One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon
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This one pot pasta with ricotta and lemon is a quick and easy pasta that's perfect for a weeknight. Add a green vegetable or side salad, and you've got a lemon ricotta pasta dinner in about 30 minutes!
Servings: 4
Calories: 675kcal
Ingredients
Lemon ricotta pasta
- 1 pound cavatappi or other short pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice from about 2 lemons, divided
- 1½ cup ricotta cheese divided
- ½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- ½ cup chopped parsley or basil or combination of both
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set a large pot with at least 4 quarts of water on the stove top on high. When boiling, add at least 1½ tablespoons of salt.
- When the water returns to a boil, cook the pasta according to directions until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.1 pound cavatappi or other short pasta
- Return the pot to the stove top and add the olive oil over medium-low heat.1 tablespoon olive oil
- When the olive oil is hot, add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for one minute.3 cloves garlic, minced, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add the lemon zest, ¼ cup of lemon juice, 1 cup of the ricotta, the ½ cup of grated Parmesan, and the chopped herbs and stir until smooth. Add the pasta back to the pot and stir to coat. Remove from heat.1 tablespoon lemon zest, ½ cup lemon juice, 1½ cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan, ½ cup chopped parsley or basil or combination of both
- Taste and add some of the remaining lemon juice if you would like it more lemony. On the other hand, if it is too lemony for your taste, add some of the remaining ricotta for balance.
- Add some of the reserved pasta water as desired to thin the sauce.
- Serve immediately, topped with freshly ground black pepper and with additional Parmesan.salt and pepper to taste
Notes
A recommended serving size is 2 ounces of dry pasta. The nutritional information for this lemon ricotta pasta is based on typical portion sizes of 4 ounces.
Salting the pasta water only after it comes to a boil prevents pitting of your pots.
Garlic burns quickly, so cook only for one minute before adding the other ingredients.
Please taste your ricotta and lemon pasta before serving and adjust the amount of lemon juice, ricotta, salt, and pasta water to your desired taste and desired consistency.
Nutrition
Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 447mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1161IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 381mg | Iron: 2mg