Pea and Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Printable)

A light, spring-inspired pasta featuring creamy ricotta, zesty lemon, and sweet green peas. Ready in minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz rigatoni pasta

→ Ricotta & Lemon Mixture

02 - 8.8 oz ricotta cheese
03 - 1 lemon, zested
04 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
05 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
07 - 1.4 oz grated Parmesan cheese
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables

09 - 7 oz frozen or fresh green peas

→ Garnish

10 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese for serving
11 - Fresh basil or mint leaves, optional
12 - Lemon zest, optional

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 4 fl oz of pasta cooking water before draining.
02 - While pasta cooks, blanch peas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, adding during the final minutes of pasta 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. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the mixture.
04 - Add hot drained pasta and peas directly to the ricotta mixture. Toss thoroughly, adding reserved pasta water gradually until the pasta is evenly coated in silky sauce.
05 - Transfer to serving plates immediately. Top with additional Parmesan, fresh herbs, and extra lemon zest as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ricotta sauce creates an incredibly creamy texture without any heavy cream whatsoever
  • Everything comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, making it perfect for those evenings when you are starving but want something homemade
02 -
  • That reserved pasta water is absolutely essential, it is what transforms the ricotta from a clumpy mixture into a velvety sauce that clings to every piece of pasta
  • The sauce will look thin at first but keep tossing and it will thicken beautifully as the pasta starch emulsifies with the ricotta and olive oil
03 -
  • Always grate your Parmesan fresh from a block, pre-grated cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly into the sauce
  • Room temperature ricotta blends much more easily than cold from the fridge, so take it out while you bring the water to boil
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