One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon

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Delicious one-pot pasta with ricotta and lemon ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta; this is a perfect meal for any night of the week.

This quick and satisfying lemon ricotta pasta recipe is ready in about 15-20 minutes! The one-pot pasta with ricotta and lemon using just a handful of ingredients is a simple summery meal bursting with fresh, bright lemon flavors.

Check out more Italian-inspired pasta dishes that are super easy and quick to make: Mascarpone Pasta, Creamy Tuna Carbonara, or (my absolute favorite) The Best Lemon Pepper Pasta Recipe. Or see 10 Fast Pasta Recipes.

What will you love about this dish?

• Minimal effort: Set the pasta to cook, drain it and mix it with the rest of the ingredients – the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. Also, a one-pot recipe means less cleaning after cooking.
• Bold, fresh flavors: The mild ricotta cheese is the perfect canvas for the zesty-tangy lemon and the sharp Parmesan cheese.
• Economical: Just five simple ingredients and some spices, you might already have most of the needed items in your pantry.

Recipe ingredients

• Pasta: I often use spaghetti, but any type of pasta is great for this recipe; it doesn’t matter if the shapes are long or short. Try penne, fusilli, macaroni, bow tie, linguini and so on.

• Dairy:
  • Ricotta: Creamy whole milk ricotta cheese. Try this delicious Ricotta Mac and Cheese, or Ricotta Pesto Pasta to the Easy Tomato and Ricotta Pasta as well.
  • Heavy cream: Just a small amount to make the dish even creamier.
  • Parmesan: From a wedge and not already grated Parmesan.

• Lemon: Preferably organic, unwaxed lemons as you will also need the zest. You will need one large lemon or 1 ½ medium to get 5-6 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.

• Peas: They are optional but nice, adding a bit of sweetness and bite to the dish.

• Olive oil: Good quality extra-virgin olive oil; I use my good salad olive oil for this recipe.

• Spices: Red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add as much heat as you like; I usually add a good pinch of red pepper flakes which is about ¼ teaspoon. However, you can be more generous. Cayenne pepper is a good substitute; use it to taste.

What can I add?

• Spinach: You can replace the peas with a good handful of fresh baby spinach.
• Fresh basil: Add some finely sliced basil leaves just before serving.
• Garlic: Add 1-2 grated garlic cloves to the sauce.
• Mushrooms: Fry about 9 oz (250 g) of sliced mushrooms in a separate pan. Add them to the one-pot pasta with ricotta and lemon instead of the peas.
• Shrimps: Cook some shrimps in butter in a separate pan. Season well and serve them with the lemon ricotta pasta.

How to make one pot lemon ricotta pasta?

• Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package instructions (1). Add the frozen peas during the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking time (2). Reserve some pasta water and drain the contents of the pan.

• Prepare ingredients while the pasta cooks. Wash, dry, and zest the lemon. Halve it and squeeze the juice to get about 6 tablespoons. Grate the Parmesan. Set both aside.

• Mix sauce: Whisk ricotta, heavy cream, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper (3). Add about ¼ cup of starchy water and whisk well (4).

• Combine: Return the pasta and peas to the pot (5) and mix well with the ricotta mixture. Add a little more of the reserved cooking water if necessary (6). Adjust the taste with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Expert tips

• Pot: You can combine the ricotta sauce ingredients in a small bowl while the pasta is cooking or whisk everything in the empty pasta pot while the spaghetti is draining.

• Pasta water: Don’t forget to save about 1/2 cup of pasta water. The starches and salt it contains are what you need to make the dish creamy, to help the sauce coat the spaghetti, and to add flavor.

• Cheese: Use whole milk ricotta and not the skimmed version. The fat content affects the taste and texture of the sauce.
  • It’s preferable to use freshly grated Parmesan from a wedge; the pre-grated stuff doesn’t taste as good. It also contains additives that prevent the cheese from melting nicely.

Recipe FAQ

How to serve?

• Serve the creamy lemon ricotta pasta with a simple salad dressed with vinaigrette. I love it with baby spinach or fresh arugula salad.
• Sauteed or roasted vegetables like kale, broccoli, or green beans would also make a delicious side dish.

More easy and quick pasta recipes

• Quick Tuna Pesto Pasta
• Fried Spaghetti
• Lemon Pepper Pasta Recipe
• Creme Fraiche Salmon Pasta
• Creamy Tahini Pasta
• Gouda Mac and Cheese (5 Ingredients)
• Easy Thermomix Mac and Cheese

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