EASY LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH
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I love this zesty lemon ricotta pasta with spinach, it makes a delish weeknight meal ready in less than 15 minutes. Simple, fresh ingredients, delicious flavor, and minimal effort.
This no-cook sauce is one of my go-to recipes from when I was at uni and can be made in no time. Mix creamy ricotta, parmesan cheese, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and refreshing lemon. Your pasta sauce is ready.
Easy peasy, economical, perfect for your carb cravings and so good.

If you’re a big fan of lemons like me, you’ll love how their juice and zest transform a simple dish into something that tastes pure sunshine. And what about the creamy ricotta? I love it,Β especially when I used to buy fresh ricotta from the cheese counter in Italy (ahhh distant memories!)
To make this easy pasta dish healthier and more filling, donβt forget to add your greens. You could swap spinach for other delicious vegetables, or even protein like grilled chicken or salmon. Β The sky is the limit!
Watch how to make it
What ingredients you need
- Pasta
- Ricotta
- Parmesan cheese
- Baby spinach
- Lemon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Combine ricotta, parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper
- Mix well, taste and make sure youβre happy with the seasoning
- Meanwhile, cook yourΒ pasta until al dente
- Reserve some pasta cooking water
- Add spinach to the pot and cook for 1 minute
- Drain pasta and spinach and return to the pot
- Add the ricotta sauce, the cooking water, and stir well
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, Β freshly grated ParmesanΒ cheese, and lemon wedges (optional)
- Enjoy… Buon appetito!Β
Recipe notes & tips
If you fancy fresh and creamy spaghetti ready in no time, inexpensive, andΒ kids approved, this recipe is for you!
Plus, if you go for whole grainΒ pasta youβll get more natural fiber and micronutrients than white pasta. Whole-grain is the healthier option also when it comes to a bowl of spaghetti, and makes you feel fuller longer which is a great bonus. We loveΒ it and we consume it nearly on a regular basis.
HOW TO ADD SPINACH TO PASTA?
Blanched (quickly boiled) spinach works fine in this recipe, and cooking spinach and pasta all in one pot saves time and washing up. Β However, make sure not to overcook it, which will result in the loss of nutrients, flavor, and green color.
Recipe updated: originally posted in July 2019, Iβve tweaked the post adding more notes and new pictures.
SUBSTITUTIONS
What about adding a twist? This terrific recipe is so versatile, feel free to add more vegetables or even protein of your choice. Here are a few variations that taste deliciousΒ along with the lemon and ricotta combo.
Add them toΒ the pot when you stir in the ricotta mixture.Β
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- Sauteed or grilled vegetables: asparagus, peas, zucchini, artichokes
- Arugula, basil, chives
- Cherry tomatoes or chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Grilled chicken
- Grilled or smoked salmon
MORE EASY PASTA DISHES READY IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS?
- Cream cheese pasta
- Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil
- Garlic mushroom spaghetti
- Marinara sauce with spaghetti
- Walnut sauce pasta
If you make this vibrant lemon ricotta pasta with spinach, leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram.
I would love to hear from you!
Lemon ricotta pasta & spinach
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (8oz/220 grams) pasta (spaghetti, linguine, penne, fusilli...)
- 1 cup (9oz/250 grams) whole-milk ricotta
- 8 oz (230 grams) fresh baby spinach, washed
- 1/3 cup (35 grams) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
- 3 lemon wedges, to serve (optional)
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, grated or pressed
- salt and 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 1/4 tsp 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 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then and 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, you want 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 (for extra freshly squeezed juice, but I leave it optional). Plus, I love adding a good pinch of red pepper flakes, you might give it a go. Enjoy!
made this minus the spinach and smoked broccoli and a ham instead. doubled the amounts for 3 ppl and a couple lunches for next day. wow it was amazing with some added red pepper flakes and sautΓ©ed the garlic before adding sauce, ham, and broccoli back.
Wonderful, Jeff! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and suggesting new add-ins! : )
I used sautΓ©ed summer vegetables like onion, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and fresh parsley. I also grilled chicken to serve on top. This is soooo good. Great for the warmer months when you’re craving pasta.
That’s great to hear! Thanks, Christy! : )
am trying this today
Great!
Sometimes when I juice lemons I donβt get very much juice and other times I get loads! Any idea of approximately how much lemon juice you use in this recipe?
Hi Sarah! I would say it’s about 2 tablespoons, but you can adjust the lemon flavor to your taste if you wish, using less or more lemon juice. x
I use a lemon juicer, but I find there is so much juice left in them still. I put a tsp inside and roll the half lemon around the spoon (which keeps lemon juice from squirting in your eye). Whatever pulp just goes in w/my juice. Then I suck whatever else I can out of the lemon – I Luv lemons! Serious, you can get a lot more juice out of the lemon w/this method. Also, if the lemon is firm, roll the lemon pressing down w/your palm on the counter to free up the juices.
Thanks for sharing, Dale!
AMAZING!! Easy and delicious. Made it just the way the recipe read. Served with simple arugula salad, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, shaved parm and lots of black pepper, and of course a great glass of wine!! Thank you for a simple, and delicious dinner recipe!!
You’re very welcome, Caren! I’m so glad you loved it. : )
I sautΓ©ed cut asparagus & shrimp which I tossed with the pasta once it was coated. I used Jovial pasta (gluten-free) which held up nicely! I topped it all with red pepper flakes. My husband loved it, it was absolutely delicious.
What a lovely feedback, I’m so pleased it turned out so delicious.
Thanks for sharing, Valerie. : )
Made this tonight and loved it. So quick and easy! I cooked some shrimp in a little butter, olive oil and garlic and added it to the dish. It was yummy!
Wow, I’m sure it turned out yummy! : )
Thanks so much for sharing, Karen. x
definitely another one for the books to make again!!! thanks for sharing!
Wonderful, Jeana! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. : )
Delicious!
Great! Thanks for sharing. x
I don’t know what i did wrong, I followed the recipe, but the sauce seemed curdled. Too much lemon juice? I used fusilli pasta, maybe linguine noodles instead next time?
The pasta shape doesn’t affect the texture of the sauce.
Maybe the ricotta cheese was a bit grainy? I suggest following the recipe and using good-quality ricotta. x
Made your dish tonight and it was absolutely delicious. I added some prawns which worked so well with the lemon flavour. Definitely a favourite.
Fantastic! I’m very pleased it turned out delicious.
Thanks for sharing, Jen. x
This was the perfect dinner fory husband and I. There even were some leftovers for his lunch . it was Fantastic, it had just the right amount of lemon flavor. This is in my keep file!
I’m so pleased to hear your feedback, Lisa. Thanks so much for sharing! : )
Delicious. I doubled the recipe and put half of it in the freezer for a quick meal.
Thanks for the great feedback, Barbara. x
Omg! Iβve been searching for a lemon sauce for pasta for years – yours is so easy and soooo good! Absolutely love it
That’s awesome, Sherry! Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it. : )
This came out great! Canβt wait to add in my chicken and pair it with a salad. Very tasty! As long as your sauce tastes good and you add the water as needed the consistency is creamy. Ty
That’s awesome, Karla! I’m glad it turned out great, thanks for sharing. x
I followed the instructions exactly and this pasta dish was delicious! my kids loved it too!
That’s great to hear, thanks for sharing, Nina! : )