One-Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable)

Creamy lemon-ricotta pasta with peas and wilted spinach, ready in 30 minutes for a quick, satisfying dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Dairy

01 - 350 g (12 oz) short pasta (penne, fusilli, or similar)
02 - 250 g (1 cup) ricotta cheese
03 - 40 g (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 120 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk

→ Vegetables

05 - 200 g (1 1/2 cups) frozen or fresh green peas
06 - 100 g (3 cups) fresh spinach, loosely packed
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

→ Pantry & Seasoning

09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - Additional lemon zest
12 - Fresh basil or parsley leaves

# Directions:

01 - In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
02 - Add the pasta, peas, and a generous pinch of salt. Pour in enough water to just cover the pasta (about 1 liter/4 cups). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just al dente and most of the water is absorbed (time according to package instructions, generally 10-12 minutes).
03 - Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted (about 2 minutes).
04 - Reduce the heat to low. Stir in ricotta, Parmesan, milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly. Season generously with black pepper and adjust salt if needed.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with more lemon zest and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon and ricotta create an irresistible creamy sauce, but you won't believe how light it tastes.
  • You get a lush, filling dinner that feels so fancy, yet you barely dirty any dishes.
02 -
  • Leaving the pasta unattended too long means you'll risk scorching the bottom; keep peeking in and give it a friendly stir.
  • Adding the ricotta off the heat keeps it creamy—I learned this after the cheese went curdly on my first attempt.
03 -
  • A little patience with stirring at the end gives you that luxurious, clingy sauce every time.
  • A bit of pasta cooking water can rescue the sauce if it gets too thick—don't toss it until you've finished mixing.
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