Easy Ricotta Pesto Pasta (Homemade Pesto and Ricotta Pasta)
This creamy pesto ricotta pasta recipe combines homemade basil pesto with rich whole milk ricotta for a luxurious and simple pasta dish. Perfect for busy weeknights or elegant entertaining, this pesto and ricotta pasta features al dente rotini tossed in a silky sauce made from fresh pesto, creamy ricotta, and bright lemon. It's a restaurant-worthy pasta that's surprisingly easy to make at home.
Wanna save this recipe for later? đŦ
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 food processor for making pesto
- 1 spoon or spatula
- 1 measuring glass for collecting pasta water
Ingredients
To Make the Pesto
- 40 g pine nuts 1/3 cup, lightly toasted
- 65 g fresh basil leaves 3 cups, lightly packed
- 50 g parmesan cheese 1/3 cup, freshly grated or crumbled
- 8 g garlic 2 small cloves, peeled
- 25 g olive oil 1/4 cup, extra virgin
- to taste salt and black pepper
To Make the Pasta
- 1 pound rotini pasta
- 220 g pesto 1 cup
- 260 g ricotta whole milk, 1 cup
- 1 ounce lemon juice 2 TBSP
- 2 g lemon zest 1 tsp
- ÂŊ cup reserved pasta water for thickening sauce
- to taste salt and black pepper
Instructions
To Make Pesto
- Toast pine nuts. In a dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast pine nuts until fragrant and golden, about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Let cool.
- Process garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan. In a food processor, combine cooled pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Add basil. Add basil leaves and pulse until roughly chopped.
- Stream in oil. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until smooth and well combined.
- Season. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To Make the Pasta
- Boil pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente, about 9-10 minutes or according to packing instructions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
- Make pesto. If making homemade pesto, prepare according to instructions above. Otherwise, have store-bought pesto ready.
- Make sauce. While pasta cooks, in a large bowl combine ricotta, pesto, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix well until smooth and creamy.
- Combine pasta & sauce. Add the hot drained pasta back to the pasta pot or into a serving dish. Add the ricotta-pesto mixture. Toss well to combine.
- Add pasta water to thicken. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach desired creamy consistency.
- Season to taste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with additional lemon zest and black pepper if desired.
Notes
đŊī¸ what to serve with creamy pesto pasta
-
- crispy topping - top your pasta with crispy, crunchy Italian breadcrumbs to add a flavorful crunch, similar to Panko breading on top of baked macaroni and cheese!
-
- wash it down - pair your pasta with classic Italian cocktails like a limoncello spritz or homemade blood orangecello. Prefer a mocktail option? Serve it up with an Italian grapefruit soda or a blood orange soda for a refreshing drink!
-
- party perfect - Need to serve a crowd? Serve this pasta with many pizzas and some marinated mozzarella for a simple yet casual party spread.
âšī¸ troubleshooting tips
-
- sauce too thick â If your sauce is too thick, you can send it out using more pasta water. Add more water one to 2 ounces at a time until the sauce gets to the consistency you like.
-
- grainy ricotta - If your ricotta seems grainy or lumpy, try whisking it separately before combining with other ingredients. You can also let it come to room temperature first for smoother incorporation.
Nutrition
Calories: 618kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 21gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 518mgPotassium: 304mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1571IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 287mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this?! đLet everyone know how it was! đ
Keyword: basil pesto, pasta, weeknight meal