Description
Creamy lemon ricotta pasta with spinach delivers a zesty Mediterranean-inspired meal that combines fresh ingredients. Home cooks can quickly prepare this light, elegant dish with simple pantry staples for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ pound (8 oz/220 g) pasta (spaghetti, linguine, penne, fusilli, or your choice)
- 1 cup (9 oz/250 g) whole-milk ricotta
- 8 oz (230 g) fresh baby spinach, washed
- ⅓ cup (35 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 3 lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Boil Water: Fill a large pot with water, add a generous amount of salt, and bring to a vigorous boil. Cook pasta until al dente, maintaining a slight bite at the center.
- Prepare Ricotta Sauce: Whisk ricotta with olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper, blending until smooth and creamy.
- Cook Spinach and Prepare Pasta: In the final moments of pasta cooking, add spinach to the boiling water, allowing it to wilt for about one minute. Reserve a half cup of starchy cooking liquid before draining the pasta and spinach in a colander.
- Combine and Coat: Return pasta and spinach to the warm pot. Pour ricotta sauce over the pasta, using reserved cooking liquid to create a glossy, even coating. Toss thoroughly to ensure each pasta strand is completely dressed.
- Serve and Garnish: Plate the pasta with elegant swirls, topped with additional Parmesan shavings, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and optional lemon wedges for a bright, citrusy finish.
Notes
- Preserve Pasta Water: Starchy liquid acts as a magical sauce binder, helping ricotta coat pasta smoothly and creating silky texture.
- Spinach Timing Matters: Briefly wilt spinach during last minute of pasta cooking to maintain vibrant green color and prevent overcooking.
- Season Generously: Salt pasta water substantially to enhance overall dish flavor and ensure pasta tastes delicious from inside out.
- Quick Tossing Technique: Mix ricotta sauce immediately after draining pasta while pot remains warm to help sauce adhere perfectly and create creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg