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If you're looking for a quick and easy pasta recipe that's packed with flavor, look no further than this One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon! The beauty of this recipe is that you can cook everything in just one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy your meal. The creamy ricotta cheese and zesty, bright lemon flavors perfectly complement the pasta, making this dish a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
If you love easy dinner recipes made with pasta, check out my Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole or my Instant Pot Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta, or my Swedish Meatball Bake. All are so simple and incredibly delicious!
This One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon recipe is so incredibly easy to make and requires minimal cleanup, making it a perfect meal for any night of the week.
Whether you're a pasta lover or just looking for a quick and tasty dinner option, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite in your household.
🥘 INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS ONE POT PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND LEMON
Here's what you'll need:
- chicken broth - box broth or reconstituted from a chicken base is preferred
- salt - any salt will work fine.
- linguine pasta - I usually use linguine in this recipe, but this is also a great time to use up any extra pasta in your pantry.
- whole milk ricotta cheese - do not use low fat in this recipe. You want the creaminess of the whole milk ricotta to help coat the cooked pasta.
- lemon zest - fresh from the lemon you will get the juice from. Remember to zest the lemon BEFORE juicing. I've made that mistake plenty of times.
- fresh lemon juice - fresh is best here, and anyway if you use the bottled juice, you won't be able to have the lemon zest - which is packed with flavor
- fresh basil
- capers - don't leave these out. They are tiny little bursts of briny, delicious flavor! Here is some info on capers if these are new to you. They are one of my most favorite ingredients in a recipe.
- fresh black pepper - this always has tons more flavor than pepper in a spice shaker.
- fresh parmesan cheese - I like to grate this myself from a block of cheese
🍽 EQUIPMENT NEEDED
kitchen tongs - I use these to stir the pasta
🔪 STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Add salt to the chicken broth, then heat chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat and add linguine pasta. I like to break the pasta in half, but it's not necessary.
While pasta cooks, stir occasionally to ensure the pasta does not stick together or to the pan. Some people like to add olive oil to prevent sticking, but I don't see that great of a benefit and prefer not to add extra oil and fat.
Cook pasta for the time indicated in the package instructions. When pasta is cooked and tender, lower to medium heat to medium-low heat. Stir in sauce ingredients - ricotta cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, capers and black pepper.
Stir all ingredients and cook sauce and pasta until liquid and ricotta mixture has reduced.
Add fresh grated parmesan cheese and stir until combined. Taste to see if any additional salt and pepper are needed. Top with fresh basil and additional parmesan cheese. If you want to add a spicy kick, top with red pepper flakes.
🧆WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH THIS ONE POT PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND LEMON?
My Cheesy Ranch Garlic Bread would pair with this pasta perfectly. Another great option would be a crusty Italian bread topped with my Easy Roasted Garlic Spread.
A great veggie to serve with this would be my Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze or my Easy Roasted Green Beans.
🥣STORAGE AND REHEATING
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a microwave for 2-3 minutes or in a pot on the stove over medium to medium-low heat until warm. If pasta is a little dry, try adding a splash of milk or heavy cream, or even an extra dollop of whole-milk ricotta which will help bring back the creaminess of the lemon ricotta sauce.
The pasta should be good in the refrigerator for about two to three days.
❓FAQs
A popular substitute for ricotta cheese is cottage cheese. It won't make the sauce as creamy, as it does have a different texture due to the curds. One way around that would be to run the cottage cheese through a blender or food processor to smooth out the curds.
Yes, however, use the dried basil sparingly as it is much stronger in dried form than fresh.
📋 Recipe
One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon
Ingredients
- 2½ cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces linguine
- 6 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil julienned
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese fresh grated, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- Heat chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add salt. Break linguine in half and add to boiling broth. Stir until all is covered by the liquid.
- Stir pasta occasionally to ensure it is not sticking together, nor to the pot.
- Cook until linguine is tender, approximately 9 minutes, and chicken broth has reduced. Remove from heat.
- Stir in ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh basil, capers, fresh black pepper and Parmesan cheese. Stir until all is combined. Taste to see if any additional salt or black pepper is needed.
- Garnish with additional fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
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