Easy Tomato and Ricotta Pasta

overhead view of tomato and ricotta pasta topped with fresh basil leaves.

Delicious tomato and ricotta pasta with capers and basil. A simple dish perfect for a fast weeknight meal; the sauce will be ready by the time the pasta is cooked.

Course Main Course, Pasta Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 647kcal

Author Adina

Equipment

Large pot
Large skillet or frying pan

Ingredients

1 lb linguine 450 g
14 oz cherry tomatoes 400 g, Note 1
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ tablespoons capers
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
9 oz ricotta 250 g
small bunch of basil
fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of water and drain the rest (Note 2).
1 lb linguine / 450 g
Make the sauce while the pasta cooks.
Chopping: Halve the cherry tomatoes and set them aside. Peel the garlic, leave the cloves whole, but crush them lightly with your palm. Roughly chop the capers and set them aside. Chop the basil and set it aside.
14 oz cherry tomatoes/ 400 g + 2 garlic cloves + 1 ½ tablespoons capers + small bunch of basil
Roast garlic: Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet. Roast the garlic cloves for a couple of minutes, flipping them a few times in between, until they are golden.
3 tablespoons olive oil
Cook tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and stir on high heat for about 2 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt, chopped capers, red pepper flakes, and half of the chopped basil. Stir and cook on medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes until the tomatoes are soft.
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Combine: Add ricotta, about ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water, and pasta to the pan and stir gently for about 1 minute to heat the sauce through. Add an extra splash of the cooking water if necessary to thin the sauce.
9 oz ricotta / 250 g
Stir in the remaining basil, adjust the taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Notes

Cherry tomatoes are best, but if you don’t have them, you can use regular ripe and flavorful ones. Deseed and chop them roughly; the pieces should be about the size of ½ a cherry tomato.
Pasta water: You will not need it all. To thin the sauce, you will need ½ cup plus a little bit more if necessary.

Nutrition