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My Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon is a weeknight dinner hero! With only seven simple ingredients and one pot to cook it all this restaurant-worthy dinner comes together in no time and will leave the whole family craving more. Served with or without chicken!
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Lemon Ricotta Pasta
When I'm planning dinner for the week and want a quick, mess-free meal that feels like an order off a luxurious restaurant menu, the first thing I turn to is lemon ricotta pasta! It's lusciously creamy, decadent, and full of flavor- all ready in one pot, and done in a matter of minutes.
The secret to this ricotta pasta sauce is pasta water. By saving 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, the starches will combine with the ricotta and lemon, making for a super-creamy sauce in no time.
And the best part? You can customize this pasta any way you want! Swap out the chicken for an easy vegetarian dish, add in fresh peas or wilted spinach, or serve it with leftover steak. The sky's the limit for this pasta with ricotta cheese!
Pasta with Ricotta Cheese Ingredients
- Chicken breasts - you can also use any leftover pan fried chicken or grilled chicken breast
- Spaghetti - or use your favorite pasta
- Ricotta cheese - I used whole milk ricotta
- Parmesan cheese
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Salt and pepper
Instructions for Ricotta and Lemon Pasta
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. While it's preheating, slice the chicken in half and marinate in lemon juice for no longer than 10 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can skip steps 1 and 2 if you want to make this dish without chicken.
- Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, then cut into strips and set aside.
- While the chicken is baking, prepare the pasta according to package instructions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water.
- In a separate large skillet or in the same pan as the pasta, combine the reserved pasta water, lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta, Parmesan, and salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese is melted and the pasta is well coated.
- Serve topped with sliced chicken and additional lemon zest, and enjoy!
Ricotta Cheese Pasta Tips
- Mixing all the sauce ingredients in the same pan as the pasta saves on dishes, but cooking it in a separate pot makes for a smoother sauce.
- I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled. The flavor difference is remarkable.
- You can use any noodles you like for this recipe! I like linguini, spaghetti, radiatore, and spirals, as they hold sauce well. You could also use penne or farfalle.
- Cook the pasta to al dente for best results.
- Make sure to save 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta. This is an important element of the sauce and it does make a difference!
- Make sure to cut the chicken breasts into two thin halves- this will ensure even cooking!
- Don't over-marinate the meat! Lemon juice is highly acidic and can start breaking down chicken, making it mushy.
Pasta with Ricotta Cheese Add-ins
- Spinach: Wilt fresh spinach or add in thawed frozen spinach after the sauce is mixed into the pasta for delicious pasta with ricotta and spinach!
- Arugula: Like spinach, arugula is a great choice of greens for lemon ricotta sauce. Kale works well, as well!
- Mushrooms: Give some fresh or canned mushrooms a quick saute and add them into the pot with the cooked spaghetti for an earthy spin on this dish. I love this dish with my garlic butter mushrooms.
- Peas: Peas are a classic with creamy pasta dishes, and it's for good reason! Toss in steamed green peas for a deliciously veggie-filled meal!
- Red pepper flakes: If you like a little heat, try adding some red pepper flakes for spice.
- Salmon: Steamed, smoked, or sous vide salmon makes for an incredible and luxurious substitute for chicken.
- Leftover steak: Swap the chicken out for leftover steak as the protein! The tender, earthy beef will be even better coated in creamy ricotta cheese. It's amazing with thinly sliced ribeye steak.
Gluten-Free Instructions
You can easily make this recipe using gluten-free pasta. Simply cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions and follow instructions as normal. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water to add to the ricotta mixture.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove. You may want to add additional liquid such as cream when reheating, to keep it creamy.
Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe FAQ
Because it's already a soft and creamy cheese, ricotta doesn't necessarily melt so much as thin out and coat pasta. This makes it especially good for sauces, as even when it cools it won't harden and retains its creamy, soft texture!
Ricotta is mild and just a little sweet, so it's perfect to combine with sweet and sour flavors. In pasta, it's especially delicious combined with citruisy flavors like lemon. You can also pair it with savory herbs, salty flavors.
Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Secret Ingredient Creamy Alfredo Sauce
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Steak
- Skillet Lasagna
- Sausage and Pepper Baked Ziti
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon
Equipment
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
- 1 Chicken breast
- ½ lb Spaghetti - or favorite pasta
- 1 cup Pasta water - reserved
- 1½ cups Ricotta cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons Lemon zest
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. While it's preheating, slice the chicken in half and marinate in 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice for no longer than 10 minutes, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.1 Chicken breast,3 Tablespoons Lemon juice,Salt and pepper
- Arrange chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15 minutes. Cut into strips after baking, and set aside.
- While the chicken is baking, prepare the pasta to package instructions. Make sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.½ lb Spaghetti
- In a separate pan or in the same pan as the pasta (see notes), combine the pasta water, lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta, Parmesan, and salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese is melted and the pasta is well coated.1 cup Pasta water,1½ cups Ricotta cheese,½ cup Parmesan,1½ teaspoons Lemon zest,3 Tablespoons Lemon juice
- Serve, topped with sliced chicken and additional lemon zest, and enjoy!
Notes
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- Mixing all the sauce ingredients in the same pan as the pasta saves on dishes, but cooking it in a separate pot makes for a smoother sauce.
-
- I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice instead of bottled. The flavor difference is remarkable.
-
- You can use any pasta you like for this recipe! I like linguini, spaghetti, radiatore, and spirals, as they catch sauce well.
-
- Make sure to cut the chicken breasts into two thin halves- this will ensure even cooking!
-
- Don't over-marinate the meat! Lemon juice is highly acidic and can start breaking down chicken, making it mushy.
- If you want to make this recipe for 4 people, double the ingredients.
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