Description
This vibrant lemon ricotta pasta is the ultimate solution for busy weeknights, offering restaurant-quality comfort in just fifteen minutes. It features a velvety, creamy sauce made from whole-milk ricotta, bright lemon zest, and fresh baby spinach. A perfect one-pot meal that balances rich flavors with fresh greens, requiring minimal cleanup while remaining budget-friendly and delicious.
Ingredients
1/2 lb spaghetti or linguine
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
8 oz fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta, olive oil, grated parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Season the ricotta mixture with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook pasta until al dente.
During the final minute of cooking, reserve 1/2 cup of starchy pasta water.
Add baby spinach to the boiling pasta water for the final minute until wilted.
Drain the pasta and spinach, then immediately toss with the prepared ricotta sauce in the warm pot.
Gradually stir in the reserved pasta water as needed until a creamy, smooth sauce coats the pasta strands.
Notes
Reserve more pasta water if you prefer a looser, silkier sauce. You can top with extra red pepper flakes for heat or toasted pine nuts for crunch.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boil and Toss
- Cuisine: Italian-American