It’s a viral sensation for good reason! This delicious one-pot ricotta lemon pasta brings rich and creamy ricotta cheese and bright lemon flavors to your table any night of the week. And it’s a stunner….
One pot pasta recipes really represent the best of humanity. Simple ingredients. Delicious flavor. Endless variations. Minimal effort. As a species, we’ve reached our peak of efficiency and purpose.
If weeknight dinners are leaving you bored and reaching for delivery, add this delicious creamy sauce to your rotation. It feeds a crowd, or works as easy meal prep. Leave it as a vegetarian wonder, or add in your favorite protein (Grilled Shrimp, anyone?).
You’re going to love this easy dinner because the orecchiette pasta does a beautiful job scooping up all of the bright flavors of the creamy ricotta sauce and those gorgeous peas. In all of my testing, this shape and veggie combo was my favorite.
And don’t sleep on that crunchy walnut topping. I want to sprinkle it over everything in my kitchen – it’s rich, herbaceous and spiked with lemon flavor. The combination is unforgettable and the whole thing is prepped, cooked and ready to eat in under 20 minutes.
What you’ll need to make this pasta recipe:
- Orecchiette pasta (or shape of your choice)
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh garlic
- Salt and black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Frozen peas
- Fresh lemon juice and zest
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Walnuts
- Flat leaf parsley
Full measurements and directions included in printable recipe card below.
Step by step instructions for this lemon ricotta one pot recipe:
If making the walnut herb topping, begin by adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup of walnuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 minutes, until the walnuts smell like popcorn. To the walnuts add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of diced parsley, and a healthy pinch of salt and black pepper. Stir and transfer to a small bowl. Set aside.
Fill the large skillet with water and return to a high heat burner. Salt the water generously and, once boiling, cook your pasta for 1-2 minutes less than package instructions.
While the pasta cooks, combine your lemon ricotta mixture in a bowl, including the fresh ricotta, lemon zest, parmesan, grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper and red chili flakes (if using).
When the pasta is just about al dente, use a measuring cup or ladle to reserve one cup of the pasta water. Then drain the pasta and set it aside.
Return the skillet to the heat along with 1/2 cup starchy water Add the warm pasta back into the pan, along with the ricotta mixture and frozen peas. Toss quickly to combine and allow the sauce to heat through and thicken – about 2 minutes.
Squeeze a half of a lemon juice into the pasta and stir to combine. Taste the creamy lemon ricotta sauce and adjust seasoning. Add more of the reserved pasta cooking water, if needed, to thin the creamy sauce.
Plate and serve with sliced fresh lemons, lemon zest and dust with toasted walnut herb topping.
FAQ’s, Variations and Serving Suggestions for One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta:
Absolutely. I tested this recipe using spaghetti, linguini, and even lentil fusilli pasta. All worked beautifully. I prefer the short pasta shapes for this dish, so I recommend bow tie, rigatoni, penne or some version of a corkscrew. The orecchiette does such a beautiful job of scooping up the creamy ricotta sauce and bright green peas…it’s hard to beat!
Fresh spinach (I recommend baby spinach), arugula or even asparagus would be delicious with this lemon and ricotta flavor combination.
While technically this dish could be a meal in one, I like serving it with a simple Tossed Salad and OF COURSE, Best Ever Garlic Bread. Because are you really even eating pasta if there’s no garlic bread on the table?
To store, transfer leftover ricotta pasta to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a few tablespoons of milk or water to a saucepan or skillet and heat creamy lemon ricotta pasta over medium to medium-high heat until just warmed through.
Print
One Pot Lemon Ricotta Orecchiette Pasta
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
1 pound orecchiette pasta
12 ounces whole milk ricotta
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
3 cloves of fresh garlic, grated
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Optional crunchy topping:
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, diced
Pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
For the walnut herb topping, begin by adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup of walnuts in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 minutes, until the walnuts smell like popcorn. Remove from the heat and add lemon zest, diced fresh parsley and a healthy pinch of salt and black pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Fill the large skillet with water and return to a high heat burner. Salt the water generously and, once boiling, cook your pasta for 1-2 minutes less than package directions.
While the pasta cooks, combine your lemon ricotta mixture in a bowl, including the fresh ricotta, lemon zest, parmesan, grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper and red pepper flakes (if using).
When the pasta is just about al dente, use a measuring cup or ladle to reserve one cup of the salted pasta water. Then drain the pasta and set it aside.
Return the skillet to the heat along with 1/2 cup pasta water Add the warm cooked pasta back into the pan, along with the lemon ricotta pasta sauce mixture. Toss quickly to combine and allow the sauce to heat through and thicken – about 2 minutes. Squeeze a half of a lemon juice into the pasta and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve with sliced fresh lemons, lemon zest and dust with toasted walnut herb topping.
Notes
Almost any shape of pasta will work in this recipe, although in testing, I preferred the short pasta shapes as they seemed to hold onto that creamy ricotta sauce a bit better.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Easy Recipes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: One Pot Pasta, Lemon Ricotta Pasta Sauce, Orecchiette Pasta Recipe, One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe