• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Appetizers
  • Pasta
  • Soups
  • Salads
  • Vegan
  • Oven baked
  • Sweets
  • Recipe collections
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    The clever meal
    • Home
    • Recipe Index
      • Appetizers
      • Pasta & Grains
      • Soups
      • Salads
      • Vegan
      • Oven-baked
      • Sweets
      • Collections
    • About

    FOR FREE WEEKLY RECIPES!

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    EASY LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH

    Apr 23, 2020 by Katia · 360 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

    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.

    Creamy lemon ricotta pasta with spinach on a white plate.
    Jump to recipe

    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, 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, don’t forget to add your greens. You could swap spinach for other delicious vegetables, or even protein like grilled chicken or salmon.  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

    The ingredients for this lemon ricotta pasta are arranged on a white marble table.

    • Combine ricotta, parmesan, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper
    • Mix well, taste and make sure you’re happy with the seasoning
    • Meanwhile, cook your pasta until al dente

    Ricotta, lemon zest, olive oil and parmesan are mixed with a spoon on a glass bowl.

    • 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,  freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon wedges (optional)
    • Enjoy… Buon appetito! 

    Lemon ricotta pasta with spinach and lemon wedges on a white background.

    Recipe notes & tips

    If you fancy fresh and creamy spaghetti ready in no time, inexpensive, and kids approved, this recipe is for you!

    Plus, if you go for whole grain pasta you’ll 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 love 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.  However, make sure not to overcook it, which will result in the loss of nutrients, flavor, and green color.

    A fork is lifting some creamy lemon ricotta pasta noodles.Recipe updated: originally posted in July 2019, I’ve 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 delicious along with the lemon and ricotta combo.
    Add them to the pot when you stir in the ricotta mixture. 

    • 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!

    Creamy lemon ricotta pasta with spinach on a white plate.
    Print Recipe
    4.88 from 124 votes

    Lemon ricotta pasta & spinach

    This light and zesty lemon ricotta pasta with spinach makes a delish weeknight meal ready in less than 15 minutes. Simple, fresh ingredients, delicious flavor, and minimal effort.
    Prep Time13 mins
    Course: pasta
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Lemon ricotta pasta
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 538kcal
    Author: Katia

    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!

    Video

    Notes

    Cooking water: add pasta water gradually, you might not need all of it. You don't want to water down the flavor, but only make spaghetti nice and moist. If you think the reserved water is not enough, you might add a few Tbsps of milk.
    Pasta: you can use any short, large or long pasta shapes that work well to capture the creamy ricotta. I love spaghetti, but penne, fusilli, conchiglie work fine. Mini pasta shapes like orzo or even elbow macaroni don’t work well in the recipe.
    NOTE: Nutritional values are estimates only.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 7661IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 403mg | Iron: 4mg
    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. #pastarecipes #spaghetti #easyrecipes #quickmeals
    « THE BEST PASTA WITH LENTILS
    Pasta Salad with Lemon »

    JOIN MY NEWSLETTER FOR FREE WEEKLY RECIPES!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Keily

      July 19, 2022 at 2:18 am

      Making it tonight but does it reheat ok? Lots of shift workers eating at different times

      Reply
      • Katia

        July 19, 2022 at 5:46 am

        Hi Kelly! A quick reheat in the microwave or in a pan is fine. x

    2. Donna Cohen

      June 18, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe Katia!! Great instructions and suggestions!

      Reply
      • Katia

        June 18, 2022 at 7:11 pm

        I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Donna!
        Thanks for your lovely feedback, and have a great weekend. x

    3. Lynette

      June 02, 2022 at 1:07 pm

      I’m wondering if I could use a low fat Ricotta in this recipe?

      Reply
      • Katia

        June 02, 2022 at 6:46 pm

        Hey Linette! I prefer full fat ricotta, but low fat works too! : )

    4. Kathleen Godwin

      May 19, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      I had ricotta and spinach I needed to use and found this recipe. We loved it! I did add a sliced up zucchini and some large shrimp. I like recipes like this as you can use them as a base to add your personal touches. Am adding this to my favorite pasta recipe list.

      Reply
      • Katia

        May 19, 2022 at 7:57 pm

        You’ve made my day, Kathleen! : ) I’m so happy to hear you guys loved this pasta, thanks so much for sharing your feedback.
        Cheers x

    5. Kimberly Moore

      April 29, 2022 at 12:32 am

      5 stars
      This was a hit at my house. I messed up and drained the pasta without saving any but I used chicken stock instead and it came out great. I really liked how the sauce was cheesy but not really heavy. Thanks for posting the recipe!

      Reply
      • Katia

        April 29, 2022 at 7:01 am

        You’re so welcome, Kimberly!
        I’m so happy to hear it was a hit : )
        Have a great weekend. x

      • Cheryl

        May 09, 2022 at 4:29 pm

        Can I make the sauce a day ahead?

      • Katia

        May 10, 2022 at 6:29 am

        Hey! Yes, you can, but the garlic flavor might be too pungent, so I would add the garlic when it’s time to cook the pasta, not one day before. Cheers x

      • Cynthia

        July 18, 2022 at 9:43 pm

        5 stars
        Delicious! It was easy, light, flavorful, and pretty. I garnished with a little diced fresh tomato.

      • Katia

        July 19, 2022 at 5:47 am

        That sounds great, Cynthia! Thanks so much for your feedback. : )
        Best x

    6. Kathryn

      April 28, 2022 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      Bought Ricotta cheese when I saw your recipe, couldn’t get spinach so used green beans.
      Excellent.
      Tomorrow- smoked salmon maybe
      Thank you for inspiration

      Reply
      • Katia

        April 29, 2022 at 7:02 am

        That sounds delicious! : )
        Thanks again for your feedback. x

    7. Linda

      April 15, 2022 at 1:17 pm

      Don’t have ricotta I’m going to try cream cheese hope it works!

      Reply
      • Katia

        April 16, 2022 at 8:02 pm

        Good luck Linda, hope it turns out nice! : )

      • Leslie Berg

        May 25, 2022 at 6:25 pm

        Make ricotta! I just started doing it and I e made it 3 times already lol. It’s so easy and way better than store bought . Quick and super easy to do. Milk and lemon juice. That’s it. And heat 🙂

      • Katia

        May 25, 2022 at 9:24 pm

        Brilliant, Leslie! I used to make homemade ricotta too, glad you made your fresh delicious ricotta (for this recipe, I guess : ).
        Cheers x

      • Jackie McAllister

        July 10, 2022 at 3:08 pm

        5 stars
        Delicious and easy meal. I love the combination of lemon and ricotta cheese. Will definitely make it again.

      • Katia

        July 10, 2022 at 7:10 pm

        I’m so glad to hear you loved it! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Jackie! x

    8. Stephanie Zuniga

      April 03, 2022 at 1:24 am

      5 stars
      Perfect for Meatless Monday or a frugal meal. It’s practically gourmet w a nice glass of white wine.

      Reply
      • Katia

        April 03, 2022 at 7:10 am

        Thanks so much Stephanie! : ) I’m so glad you loved this recipe.
        Have a great weekend. x

    9. Janet

      March 30, 2022 at 10:29 pm

      5 stars
      Delish!!! Made the recipe exactly as written and loved it. Quick, easy and absolutely yummy. Thanks for sharing this!

      Reply
      • Katia

        March 31, 2022 at 8:16 am

        Thank you for trying one of my recipes, Janet! I’m so happy you loved it : )

    10. Patricia

      March 14, 2022 at 3:30 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for my 90 year old Italian mother. She loves ricotta as it reminds her of her childhood eating it fresh. So I made some fresh ricotta for her to use in the recipe. Fresh ricotta is like eating ice cream! It’s delicious and easy to make. Just a little time consuming. Anyway, she loved it! Thank you for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Katia

        March 14, 2022 at 5:28 pm

        You’re so welcome… and I’m so pleased to hear your 90 year old mother loved it!
        Thanks for your lovely feedback. x

    11. Jamie

      March 04, 2022 at 12:15 am

      5 stars
      Loved how fast and easy this was! Never knew ricotta and Parmesan could be so creamy. A great way to use leftover cheese from lasagna. I tried a bit of garlic in butter as well, and added it to the sauce. I also added chicken, topped it with cut cherry tomatoes, and sprinkled a bit of red pepper flakes and cracked black pepper. This recipe was good 🙂 thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Katia

        March 06, 2022 at 7:55 am

        Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Jamie! I’m very happy to hear that : )

      • Ronnie

        March 09, 2022 at 12:10 am

        5 stars
        Made it first time today, it’s excellent.
        I did add some fresh basil and a good lump of butter and used multi color fuselli – we loved it.

