Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printer-Friendly)

Zesty lemon and creamy ricotta coat spaghetti noodles in this bright, elegant dish perfect for quick weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz spaghetti
02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt for pasta water

→ Ricotta-Lemon Sauce

03 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
04 - 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
05 - 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
06 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped
11 - Additional lemon zest
12 - Freshly ground black pepper

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and salt until smooth and creamy.
03 - Add the hot drained spaghetti to the bowl with the ricotta-lemon sauce. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta luxuriously.
04 - Divide among bowls. Top with extra Parmesan, fresh basil or parsley, additional lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Serve immediately while the pasta is hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It takes less time than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The lemon and ricotta balance each other so perfectly you wont need heavy sauces again.
  • You can dress it up with herbs or keep it bare bones, and itll still feel special.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, its the secret to a sauce that hugs the noodles instead of sliding off.
  • Add the hot pasta to the ricotta mixture and not the other way around, the heat from the noodles melts everything together.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing and adjust the lemon or salt, every lemon is different and some need more juice.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon directly over the bowl so none of those fragrant oils go to waste.
  • Toss the pasta while its still dripping wet, that little bit of extra water helps the sauce come together.
  • If the sauce feels too thick, add pasta water one tablespoon at a time until it looks glossy and moves easily.
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