Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Bright, Creamy, and Ready in 20 Minutes
Pasta doesn’t have to be complicated to taste like a million bucks. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta comes together fast but tastes like something off a fancy Italian menu—bright, creamy, and absolutely packed with flavor.
Why You Will Love This Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe
How many times have we wandered into the kitchen and tossed together a quick pasta dish? Olive oil, butter, a little Romano or Parmesan (or both)… and hey, it’s good. Nothing wrong with that.
This one’s just as simple—but with a twist. While the pasta cooks, you whisk together a few ingredients and end up with a creamy lemon ricotta sauce that takes your “snack pasta” to serve-it-to-friends level.
The lemon makes it bright and fresh. The ricotta makes it creamy and rich. It looks fancy, tastes incredible, and takes barely any extra effort.
Honestly, the effort-to-flavor ratio on this one is kind of absurd. Make it once and you’ll be hooked.
If you really want to go all out, pair this with our Easy No Knead Overnight Focaccia Bread and Arugula Fennel Salad. It’s low effort, high reward, and everything tastes like it was meant to be on the same table.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what goes into this dreamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta:
- Pasta (we use bucatini)
- Whole milk ricotta
- Fresh lemon (zest and juice)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Butter
- Grated Parmesan or Romano (I recommend Pecorino Romano)
- Reserved pasta water
- Salt & black pepper
- Fresh basil and red pepper flakes
note
Our version uses bucatini, but this recipe works great with any long pasta—spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine are all solid choices.
How To Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Tips
Salt your pasta water like you mean it.
It’s your one shot to season the pasta itself, so be generous. The water should taste like the sea.
Don’t skip the basil.
It adds freshness and rounds everything out. A little sprinkle on top makes it look (and taste) restaurant-level. Basil and lemon pair exceptionally well together, which is what truly makes this dish.
Control the heat with red pepper flakes.
Start light if you’re not into spice—just a pinch goes a long way. Want it to bite a little? Add more to taste.
Save more pasta water than you think you need.
It’s your secret weapon for thinning the sauce without losing flavor. Start with 1/4 cup, then add more a splash at a time.
All long pastas work.
We prefer bucatini, but this lemon ricotta sauce clings beautifully to any long pasta. If you’ve got spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine in the pantry, you’re good to go.
Variations
This dish is pretty spot on as-is, but if you’re the kind of person who likes to tweak, here are a few ideas that play nice with the lemon-ricotta base:
Add some greens:
A handful of baby spinach or arugula wilts down nicely and won’t overpower the sauce.
Toss in a little garlic:
One small grated clove can add depth without changing the vibe. Don’t overdo it—it’s lemon and ricotta’s show.
Top with grilled chicken or shrimp:
If you want to add protein, keep it simple. Clean flavors only. You’re not building a heavy Alfredo here.
FAQ’s
We prefer bucatini but spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine will work just fine. You want something long and slurpable that holds the sauce.
It helps. Cold ricotta can clump a little, so if you remember, let it sit out while the water comes to a boil. If not, no big deal—it’ll still come together.
This dish is best fresh, but leftovers reheat surprisingly well. Just save some extra pasta water and warm it up gently with a splash to loosen the sauce.
Not unless you want it to be. The red pepper flakes are totally optional—add more or less depending on your heat tolerance.
Other Delicious Pasta Recipes
Lemon Ricotta Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pasta
- 1 cup Whole milk ricotta
- 1 Fresh lemon zest and juice (1 tsp zest, 1/4 cup juice)
- 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
- 1/4 cup Reserved pasta water
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil
- Red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions.1 lb Pasta
- While the pasta cooks, whisk together the ricotta, Romano or Parmesan, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.1 cup Whole milk ricotta, 1 Fresh lemon, 1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper, Red pepper flakes
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Add the ricotta mixture, butter, and about 1/4 cup of pasta water to the pasta. Toss over low heat until the sauce is creamy and coats the noodles.2 tbsp Butter, 1/4 cup Reserved pasta water
- Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve topped with extra cheese, black pepper, and fresh basil.
What a lovely warm weather pasta! I recently tried this “style” per se, but with s’more ingredients. This seems pure simplicity at it’s finest. I can’t wait to try.
Looking forward to the pics! 🙂