Description
This quick and easy lemon ricotta pasta recipe features less than 10 ingredients, and is ready in 15-20 minutes. It’s the perfect weeknight meal. Be sure to read my tips below for the ultimate pasta experience.
Notes & Tips:
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- For mild garlic flavor, use 1 clove (not 2). Or omit the garlic completely. Sometimes garlic can overpower the gentle flavor of the ricotta, especially if it’s not very fresh.
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- I’ve made this dish many times with (and without) lemon. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the recipe. However, omitting it makes for a more milky-sweet pasta dish. Both ways are good. See what you like best!
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- Reheat with caution. The penne pasta will soak up the ricotta sauce as it cools down, making the texture thicker. To reheat, do so in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the consistency.
Ingredients
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1–2 garlic cloves, smashed (use 1 clove for delicate flavor; 2 cloves for strong flavor)
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, zest reserved (optional)
- 3–4 oz fresh baby spinach
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions; do not drain.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large 10-12 inch pan or braiser pot, warm the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic clove(s) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Do not brown. The goal is to gently infuse the olive oil with a mild garlic flavor. Turn off the heat.
- To the skillet: Add the ricotta, heavy cream, only 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice (if using). Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon to combine. Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper. Discard the garlic.
- At this point, the pasta should be ready. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside (you may or may not need it to loosen the sauce). Add the spinach to the pasta pot and give it a quick stir. It will wilt in 3 seconds. Finally, using a fine mesh strainer, scoop out the pasta and spinach and add it directly to the ricotta sauce.
- Toss the pasta with the ricotta sauce until well coated. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
- Portion the pasta onto plates. Garnish with lemon zest (optional) and serve right away.