Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Spinach
Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe: A Quick, Easy, and Super Creamy Pasta Recipe; The Perfect Weeknight Dinner!
Perfectly cooked linguine pasta and fresh baby spinach covered with a creamy ricotta sauce with a nice citrusy flavor. This pasta recipe offers a truly exciting experience for the palate; an irresistibly delicious dish guaranteed to brighten up your dinner table as well as everyone’s mood.
Why you’ll love this Ricotta & Spinach Pasta?
It requires simple ingredients, minimal effort, and a brief cooking time.
It’s has just the right amount of creaminess.
This recipe incredibly tasty.
It’s makes a great comforting family dinner and a nice graceful whole meal or side dish at a party or gathering.
It’s easily customized; you can check the tips below for suggestions.
Ingredients Needed:
8 ounces pasta
9 ounces whole milk ricotta
8 ounces fresh baby spinach (washed)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (+ extra for garnish)
1 lemon zest and juice
3 lemon slices or wedges (optional garnish)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove (minced)
Salt and black pepper
How to make Lemon Ricotta Pasta?
Add a good pinch in a large pot of boiling water. Add your pasta, stir, and let it cook until al dente. In meantime, make the ricotta sauce.
Place your ricotta in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper to your taste. Mix all ingredients to combine. (it’s important to taste at this stage, to make sure the seasoning is to your liking)
Take ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside, then add the spinach to the pot to cook for the last minute of the pasta’s cooking time. Drain then put the pasta and spinach back in the same pot.
Add in the ricotta sauce and a little of the pasta water you kept aside.
Mix everything to make sure the pasta is well covered with the sauce. (add more of the reserved pasta water if needed, to suit your desired texture; it should be smooth and creamy).
Drizzle your plate with extra Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges (optional garnish). Enjoy immediately! Buon Appetito!
Lemon Ricotta & Spinach Pasta – An Elegant Looking Pasta Recipe with a burst of Comforting Flavors!
I love a dish that tastes as good as it looks; this Lemon Ricotta Pasta is a bright, neat, and graceful looking dish packed with tempting, succulent and comforting flavors. This creamy pasta recipe is for people who love lemons and lemon flavored recipes such as myself. This is the kind of dinner to appease, soothe, and bring joy to your family after a long, weary, and busy day.
Helpful Tips and Variations:
Which pasta should I use? You can use any pasta you prefer; for this recipe, I prefer linguine, spaghetti, or fusilli. You can use whole grain pasta as a healthier choice
How can I replace the Parmesan? You can replace the Parmesan cheese with some freshly grated Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano. (feel free to choose other options)
Which ricotta is best for this Ricotta Pasta ? I believe choosing a good quality ricotta is crucial to the success of this recipe; choose whole milk ricotta cheese. You can get Galbani ricotta cheese or Trader joe’s ricotta cheese.
How can I replace the ricotta sauce? A good substitute would be heavy cream, but you can also use mascarpone cheese even if the taste and texture are a bit different.
How can I replace the spinach? Instead of spinach, you can use some arugula, asparagus, peas, chopped kale or broccoli.
Can I omit the added pasta water? Of course, if you like the texture as it is, no need to add the pasta water.
What items can I add to this Ricotta & Spinach Pasta? Even though, I like this recipe as it is, sometimes I like to add some roasted cherry tomatoes or sautéed mushrooms; they add a good savory flavor to the dish. You can also add some artichoke hearts alongside the mushrooms.
Which protein would compliment this dish? Grilled chicken, shrimp, and salmon would really compliment the flavors in this creamy zesty pasta recipe.
How can I serve this Lemon Ricotta & Spinach Pasta?
You can serve this Ricotta & Spinach Pasta as a side dish at your next barbecue, pair with grilled chicken, steak, garlic bread, or simply a light green salad; my favorite way to serve this creamy pasta is next to a nicely roasted salmon filet or shrimp, the combination of flavors is perfectly harmonious and work well together.
You can also serve as a light lunch or dinner; it’s light, healthy, and filling.
Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Spinach
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta
- 9 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 8 ounces fresh baby spinach washed
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese + extra for garnish
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 3 lemon slices or wedges optional garnish
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- Salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Add a good pinch in a large pot of boiling water. Add your pasta, stir, and let it cook until al dente. In meantime, make the ricotta sauce.
- Place your ricotta in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper to your taste. Mix all ingredients to combine. (it’s important to taste at this stage, to make sure the seasoning is to your liking)
- Take ½ cup of the pasta water and set aside, then add the spinach to the pot to cook for the last minute of the pasta’s cooking time. Drain then put the pasta and spinach back in the same pot.
- Add in the ricotta sauce and a little of the pasta water you kept aside. Mix everything to make sure the pasta is well covered with the sauce. (add more of the reserved pasta water if needed, to suit your desired texture; it should be smooth and creamy).
- Drizzle your plate with extra Parmesan cheese and lemon wedges (optional garnish). Enjoy immediately! Buon Appetito!
