Description
Make this bright and creamy pasta dish using fresh lemon, ricotta cheese, and spinach. It is a quick meal perfect for any weeknight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup pasta water, reserved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce base. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Add the fresh spinach to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts completely, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the spinach and garlic. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together quickly until the sauce coats the pasta evenly and becomes creamy. Add more pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, if the sauce seems too thick.
- Stir in the toasted pine nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
- Serve immediately topped with extra Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, whisk the ricotta, lemon juice, and zest with a few tablespoons of cold water before adding it to the warm pasta.
- Add cooked shrimp or shredded rotisserie chicken during the final mixing step for added protein.
- Substitute kale or arugula for spinach if desired, cooking them slightly longer to soften.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 22
- Cholesterol: 45