Pea & Lemon Ricotta Pasta (Print Version)

Vibrant spring pasta combining creamy ricotta, bright lemon, and tender peas tossed with perfectly cooked rigatoni.

# 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 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
05 - 2 tablespoons 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

# How To Make:

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 the pasta cooks, blanch the peas in the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, adding frozen peas during the last 2 to 3 minutes of pasta cooking time if using frozen. 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 pasta water to loosen the mixture if needed.
04 - Add hot, drained pasta and peas directly to the ricotta mixture. Toss well, adding reserved pasta water gradually until the pasta is evenly coated in a silky sauce.
05 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Top with extra Parmesan, fresh herbs, and additional lemon zest if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in literally minutes while the pasta cooks, no separate saucepan needed
  • Lemon and ricotta create this impossibly creamy yet light coating that actually makes you feel good after eating
  • Frozen peas work beautifully here, so you can make this year round even when fresh produce feels impossibly expensive
02 -
  • The ricotta mixture might look thick at first, but trust the process and keep adding pasta water a splash at a time until it transforms
  • Grating the garlic instead of mincing it prevents those harsh raw garlic bites and helps it meld seamlessly into the sauce
  • This pasta waits for no one. The sauce tightens up as it cools, so have everyone at the table before you toss everything together
03 -
  • Bring your ricotta to room temperature before mixing, it blends so much more smoothly into the sauce
  • The pasta water should be noticeably salty, almost like sea water, since it is the only seasoning the pasta itself gets
Go Back