This Pesto Ricotta Pasta combines creamy ricotta cheese, salty pesto, grated parmesan cheese, and a splash of fresh lemon juice into a smooth and creamy pasta sauce that coats every delicious bite. It's my go-to recipe for busy weeknights when I need dinner fast with incredible flavor. This easy pasta recipe brings Italian comfort food to your table without breaking a sweat!
Ricotta Pesto Pasta is my new favorite pasta recipe. This dish came to my rescue on a hectic Tuesday night when I needed something quick, comforting, and downright delicious—I toss creamy ricotta, tangy pesto, and a splash of fresh lemon into a smooth sauce that hugs every tasty bite.
I use store-bought pesto sauce when I'm' in a hurry and homemade pesto during the summer, making it a breeze to whip up this lifesaver no matter the season!
With a handful of pantry staples, including tangy ricotta cheese, fresh pesto, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese, this creamy, flavor-packed pesto pasta will be on the table in under 15 minutes. This creamy pasta dish is guaranteed to please picky eaters or set you up for a week of incredible meals with zero stress!
Ingredients
- Dried Pasta: Farfalle, rigatoni, penne, or fusilli are my favorite pasta shapes to use in this recipe. Gluten-free pasta options like chickpea or rice pasta work too!
- Ricotta Cheese: I use full-fat whole milk ricotta cheese, which gives the pesto ricotta sauce a smooth and creamy consistency. For a lighter dish, swap with part-skim, cottage cheese for tang, or vegan ricotta for dairy-free. If you are feeling ambitious, here's a great resource with instructions and a video on how to make homemade ricotta.
- Pesto Sauce: This pesto pasta recipe works with store-bought or homemade pesto sauce. I love using this fresh basil pesto recipe in this dish. For a different variety, try kale, nut-free sunflower seed pesto, or sun-dried tomato pesto.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds a delicious salty bite to this ricotta pesto pasta recipe. I also like to use Pecorino Romano cheese for a sharper bite or nutritional yeast to make it vegan.
- Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice: Go fresh if you can! When zesting a lemon, skip the white pith under the peel. The white part has a bitter kick you don't want in your sauce.
- Reserved Pasta Water: Always reserve some of your pasta water before draining cooked pasta. It is used to thin the pasta sauce and is essential to maintaining a creamy texture as the sauce cools.
Pro Tip: If you're making homemade pesto, blitz fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese in a food processor. Double the batch and freeze extra homemade pesto sauce in large ice cube trays. Once the leftover pesto is frozen, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze it for up to three months.
How to Make Ricotta Pesto Pasta
- First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions.
- Next, combine the ricotta cheese, pesto sauce, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl while the pasta cooks.
- Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta, return it to the pot. Stir in the ricotta pesto mixture.
- If needed, thin the sauce with reserved water (¼ cup at a time), top with extra Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper, and serve hot.
Variations for Pesto Pasta with Ricotta
Make this ricotta pesto pasta your own with a few of my favorite additions.
- Add Veggies: Stir in sliced fresh cherry tomatoes, a handful of chopped baby spinach, arugula, roasted zucchini, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Make it Spicy: Mix in a teaspoon of Calabrian chili paste, red pepper flakes, or sauté crumbled spicy Italian sausage to the ricotta pesto sauce for a spicy kick.
- Add Protein: Add grilled chicken strips, flaky baked salmon, or a few seared shrimp for a complete meal that feels light.
- Add Texture: Sprinkle toasted pine nuts, crushed walnuts, or garlicky breadcrumbs over the top for a crunchy contrast.
Mix and match these ideas or share your variations in the comments—I'd love to hear how you make this recipe your own!
What to serve with Ricotta Pesto Pasta
I love serving pesto pasta with ricotta on the side with this light and delicious Italian Lemon Chicken. If I want the pesto ricotta sauce to be the star of the meal I will serve it as a main dish with a side of Burrata Caprese Salad or this delicious Italian Bean Salad.
FAQs
Absolutely! Cook the pasta and mix the sauce, but store them separately in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready, reheat the pasta with a splash of water or milk, stir in the creamy ricotta pesto sauce once warm, and combine.
Short shapes like rigatoni, penne, or fusilli are best for this recipe, as they grab that creamy ricotta sauce in all the right places. Want to switch it up? Shells or orecchiette cradle the pesto-ricotta mix like little flavor hugs.
Freeze the ricotta pesto sauce alone (ricotta, pesto, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, cook fresh pasta, and combine—freezing the pasta itself can get mushy, so I skip that.
This pesto pasta with ricotta will be your new go-to for a quick meal that doesn't skimp on flavor. Whether you're tossing it together with store-bought pesto on a frantic weeknight or savoring the freshness of homemade pesto in the summer, this recipe delivers fresh flavor in every bite.
Make it tonight and share in the comments how you liked it!
Pesto Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb short-cut dried pasta
- 1 cup full-fat ricotta
- 1 cup pesto (store bought or homemade)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- zest from one lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, combine the ricotta, pesto, parmesan cheese, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
- Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain it once it is al dente, and return it to the pot. Add the ricotta pesto and cheese mixture and stir to combine.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a ¼th cup of the reserved pasta water at a time and stir to combine until you reach your desired consistency. Garnish with more parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
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