Description
This quick and creamy lemon ricotta pasta with fresh spinach is a refreshing and flavorful dish perfect for a light, satisfying meal ready in just 13 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (8oz/220 grams) pasta (spaghetti, linguine, penne, fusilli…)
- 1 cup (9oz/250 grams) whole-milk ricotta
- 8 oz (230 grams) fresh baby spinach, washed
- 1/3 cup (35 grams) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
- 3 lemon wedges, to serve ((optional))
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, make the ricotta sauce.
- Make ricotta sauce: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Season with 1/4 tsp of salt and a good pinch of pepper.
- Season sauce: Stir until well combined, taste and make sure you’re happy with the seasoning.
- Add spinach: In the last minute of the pasta’s cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then add spinach to the pot. Stir well and push the leaves down to submerge them in water.
- Drain and combine: After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the same pot.
- Mix pasta and sauce: Add the ricotta sauce and part of the reserved cooking water. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed, you want a smooth and creamy texture.
- Serve: Serve immediately and garnish with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and lemon wedges if desired (for extra freshly squeezed juice, but I leave it optional). Plus, I love adding a good pinch of red pepper flakes, you might give it a go. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use extra lemon wedges to add freshly squeezed juice if desired.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick, optional.
