If you’re craving something creamy, fresh, and incredibly easy, this Lemon Ricotta Pasta is about to become your new go-to. It’s made with a velvety no-cook sauce that comes together in just minutes while your pasta is boiling. Ricotta, cottage cheese, and parmesan create a creamy base, and garlic and fresh lemon add brightness and flavor. It’s great on it’s own (kind of an elevated mac and cheese) or the perfect base for add-ins, see some ideas below! Whether it’s a busy weeknight or a lazy summer evening, this quick and flavorful pasta delivers big comfort with minimal effort. (Bonus: It’s got a decent amount of protein, even if you serve it as-is. Top it with grilled chicken for an extra punch!)
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta – you can make this with literally any style of pasta you like. I like to choose one with some curly edges like trottole or campanelle
- Salt
- Ricotta – all ricotta is not created equal. I’ve tried a few common grocery store brands that are extra grainy and lack flavor. My absolute favorite is Trader Joe’s brand ricotta. This recipes works great with both the full fat and reduced fat versions, though the full fat is better!
- Cottage Cheese – you can use any type of cottage cheese you like. Both large and small curd work just fine, as do higher and lower fat versions.
- Parmesan Cheese – opt for a fresh wedge of Parmesan that you grate yourself. Check the normal cheese aisle of the grocery store for the most affordable option (as opposed to the fancy cheese counter/cases near the deli)
- Lemon
- Garlic or Garlic Powder
- Optional add–ins – ideas below!
How to make Lemon Ricotta Pasta
This is a quick list of ingredients and photo overview so you can see the dish at a glance. Keep scrolling or use the jump-to-recipe button to see the full printable recipe below.
- Bring a pot of water to boil on the stove top and add a generous sprinkling of salt. Boil pasta as directed.
- While pasta is cooking, combine all the sauce ingredients (ricotta, cottage cheese, parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and salt) in a food processor or high powered blender and process until creamy smooth.
- When pasta is done cooking, save at least 2 cups of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and pour sauce into pot to warm up.
- Add the drained pasta and toss together.
- If you want, you can add optional add-ins (I have a few ideas below!)
- Use the pasta water to thin out the consistency if needed. If you’re not serving it immediately, make sure to save that pasta water because you’ll want to use more right before serving as this will thicken quickly!
Add-In Ideas
This dish is really great on its own, but it’s also a great base for some fun add-ins. Here’s a few ideas, but let me know if you come up with anything that turns out delicious!
- Fresh chopped basil and crumbled Italian sausage
- Fresh arugula and sun dried tomatoes
- Crumbled bacon and peas
- Swirl in some pesto
- Chopped grilled chicken
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure. I like the combination of both for both flavor and texture, but you are welcome to experiment with only one or the other.
Yep, just use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
We’ve warmed up the leftovers many times and it’s still great! The sauce will thicken after refrigeration so just add a splash of milk or water to loosen it up.
Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta preferably something curly like trottole, campanelle or fusilli, but anything works!
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup parmesan
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil on the stove top. Add a generous pinch of salt and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- While pasta is cooking, place ricotta, cottage cheese, parmesan and salt in a food processor or high powered blender. Use garlic press or microplate to finely press garlic into sauce. It's going to get pureed, but we still want to make sure you don't get any large pieces of raw garlic in your bite.
- Add the zest from one lemon and then juice the lemon. If you love lemon you can add all the juice. If you don't want as strong of a lemon flavor, start with just a tablespoon or 2 and you can always add more if you like.
- Puree sauce until smooth and creamy.
- Important: Before you drain your pasta, save pasta water! I like to save at least 2 cups. You probably won't need that much but it helps to have enough. After saving some of the starchy pasta water, drain pasta completely and return to pot. Add cheesy sauce and stir over low heat to warm. Season with more salt if desired and then add pasta water as needed to thin your sauce. If serving immediately, you might not need too much. But keep your pasta water close by because it will thicken quickly and you'll likely want to add a little more right before serving.
- Top servings with additional grated parmesan cheese as desired.
Notes
- Fresh chopped basil and crumbled Italian sausage
- Fresh arugula and sun dried tomatoes
- Crumbled bacon and peas
- Swirl in some pesto
- Chopped grilled chicken
Questions & Reviews
I made this tonight and was super happy about how easy it was! I think we will like this even more the next time we make it. No one knew what to expect and I think that threw a couple people off, but 5/6 really liked it! The brightness of the lemon isn’t what we’re used to in creamy pasta, but I really enjoyed it! Thanks for the easy and delicious meal!