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EASY LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH

EASY LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH

This easy lemon ricotta pasta & spinach is a light, zesty dish perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Prep Time 13 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course pasta
Cuisine Italian
Servings 3 servings
Calories 538 kcal

Equipment

  • large pot
  • medium bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz pasta spaghetti, linguine, penne, fusilli...
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta (9oz/250 grams)
  • 8 oz fresh baby spinach washed
  • cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra to serve
  • 1 unwaxed lemon lemon zest and juice
  • 3 lemon wedges to serve (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 clove garlic grated or pressed
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, make the ricotta sauce.
  • In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest and juice. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good pinch of pepper.
  • Stir until well combined, taste and make sure you're happy with the seasoning.
  • In the last minute of the pasta's cooking time, reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then add spinach to the pot. Stir well and push the leaves down to submerge them in water.
  • After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the same pot.
  • Add the ricotta sauce and part of the reserved cooking water. Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, add more cooking water as needed for a smooth and creamy texture.
  • Serve immediately and garnish with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and lemon wedges if desired.

Notes

Add pasta water gradually, you might not need all of it. You don't want to water down the flavor but make spaghetti nice and moist. Short, large or long pasta shapes work well to capture the creamy ricotta. Mini pasta shapes like orzo or elbow macaroni don’t work well in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 26gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 314mgPotassium: 743mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 7661IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 403mgIron: 4mg
Keyword EASY LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH, Lemon ricotta pasta
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