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Vegetarian, Busy evenings

Lemon ricotta pasta with green salad

Lemon ricotta pasta is a creamy Italian dish for 4 people, ready in 20 minutes and very easy to make, for about €2.20 per person. The key is mixing the ricotta with hot pasta water to create a smooth, lemony sauce, with no cream and no extra cooking.

Pasta coated in a light lemony ricotta, it tastes like sunshine and it's ready in twenty minutes.

Lemon ricotta pasta with green salad
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.20
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

This is the kind of dish that turns plain pasta into something bright and lively. The ricotta turns silky when it meets hot pasta water, the lemon wakes everything up, and the parmesan adds the salty edge it needed. There's no simmering sauce to watch, no pan to babysit, just a quick mix in a bowl.

It's a weeknight recipe, the kind you make when you get home late and don't want to think too hard about dinner. Kids tend to like it because it turns mild and not sour at all once mixed, while adults enjoy the freshness during spring and summer. At Mon Chou, it's the recipe we keep in our back pocket for nights when we want something good without spending the evening on it.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Pasta (spaghetti or tagliatelle)often in the pantry 400 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Balsamic vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Ricotta 250 g
  • Grated parmesan 60 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Unwaxed lemons 2
  • Green salad 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, saving a cup of the cooking water. 11 min

    The pasta water will turn the ricotta into a sauce.

  2. Zest the lemons and juice one of them.

    Only zest the yellow part, the white pith underneath is bitter.

  3. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta with the zest, juice, half the parmesan, and plenty of pepper.

    Taste this cream on its own, it should taste strongly of lemon before it meets the pasta.

  4. Add the hot pasta and a bit of the cooking water, and stir until the sauce turns smooth. 2 min

    Pour the water in gradually, the ricotta turns silky without breaking apart.

  5. Serve with the rest of the parmesan and the salad dressed with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

    A final touch of zest over the plate scents the whole table.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use unwaxed lemons since you're zesting them, waxed lemon peel can carry residue from treatment.
  • Mix the ricotta into the pasta off the heat, direct heat from a hot pot can make it grainy.
  • If the sauce hides the lemon too much, add a bit of raw zest right before serving instead of more juice, it adds fragrance without extra sourness.

The variations

  • Swap the parmesan for pecorino for a sharper, saltier flavor.
  • Add peas or green asparagus cooked along with the pasta for a more complete spring version.
  • For picky kids, cut back on the pepper and use a splash of juice instead of a lot of zest, the flavor turns much milder.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Sparkling water with lemon
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

This dish is best eaten right away since the ricotta sauce thickens as it cools. You can keep leftovers for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce again. Freezing isn't recommended, ricotta changes texture once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different cheese instead of ricotta?

You can use drained fresh cheese like a thick cottage cheese, or a lighter mascarpone, in a similar amount. Mascarpone gives a richer result, while a lighter fresh cheese keeps things simpler.

Can you make the lemon ricotta mix ahead of time?

You can mix the ricotta with zest and lemon juice a few hours ahead and keep it chilled. Add the parmesan and hot pasta water only right before serving for the smoothest texture.

Why isn't my sauce smooth?

This usually means it needs more hot pasta water, which loosens the ricotta. Add it gradually while stirring until the sauce coats the pasta nicely.

Do kids usually like lemon ricotta pasta?

Yes, generally, since the sauce turns mild and barely tangy once mixed in. You can cut back on pepper and zest if your kids prefer milder flavors.

How long does it take to make a lemon ricotta pasta with green salad?

Count 20 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a lemon ricotta pasta with green salad?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a lemon ricotta pasta with green salad cost?

About €2.20 per serving, or €8.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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