Lemon-Ricotta Pasta

Lemon-Ricotta Pasta Comes Together With 5 Ingredients in 15 Minutes

4.0

(4)

4 Reviews

A no-cook sauce and just five ingredients make this lemon-ricotta pasta especially easy as a weeknight dinner that comes together in 15 minutes.

Chandra Ram

Updated on January 4, 2024

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Lemon Ricotta Pasta — Photo:
Jordan Provost / Food Styling by Thu Buser

Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Yield:

4 servings

The secret to this dinner party-worthy pasta is the creamy, no-cook sauce. Blending the ricotta with a scoop of the pasta cooking water plus lemon zest and juice gives it the body you need so it coats the pasta without clumping up.

Frequently asked questions

What is ricotta cheese?

Ricotta is a light, creamy, fresh cheese traditionally made from the whey that is leftover from making cheese from cow’s milk. The whey, which contains small amounts of cheese curds, is heated along with some vinegar or lemon juice. The acid in the vinegar caused the curds to coagulate. Any extra whey is strained out, and the curds are ricotta. Many commercial ricottas are made with whole milk, half-and-half, or buttermilk instead of whey. Ricotta is available in grocery stores, and easily made at home.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

We love how fast and simple this recipe is, and the fact that you can customize it in so many ways. Stir in some shredded rotisserie chicken to make it heartier. A handful of chopped spinach, frozen peas, or chopped asparagus adds color and more texture. Or scatter toasted breadcrumbs on top to give each bite a bit of crunch.

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Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 pound cellentani, gemelli, or another short pasta
1 cup (8 ounces) whole-milk ricotta, room temperature
1 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Freshly grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Red pepper flakes and basil leaves for serving

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, juice, and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth paste, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add 1/3 cup pasta water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and check the consistency of the sauce, adding more pasta water to thin it out if you prefer. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth sauce.
Divide the pasta among bowls, being sure to top it with any sauce from the bottom of the pot. Garnish it with grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and basil, and serve.