This One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon recipe uses only 5 ingredients (plus a few staple spices), one pot, and is ready in under 30 minutes. The ricotta and lemon sauce is creamy and comforting.
This pasta with ricotta recipe is filling, but If you want to stretch this pasta recipe even further, try serving it with air fryer garlic bread, garlic no knead bread, or a big green salad.
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⭐Why I Love It:
- One Pot Pasta - You'll make the ricotta sauce in the same pot that you cook the pasta which means super easy clean up!
- Vegetarian Friendly - As written, this recipe is perfect for vegetarians or you can add protein as well.
- Simple Ingredients - You only need 5 simple ingredients (plus a few staple spices) to make this one pot pasta recipe.
🥘Ingredients
- Pasta - I like to use penne or another short noodle like rigatoni, but you can use any pasta.
- Ricotta - I used full fat, whole milk ricotta. If there is liquid on the ricotta when you open the container, you can just stir it back in. No need to drain.
- Lemons - For both the zest and juice. Also try this lemon butter shrimp orzo or lemon blueberry breakfast cake.
- Grated Parmesan - I like to grate up extra to sprinkle on top of the bowls when serving.
- Salt, Pepper, and Red Pepper Flakes - You can adjust to suit your tastes.
- Fresh Basil - optional for serving. I also love using basil in this Baked Boursin Cheese Pasta recipe.
- Reserved Pasta Water - Before you drain the pasta, dip a measuring cup or mug and reserve about a cup of the pasta water. This helps bring the sauce together thanks to the starch-infused water.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📖Variations
- Add Protein - This recipe lends itself well to added protein such as cooked and shredder cubed chicken or cooked shrimp.
- Add Veggies - This recipe also lends itself well to added veggies! My favorites are steamed broccoli florets or thawed frozen peas.
🔪Step by Step instructions
Making this one pot pasta with ricotta and lemon recipe is easy! Just mix up the ricotta sauce in the same pot you cooked the pasta in then toss it all together.
Photo 1 - Start by cooking the pasta to al dente in a large pot of salted water. Reserve some of the pasta water then drain the pasta. In the same pot add the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Photo 2 - Mix everything together and add ½ cup of the pasta water, slowly, and stir until smooth.
Photo 3 - Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss to combine.
Photo 4 - You can add a little more pasta water, if needed, to smooth out the sauce. Garnish with fresh basil, if using, and enjoy!
🍽Leftovers and Storage
While this recipe is best enjoyed soon after making it, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
💭Recipe Tips
- Add Pasta Water Slowly - The exact amount of paster water you need to add will vary, so I like to add the water slowly so I can adjust until the right consistency is reached.
- Well Salt the Water - When cooking pasta, you always want to generously salt the water (so it tastes like the sea!) this is your best chance to season the pasta itself.
👩🍳Recipe FAQs
In addition to using ricotta in pasta recipes, it can also be used as a spread for an appetizer. Some other ricotta recipes to try is this peach ricotta crostini, whipped ricotta dip with honey, or rigatoni al forno.
You can swap in low fat, part skim ricotta in this recipe, but the sauce will be less rich and creamy.
When you open the ricotta cheese container, there may be some liquid on the top. In this pasta with ricotta recipe you don't need to drain the liquid, but can just stir it back in.
🍝Related Pasta Recipes...
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PrintRecipe
One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon
This One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon recipe uses only 5 ingredients (plus a few staple spices), one pot, and is ready in under 30 minutes. The ricotta and lemon sauce is creamy and comforting.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta, I used penne
- 15-16oz whole-milk ricotta
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon zest, from 2 lemons
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice, from 2 lemons
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup sliced fresh basil, for garnishing
- ½ cup reserved pasta water, from cooking the pasta
Instructions
- Cook Pasta - Get a large pot of salted pasta water boiling and cook the pasta until al dente. Before you drain the pasta, scoop out about a cup of reserved pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside. Return the pot to the stove with the heat off.
- Make Ricotta Sauce - Add the ricotta, lemon juice and zest, parmesan, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes to the same pot. Stir together to combine then add about ½ cup of the pasta water and stir to make a smooth sauce.
- Add Pasta - Add the cooked pasta back to the pot and stir to combine. If needed, you can add a little more pasta water to smooth out the sauce.
- Serve - Sprinkle the pasta with the sliced basil and serve. I like to serve with extra grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes on the side.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛ of recipe
- Calories: 326
- Sugar: 1.9 g
- Sodium: 210.5 mg
- Fat: 9.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15.3 g
- Cholesterol: 30.7 mg
Dianne Starr says
can I substitute cottage cheese for ricotta, no fresh lemons but I have fresh limes and I do not have fresh basil but I do have fresh tarragon and also the herb fennel sprigs. I live in a caribbean country and not all things are a ailable at all times. When they are available they are extremely expensive. I am not trying to change your wonderful recipes but trying to substitute what is available. I hope these substitutes will work, waiting for your opinion
Katie says
Loved this pasta! I served it with some crispy frozen chicken that I heated up in the air fryer.