Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Updated Feb 17, 2026
This easy lemon ricotta pasta combines ricotta, fresh lemon juice and zest, garlic, olive oil, and spinach with hot pasta for a simple 20-minute meal.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Jump to Section
Lemon Ricotta Pasta is soo good!
I’m always up for pasta, but I don’t always want a big red sauce situation. Sometimes I just want something that feels lighter but still creamy, and lemon ricotta pasta is usually where I land. It’s basically just spaghetti noodles tossed with a lemon-ricotta mixture and a splash of pasta water (this is the secret to getting the sauce to actually coat the noodles instead of sitting in clumps). The lemon keeps it from feeling heavy, the ricotta makes it creamy without a ton of effort, and it’s done in about 20 minutes. This lemon ricotta pasta is the kind of dinner I make when I’m hungry and don’t feel like overthinking it.
Lemon Ricotta Pasta Ingredients
- Spaghetti: I always have spaghetti in my pantry! But you’re welcome to sub in a different shape of pasta, if you like.
- Ricotta: I like to go for whole milk ricotta, but any kind will do. You can also use cottage cheese instead of ricotta; you’ll need about 1 and 3/4s cup of cottage cheese. You can make it an even 2 cups, just use less pasta water.
- Parmesan: Grate your parmesan fresh if you can! And if you don’t have any on hand, Pecorino Romano will also work.
- Olive oil: I love the taste of olive oil in this lemon ricotta pasta, but you can use any type of cooking oil you like. Just make sure it is neutral-tasting.
- Garlic: You need peeled, whole garlic cloves here. Don’t bother chopping them up! The blender will do it for you.
- Lemon: You’ll use the zest and the juice for this pasta sauce, so make sure you’re using a fresh, bright yellow lemon. See my tips on how to zest a lemon.
- Red pepper flakes: These add just a little heat. You can leave them out, though.
- Baby spinach: These smaller, more tender leaves wilt quickly in the pasta! But you’re welcome to sub in a different leafy green, if you like. Frozen peas are also good here!
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound spaghetti or pasta of choice
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 (5-ounce) container baby spinach
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain and return the pasta to the pot, covered.
- In a high speed blender, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Process for 1 to 2 minutes, or until very smooth.
- Add the ricotta mixture, ½ cup of reserved pasta water and spinach to the cooked pasta. Set over low heat and cook until the pasta has absorbed some of the cream sauce and the baby spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Add more pasta water as needed until you reach your desired consistency.
- Serve with more grated Parmesan, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Cook your pasta al dente. Al dente pasta will have a nice bite to it even after it’s been tossed in the warm sauce. You don’t want it to become soggy after a few minutes in the sauce!
- Don’t rinse your pasta after cooking. You want to toss your hot pasta with the sauce without letting it cool! I recommend draining it, then immediately adding it back to the pot and tossing it quickly (and thoroughly) with the sauce.
Serving Ideas
- Add a side salad. This creamy pasta tastes so good with a fresh salad, like my garden salad, my kale Caesar salad, or my broccoli salad.
- Serve with bread. I love this lemon ricotta pasta with bread. Try my cheesy garlic bread, my garlic knots, or my simple dinner rolls.
- Make an extra veggie dish. If you’re not in the mood for a fresh salad, try a cooked veggie side! I love this pasta with brussel sprouts, grilled carrots, or baked asparagus.
FAQs
My pasta sauce came out to too thick. What can I do to fix it?
If your sauce is too thick, add more of the reserved pasta water (a little at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. The starchy pasta water helps thin the sauce without making it watery. And if you don’t have any more pasta water left, you can add a splash of milk.
If the sauce isn’t where you’d like it flavor-wise, try adding a bit more salt, pepper, or Parmesan cheese. Sometimes, a little extra seasoning can make a big difference! You can also add a pinch more of the crushed red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
Comments
Dinner was ready in 20 minutes! Super easy and delicious!!! Lighter than most creamy pasta recipes. I added a little sun-dried tomato pesto, at my hubby’s request.
Sun-dried tomato pesto sounds like a delicious twist! So happy you found a super easy dinner recipe!
This recipe turned out AMAZING. Instant keeper. The blender is key. I needed a little extra pasta water as it absorbed quickly. Thank you!
Yay!! So happy you liked it!
Absolutely delicious recipe. Always follow a recipe to the tee the first time I make it. It was delightful. I may have added in additional pepper flakes, since I like things a little bit spicy. In my meal rotation. Getting ready to add your cookbook to my collection! Am a huge fan of Middle Eastern food.
Yay, so happy you loved it!! Thank you!
Oh wow it’s good! Made it for dinner last night, super fast, easy and absolutely delicious. Will be adding this to our regular meal plan. Thanks for sharing. Wondering if I could pre-make a large batch of sauce and freeze it?
Yay, thank you! So happy to hear you loved it, Joey!! I haven’t tried freezing this sauce but I think it would do well in the freezer. Please let me know if you end up trying it, I’m curious to hear how it holds up!
So delicious and so easy!!
Yay, so happy you liked it!
Made this for dinner tonight. Itโs amazing! Super easy and so quick. Weโll definitely be making it again. Thank you so much for the sharing this recipe.
Yay, so happy you liked it! You’re welcome!!
Just finished making this recipe and I love it. I added shrimp to the portion I’m eating today and tomorrow I’ll add grilled chicken. This is the type of recipe that can be worked in many different ways. It can either be a main dish or a side dish. I love the lemon flavor in this dish and I even added a little bit of freshly ground nutmeg in the ricotta mixture because I wanted the nutty flavor added in it. But I tasted before I added the nutmeg and I still love the orginal flavor. I made it with angel hair pasta. I would give it a 10 star. Thanks for sharing your awesome recipes. I like them all. You never disappoint me.
Aww, that is so sweet!! Thank you, Mary! This pasta totally works in a variety of ways, especially served with shrimp or grilled chicken. I’m going to have to try nutmeg in the ricotta too, that sounds so good!!
Something I learned from this recipe I made is that when I sat down to eat, I left the pot on my electric stove with the burner off but the burner I used to cook the pasta was still warm so tge sauce dried up so I realized that was a big mistake. All the ricotta was all crumbled. I’m going to try making more sauce to pour over the leftovers.
Oh no, what a bummer! So sorry to hear that, I hope your second batch of sauce turns out just as amazing.
See All Comments