Pea & Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable)

Creamy ricotta with zesty lemon and sweet peas coat al dente rigatoni in this fresh Italian pasta dish ready in 25 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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)

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, blanch peas in the boiling water for 2–3 minutes during the last 2–3 minutes of pasta cooking time if using frozen peas. Drain together with pasta.
03 - Combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, grated garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and creamy. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen if necessary.
04 - Add hot, drained pasta and peas directly to the bowl with ricotta mixture. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water as needed until pasta is evenly coated in a silky sauce.
05 - Plate immediately, topping with extra Parmesan, fresh herbs, and additional lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ricotta creates this incredible velvety coating that clings to every tube of pasta without any heavy cream
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like something from a proper Italian restaurant
  • Frozen peas work perfectly here, so you can make this year round whenever that fresh spring craving hits
02 -
  • The pasta water is absolutely essential here because it creates an emulsion that transforms the ricotta into a proper sauce
  • Room temperature ricotta mixes much more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge
  • This dish waits for no one because the sauce tightens up as it cools, so have everyone at the table before tossing
03 -
  • Use a microplane or fine grater for both the lemon zest and garlic to incorporate them seamlessly
  • If your ricotta seems grainy, press it through a fine mesh sieve before mixing for the smoothest texture
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