Pea & Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable Version)

Creamy ricotta and zesty lemon coat rigatoni with sweet green peas in this light Italian-inspired pasta ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 ounces rigatoni

→ Ricotta & Lemon Mixture

02 - 9 ounces ricotta cheese
03 - 1 lemon, zested
04 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
05 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
07 - 1.5 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Vegetables

09 - 7 ounces frozen or fresh green peas

→ Garnish

10 - Extra grated Parmesan, to serve
11 - Fresh basil or mint leaves (optional)
12 - Lemon zest (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, blanch the peas in the boiling water for 2–3 minutes (add during the last 2–3 minutes of the pasta's cooking time if using frozen peas). Drain with the pasta.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, grated garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy. If needed, add a splash of pasta water to loosen the mixture.
04 - Add hot, drained pasta and peas directly to the bowl with the ricotta mixture. Toss well, adding a little reserved pasta water as needed until the pasta is evenly coated in a silky sauce.
05 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan, fresh herbs, and more lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ricotta sauce comes together in minutes while the pasta cooks, making it perfect for busy weeknights
  • Fresh lemon and sweet peas create that bright spring flavor everyone craves
  • This pasta tastes luxurious but uses simple ingredients you probably already have
02 -
  • Reserving that pasta water is non-negotiable; the starch transforms the ricotta from a grainy mixture into velvet
  • The sauce thickens quickly as it cools, so add more pasta water right before serving if needed
03 -
  • Room temperature ricotta blends much more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge
  • A splash of the starchy pasta water is the secret weapon that turns grainy ricotta into restaurant-quality sauce
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