ricotta

This pasta recipe could be a main course pasta, or you could serve it as a side. Make it with something simple, like these cast iron chicken breasts or another roast meat.

In the 30 minutes this pasta is cooking, you could make a steamed green vegetable like green beans or broccoli. Or spend a bit more time with these fried patty pan squash patties, if it’s summer squash season.

Salad is always a great option. I find I’m much more likely to make a salad if I have triple-washed greens already in the fridge. Wash and chop tomatoes and a few other vegetables. Many salad dressings keep well, so make a big batch of my maple Dijon vinaigrette or this creamy pesto dressing once a week or so. You’ve got salad!

If you’re looking for wine recommendations, a chardonnay that’s light on oak would be classic. Myself, I might choose a Pinot Grigio.

FAQs about this one pot pasta with ricotta and lemon

Can I double this recipe to feed a larger family?

Absolutely. Double away. Just make sure that your pasta pot is big enough to hold enough water. And don’t forget to salt the water!
(Bubble, bubble pasta pot…)

Can you freeze leftovers?

Leftovers won’t reheat particularly well and won’t freeze without changing the consistency of the ricotta. I’d recommend only making what you intend to eat.

Related recipes

Check out other uglyducklingbakery pasta recipes including this orzo pesto salad, cavatappi alfredo and peas, cavatappi mac and cheese, pink sauce pasta, or tuna pesto pasta.

Love lemon? I’ve got a variety of recipes including this one pot gnocchi with asparagus and lemon, my blackberry lemon bread, these lemon lavender cookies, and of course a cocktail or two with lemon juice like this Elderflower Tom Collins.

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