Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable)

Bright, creamy pasta featuring zesty lemon and smooth ricotta. A quick, elegant dish perfect for weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 to taste

# How-To Steps:

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 Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil water and feels like you spent an hour fussing.
  • The lemon cuts through the richness in a way that makes you want another forkful immediately.
  • You can make it with pantry staples and still serve it to someone you want to impress.
  • Leftovers taste incredible cold straight from the fridge at midnight.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, plain tap water will not bind the sauce the way starchy pasta water does.
  • Add the pasta water slowly, a tablespoon at a time, because you can always add more but you cannot take it back.
  • If the sauce breaks or looks oily, a splash of cold pasta water and vigorous tossing will bring it back together.
03 -
  • Zest the lemon directly over the ricotta bowl so the oils fall right in and do not get lost on the cutting board.
  • Use tongs instead of a spoon to toss the pasta, it grabs the noodles better and coats them more evenly.
  • Taste the sauce before you add the pasta and adjust the lemon or salt, it is easier to fix it now than after everything is mixed.
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