      • Katia

        March 09, 2022 at 7:21 am

        Brilliant! I’m very happy to hear you loved it : )
        Many thanks for sharing your feedback, Ronnie. x

      • Laura

        April 27, 2022 at 3:35 am

        5 stars
        I’ve made this recipe a few times and I absolutely love it but for some reason I feel like the sauce is not the right consistency. My Ricotta is still more mealy for lack of a better word and not creamy at all. Any helpful tips?

      • Katia

        April 27, 2022 at 4:42 pm

        Thanks for your comment, Laura… I’m so pleased you loved it!
        If the texture of your ricotta looks grainy (it depends on the brand, but sadly that happens pretty often) you can blend it in a food processor or whisk it by hand using a touch of milk.
        That hat should help a little bit. Cheers : )

    12. Joan

      March 01, 2022 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      I have never made a sauce with lemon before. Made it exactly as recipe is written and was blown away by the flavor! Absolutely delicious and so easy!!
      I live alone, so I wondered if this would freeze well? Either way, it’s a keeper!

      Reply
      • Katia

        March 01, 2022 at 7:58 am

        Hi Joan, I’m so pleased to hear you loved the recipe, thanks so much for your feedback!
        This pasta sauce doesn’t freeze well, but if you need to use up ricotta leftovers, on the website I have several recipes that use ricotta.
        Have a great day x

    13. Cheryl Young

      February 17, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      this recipe is delish!! we made it a second time with asparagus. so easy yet rich and satisfying.

      Reply
      • Katia

        February 17, 2022 at 9:46 pm

        Thank you so much for your comment, Cheryl! I love asparagus, and I’m so glad it turned out delicious. : )
        Cheers x

    14. Marcia

      February 07, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      Sounds good, but I’m allergic to lemon. I’ve never done anything with it so I’m not sure about consistency. Do you think white wine would be a good substitute?

      Reply
      • Katia

        February 07, 2022 at 8:48 pm

        Hi Marcia, a touch of white wine might work, but I’ve never tried it in this recipe therefore I’m not entirely sure.
        Alternatively, just skip the lemon, I think that a ricotta sauce with parmesan, garlic (and maybe a little of grated nutmeg if you like) will work with your pasta with spinach.
        Have a nice week. x

    15. Nikki

      February 01, 2022 at 12:21 am

      4 stars
      Made this tonight- exactly as you have it described. It was bright, fresh, comforting, and just tasted wonderful! My family loved it. I’ll be sure to make this again and maybe add chicken, as you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

      Reply
      • Katia

        February 01, 2022 at 7:34 am

        You’re very welcome, Nikki! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback, so glad the whole family loved it.
        Cheers x

    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I’m Katia! Welcome to my blog where I share easy, delicious, and budget-friendly recipes. I love cooking mainly vegetarian meals in no time at all. Minimum effort, maximum result. Read more…

    Keep in touch

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    JOIN MY NEWSLETTER FOR FREE WEEKLY RECIPES!

    search

    Trending now

    Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil on a grey plate.

    SPAGHETTI WITH GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL

    Five bowls of colorful weight loss soups over a white marble background.

    15+ HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS SOUPS (UNDER 200 CALORIES)

    Delicious cream cheese pasta served on a blue bowl with a fork.

    10-MINUTE CREAM CHEESE PASTA

    A top view of a white bowl full of white bean soup over a wooden background.

    THE BEST WHITE BEAN SOUP

    Four images showing four different healthy cakes.

    20 WHOLESOME & HEALTHY CAKE RECIPES

    Assortment of vegan appetizers on a black round tray.

    50 DELICIOUS AND EASY VEGAN APPETIZERS

    A knife cutting a healthy yogurt cake into slices over a white background.

    YOGURT CAKE (one-bowl)

    BROWSE RECIPES

    PASTA & GRAIN RECIPES

    SOUP RECIPES

    SALAD RECIPES

    VEGAN RECIPES

    OVEN-BAKED RECIPES

    SWEET RECIPES

    MEAL PREP RECIPES

    Copyright © 2018–2023 The clever Meal · All Right Reserved
    PRIVACY POLICY · FAQ · CONTACT ME