Name: Easy Ricotta Pasta – Creamy, Quick, and Delicious
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb pasta of choice; 1.5 cups whole milk ricotta cheese; 0.75 cup parmesan cheese; 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, or butter; 4 cloves garlic; 1 lemon; 0.333 cup fresh herbs parsley, or chives; 2 cups Spinach; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Easy Ricotta Pasta – Creamy, Quick, and Delicious

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Easy Ricotta Pasta – Creamy, Quick, and Delicious

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Easy Ricotta Pasta – Creamy, Quick, and Delicious

1 lb pasta of choice

1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese

¾ cup parmesan cheesefreshly grated

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, or butter

4 cloves garlicfinely minced

1 lemonzested and juiced (optional, for lemon ricotta pasta)

⅓ cup fresh herbs parsley, or chiveschopped

2 cups Spinachpacked

Salt and freshly ground black pepperto taste

1 cup reserved pasta cooking water

Instructions

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 ½ cups of pasta water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Return the same pot to the stove over medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic, and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Lower the heat and stir in ricotta, parmesan, and lemon zest/juice (if using). Gradually pour in reserved pasta water, a little at a time, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Add spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, until just wilted. Season generously with salt and black pepper.

Return the pasta to the pot and toss until well coated in the sauce. If needed, add a splash more pasta water to loosen.

Serve immediately, topped with extra parmesan, fresh herbs, and cracked black pepper.

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Reserve Pasta Water First 💧
Always reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta cooking water before draining—this is essential for achieving the perfect creamy sauce consistency without adding cream.
Room Temperature Ricotta Matters 🌡️
Remove ricotta from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking so it blends smoothly with warm pasta and creates a silky sauce instead of clumpy texture.
Emulsify with Pasta Water 🔄
Mix ricotta with reserved pasta water gradually off-heat to create an emulsion, then gently fold into hot pasta for a luxurious, restaurant-quality creamy coating.
Finish with Fresh Lemon Zest 🍋
Grate fresh lemon zest directly over the finished dish just before serving to brighten the richness of the ricotta and add sophisticated depth.
Infuse Oil with Garlic Properly 🧄
Warm garlic in olive oil over low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned, then immediately remove from heat to prevent bitterness that would overpower delicate ricotta.