Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta in under 10 minutes for a quick & easy meal. Loaded with lemon & garlic flavors this cheesy pasta is a great main course or side dish for your favorite protein.
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This Lemon Ricotta Pasta might just be the quickest recipe I've ever created. Done in under 10 minutes (more like 5) it's a great pasta dish for those super busy weeknight dinners when you just need to get something on the table quickly.
Loaded with lemon flavors it's a great meal on its own- or serve as a side for chicken, fish, shrimp or steak. If you're looking for something similarly quick & suitable as a side - you can also try my Creamy Pesto Pasta.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's quick and all done in 5-10 minutes
- It's easy - just cook pasta, make the sauce, and combine
- No cook sauce for quick cooking & easy cleanup
- Loaded with flavor from lemon and two types of cheese
- Versatile and delicious as it is, with some of the additions suggested below, or as a side
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Fresh pasta: I prefer a long pasta like fettuccine, tagliatelle or spaghetti for this recipe, but you can use short pasta as well, for example penne or fusilli. You can also use dried pasta but it will take longer to cook.
- Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral cooking oil
- Lemon - I prefer to use organic lemon when I am using the zest. Either way, make sure to wash it before using.
- Pecorino cheese can be swapped for Parmesan cheese
Ingredient additions & variations
- Spinach can be added. Add it with the pasta for the last minute of cooking.
- Red pepper flakes can be added for a spicy twist
- Fresh basil leaves can be added just at the end
- Arugula can be added just at the end
- Vegetables like asparagus, broccoli or zucchini - either boil them with the pasta or sauté before adding
- Make it vegetarian by using a pecorino substitute without animal rennet
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta
How to make Lemon Ricotta Pasta
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water, according to package instructions, and make the lemon ricotta sauce while the pasta is cooking. Place all ingredients in a bowl or on a plate.
- Mix well
- Drain the pasta and add back to the pot together with the ricotta mixture and some pasta water
- Mix well, until the pasta is coated in creamy sauce. Garnish with some lemon zest and fresh ground black pepper before serving!
Tips & tricks
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water - it should taste like the sea
- Don't overcook the pasta - it should be al dente. Often I cook it 1 minute less than what's stated on the package.
- Don't rinse the pasta - you need all that starch to combine with the sauce, that's what makes it creamy!
- This dish does not store well - I recommend not making more than you will finish. It's easy to make for just 1 person as well - just change the number of servings in the recipe card below.
- If you still want to store leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
Recipe FAQ
Can I substitute cream for ricotta?
Yes, for a lot of recipes you can use ricotta instead of cream, and sometimes the other way around. For this Lemon Ricotta Pasta I would not recommend using cream instead of ricotta.
How long does ricotta last after opening?
Ricotta cheese will last 3-7 days in the fridge after opening. Always check to make sure it is OK before using.
Can you eat ricotta raw?
Yes, you can eat ricotta raw.
More quick & easy dinner recipes
Looking for more quick & easy dinners you can make in under 15 minutes, like this Lemon Ricotta Pasta?
- Tortellini al Forno (Tortellini Casserole)
- Tortellini Carbonara
- Thai Curry Fried Rice
- 15-minute Garlic Butter Pasta
- Larb Gai (Spicy Thai Minced Chicken Salad)
- Fried Spaghetti with Chicken & Green Curry
- Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta with Spinach & Lemon
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Print RateServings: 2 as a main
Calories: 577kcal
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- ½ lb fresh pasta
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded Pecorino cheese + more to serve
- 1 small clove garlic minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ lemon zest only
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper + more to serve
- ⅓ cup pasta cooking water
- salt if needed
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instruction. While it's cooking, make the sauce.½ lb fresh pasta
- Place ricotta, Pecorino, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and black pepper in a bowl and mix well.½ cup ricotta cheese, ⅓ cup shredded Pecorino cheese, 1 small clove garlic, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- When the pasta is done, drain it and reserve some of the cooking water. Then place the pasta back in the pot
- Add the sauce to the pasta together with the pasta cooking water. Mix well until the pasta is coated with sauce, adding more pasta cooking water if needed.⅓ cup pasta cooking water
- Taste test, and season with salt if needed. Served topped with extra pecorino cheese and fresh ground black pepper!salt
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Fresh pasta: I prefer a long pasta like fettuccine, tagliatelle or spaghetti for this recipe, but you can use short pasta as well, for example penne or fusilli. You can also use dried pasta but it will take longer to cook.
- Olive oil can be swapped for a neutral cooking oil
- Lemon - I prefer to use organic lemon when I am using the zest. Either way, make sure to wash it before using.
- Pecorino cheese can be swapped for Parmesan cheese
Ingredient additions & variations
- Spinach can be added. Add it with the pasta for the last minute of cooking.
- Red pepper flakes can be added for a spicy twist
- Fresh basil leaves can be added just at the end
- Arugula can be added just at the end
- Vegetables like asparagus, broccoli or zucchini - either boil them with the pasta or sauté before adding
- Make it vegetarian by using a pecorino substitute without animal rennet
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free pasta
Tips & tricks
- Cook pasta in heavily salted water - it should taste like the sea
- Don't overcook the pasta - it should be al dente. Often I cook it 1 minute less than what's stated on the package.
- Don't rinse the pasta - you need all that starch to combine with the sauce, that's what makes it creamy!
- This dish does not store well - I recommend not making more than you will finish. It's easy to make for just 1 person as well - just change the number of servings in the recipe card below.
- If you still want to store leftovers you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
Nutrition
Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 344mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 404IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 335mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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migdalia
bangin
Katie Siepierski
This was really good! I doubled the recipe used Murray's whole milk ricotta, Private Selection Italian Farfalle (bronze cut, made with golden amber durum wheat semolina), and I used Asiago instead of pecorino or parmesan. I really enjoyed it! Such a delicious dish that is super quick and simple to make. I may add some grilled chicken to it next time, or some scallops would be super good with it, it'd pair well with salmon too. So good!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Yum! Scallops would be amazing with this, need to try that for myself!