Get ready for a burst of freshness with our One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta! Crafted with simplicity in mind, this dish comes together in less than 15 minutes – the ultimate solution for an easy and delightful weeknight meal. Light, refreshing, and downright delicious, it’s a culinary masterpiece that proves quick can also be gourmet!

overhead image of a white bowl full of lemon ricotta pasta topped with fresh herbs and a lemon wedge

Why We Love Lemon Ricotta Pasta

If you’ve been rolling with us for a while, you’re likely familiar with our arsenal of one-pot wonders. But let me spill the pasta – this Lemon Ricotta Pasta might just be the superstar in our lineup! We’ve been whipping it up for years, and there’s no end in sight. Why? Because not only do all the ingredients join the party in one pot, but it’s also…

  • Budget-friendly.
  • Made with veggies for comfort food you can feel good about.
  • Perfect to make ahead of time. 
  • Easy to bulk up or alter to fit your needs and preferences. 

In fact, this ricotta pasta is so popular our kids request it by name! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be able to create an absolutely irresistible dish. 

  • Pasta – We like Pappardelle egg pasta best, but any noodles of similar shape such as fettuccine can be used. 
  • Herbs and Seasonings – For zest flavor, we included garlic cloves, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and mint. 
  • Broth – Both chicken and vegetable broth work. Just be sure to opt for a low-sodium version so as not to overpower the other ingredients with heaps of salt.
  • Cheese – For the most decadent texture and taste, we incorporate a combination of whole milk Ricotta and fresh Parmesan cheese. 
  • Heavy Cream – Used to thicken the sauce, heavy cream also adds a smooth, rich texture no one can resist. 
  • Olive Oil – A good source of healthy fats, olive oil helps combine all of the ingredients in the lemon sauce, making it smooth, creamy, and full of flavor
  • Veggies – We include sweet peas and arugula, but feel free to incorporate whatever you like best! It’s a great way to clean out leftovers from your fridge. 

How to Make One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Pasta recipes seriously don’t get any easier than this! 

  1. Stir uncooked pasta, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and broth together in a large pot. 
  2. Bring the ingredients to a boil
  3. Then, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot, and cook for 10-12 minutes
  4. Reduce the heat further, and stir in the ricotta, parmesan, cream, and oil. 
  5. Add the veggies and mint.
  6. Toss to combine, sprinkle your favorite garnishes on top, and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

We adore serving this Lemon Ricotta Pasta on its own, stealing the spotlight in all of its filling vegetarian deliciousness. But let’s talk versatility – it’s also the perfect co-star, ready to pair up with your favorite proteins and sides. Here are some of our top-notch combos:

Storage and Leftovers

If possible, this ricotta pasta is best served fresh. However, it’s also great for meal prep! If you plan on making this recipe ahead of time, we recommend cooking the pasta to al dente and not all the way. This helps prevent it from becoming overcooked while being reheated! 

Fridge: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days

Freezer: Store your pasta in a sealable bag or container for 2-3 months

How to Reheat: Once thawed, reheat your pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding in a little extra water or broth to loosen the sauce and freshen the noodles back up. 

overhead image of One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta in a white pot

More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love

In the mood for more pasta perfection that’ll have the whole family cheering? Look no further; we’ve got your back with these fantastic recipes that promise to be a hit: 

  • Versatile and super easy, this Greek Pasta Bake is guaranteed to brighten up your day! 
  • A quick pasta dish, add your favorite veggies and protein of choice to turn this One Pan Alfredo Pasta into a filing meal. 
  • Bring the flavors of the south to your kitchen with this tantalizing One Pot Cajun Pasta
  • This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake has all the flavors of creamy buffalo chicken you love in the convenience of a pasta dish! 

overhead image of a white bowl of lemon ricotta pasta

One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta

4.09 from 12 votes
Author: Food Dolls
Servings: 6 people
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes
Zesty and refreshing, this One Pot Lemon Pasta is stuffed full of veggies for an easy weeknight comfort food you can feel good about serving!

Ingredients  

  • 16 ounces Pappardelline egg pasta uncooked (or similar shape)
  • 1/2 fresh lemon + zest
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 teaspoons sea salt more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper more or less to taste
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 ounces steamed sweet peas
  • 4 ounces fresh baby arugula
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Instructions 

  • In an enameled pot or dutch oven add uncooked pasta, juice of half a lemon + the zest of half a lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, and broth. Stir to combine.
    16 ounces Pappardelline egg pasta, 4 garlic cloves, 1/2 fresh lemon + zest, 3 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • Bring the ingredients to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al-dente.
  • Once the pasta is cooked, reduce the heat to low. Stir in the ricotta, parmesan cheese, heavy cream, and extra virgin olive oil. It should come together and be nice and creamy.
    1/2 cup whole milk ricotta, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Add the steamed green peas, arugula, and fresh mint. Toss together until combined. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese, lemon zest and crushed red pepper, if desired.
    10 ounces steamed sweet peas, 4 ounces fresh baby arugula, 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1880mg | Potassium: 473mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1394IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this recipe?Please leave a comment!

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Meet Alia & Radwa

Welcome to Food Dolls! Weโ€™re so glad you found us. We are Alia and Radwa, sisters who want to share simple and easy recipes with you. We hope you find recipes here that you enjoy making as much as we do! Learn more about us!

4.09 from 12 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I make your lemon ricotta pasta on repeat at least once a month. Itโ€™s easy fast delicious on a meatless Monday

  2. 2 stars
    This recipe is poorly written. You need to drain the pasta. Also, the lemon zest amount isnโ€™t divided but you are told to put it in twice. I would save it to the end since you throw the broth out anyway. It will add more zip at the end. The sauce is still very thin. Overall flavor is okay but there are so many creamy pasta recipes out there, I can find another one.

    1. It isnโ€™t poorly written. You donโ€™t drain the broth, it is incorporated into the items you put in after pasta is cooked.

  3. 3 stars
    The arugula dominated the dish and made the texture odd โ€” I probably did something wrong.

  4. 3 stars
    Good flavor, but I really had to do some damage control to fix the dish before serving. It was so soupy and had too much liquid so it never became creamy. I took out over 2 cups of excess liquid at the end. Iโ€™ll make this again because the flavor was good but will follow my instincts with the measurements this time.

  5. 5 stars
    Absolutely loved it! Didn’t have heavy cream so did equal parts Greek yogurt and milk! So delish. Love the mint addition. Thank you.