Description
A quick and creamy pasta dish featuring a no-cook sauce of ricotta, lemon, and garlic, tossed with fresh spinach and your favorite pasta shape. Perfect for a weeknight dinner that comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340g) pasta (such as fettuccine or penne)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 cup pasta water (reserved from cooking)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and well blended.
- Add the hot drained pasta to the bowl with the ricotta sauce, along with the fresh spinach. Toss everything together, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta evenly. The heat from the pasta will wilt the spinach.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste. For extra protein, add grilled chicken or shrimp. If you prefer a thinner sauce, add more pasta water or a splash of milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Method: Main
- Cuisine: Italian