Description
A creamy and quick pasta dish made with ricotta cheese, fresh lemon, and garlic, perfect for busy weeknights or casual dinner parties.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)
- Salted water for boiling
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: crushed red pepper flakes, fresh basil, baby spinach
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, and juice to the skillet, stirring to form a creamy sauce.
- Gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve desired sauce consistency.
- Season with salt, pepper, and optionally crushed red pepper flakes.
- Toss the drained pasta into the sauce, mixing until fully coated.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil or extra Parmesan.
Notes
For a lighter version, use low-fat ricotta. Pair with a green salad or garlic bread for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 30mg