Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Arugula
This Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Arugula is the perfect vegetarian spring pasta dish that is bright and flavorful and is made with ricotta, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and pasta water. It’s done in 20 min or less and is so easy to make - a favorite for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. short pasta like penne or rigatoni
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan or pecorino plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 1 to 2 lemons plus extra lemon wedges for serving
- 2 cups of arugula
- Chili flakes for serving
- Salt and Black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for serving
- Thinly sliced or torn basil leaves for serving optional
Instructions
- Cook/boil pasta in a large pot according to package instructions until al dente, reserving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside. Turn off heat.
- Make the lemon ricotta sauce in the same pot or in a large skillet add the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper to taste and stir until well combined.
- Stir or whisk in ½ cup of pasta water until smooth.
- Add the pasta and stir/toss vigorously until the noodles are well coated adding more pasta water to loosen up the sauce as needed for a smooth sauce.
- Stir in the arugula.
- Serve immediately in a large bowl family style or in individual bowls. and top with remaining sauce from pan and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with extra Parmesan, red-pepper flakes and torn basil, if using and extra lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
This pasta and sauce get thicker as it sits so it’s VERY important to serve right after it’s made. To make the sauce creamier, you can add some milk or cream instead of some of the pasta water.
Cooking water: add pasta water gradually, you might not need all of it. You don’t want to water down the flavor, but only make the pasta nice and moist. If you think the reserved water is not enough, you might add a few Tbsps. of milk or cream
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge. You can reheat on stovetop or microwave adding a little water, broth or cream to loosen up the sauce, but this dish is BETTER eaten the SAME DAY as it will never be as creamy as it was when first cooked.
Cooking water: add pasta water gradually, you might not need all of it. You don’t want to water down the flavor, but only make the pasta nice and moist. If you think the reserved water is not enough, you might add a few Tbsps. of milk or cream
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 4-5 days in the fridge. You can reheat on stovetop or microwave adding a little water, broth or cream to loosen up the sauce, but this dish is BETTER eaten the SAME DAY as it will never be as creamy as it was when first cooked.
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