Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Print View)

Creamy ricotta and zesty lemon coat delicate spaghetti in this bright, elegant Italian pasta dish.

# 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 - Extra lemon zest
12 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

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, more lemon zest, and a grind of black pepper.
05 - Serve immediately while the pasta is hot.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than takeout and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The ricotta melts into the hot pasta and creates a silky sauce without any cream or butter.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully with just a splash of water to bring the sauce back to life.
02 -
  • Do not skip reserving the pasta water, it is the secret to a sauce that clings instead of clumps.
  • Add the hot pasta to the ricotta mixture, not the other way around, so the heat melts the cheese into a sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before tossing and adjust the lemon or salt, every lemon is different and some need a little more juice.
03 -
  • Use a microplane to zest the lemon, it gives you fine, fragrant shavings that disappear into the sauce.
  • Toss the pasta in the bowl instead of the pot so the sauce coats every piece evenly without getting watery.
  • Taste a strand of pasta a minute before the package time, al dente means it still has a little bite in the center.
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