Lemon Ricotta Pasta With Arugula (Printable)

Tangy lemon and creamy ricotta coat tender pasta, complemented by peppery fresh arugula in this quick Italian-inspired dish.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz dried spaghetti or linguine
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Ricotta Lemon Sauce

03 - 1 cup ricotta cheese, whole milk preferred
04 - 1 lemon, zested and juiced
05 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
06 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
08 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

→ Greens & Finish

10 - 3 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
11 - Additional Parmesan for serving
12 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, minced garlic, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
03 - Return drained pasta to the pot. Add ricotta lemon sauce and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss until evenly coated, adding more pasta water as needed for a silky consistency.
04 - Gently fold in arugula, allowing residual heat to wilt the leaves slightly.
05 - Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 25 minutes but tastes like something from a nice Italian restaurant
  • The sauce uses no cream but feels incredibly luxurious thanks to the ricotta and pasta water technique
  • You can customize the greens and heat level to match whatever you have on hand
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, it's essential for transforming the ricotta into a silky sauce that actually clings to the pasta
  • The sauce will look thick at first but keeps loosening as you toss, so add pasta water gradually
  • Add the arugula at the very end so it keeps some of its fresh bite and doesn't cook down completely
03 -
  • Room temperature ricotta blends more smoothly into the sauce, so take it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start cooking
  • Save a bit of the pasta water on the side when serving, as the sauce tends to thicken up as it sits

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