Easy Creamy No-Boil Lemon Ricotta Pasta
A quick and comforting one-pot pasta dish featuring a creamy ricotta and fresh lemon sauce, made without boiling the pasta separately. Perfect for busy weeknights, this recipe delivers bright, creamy flavor in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- A small handful fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Gather and prep your ingredients: mince garlic, zest and juice the lemon, and grate the Parmesan.
- Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add uncooked pasta and vegetable broth to the skillet. Stir so pasta is mostly submerged and evenly spread out.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking, until pasta is tender and most broth is absorbed.
- Taste pasta to ensure it is al dente; add a splash more broth or water and cook longer if needed.
- Remove skillet from heat and gently fold in ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice until creamy and well combined.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
Stir pasta gently every 5 minutes to prevent sticking and breaking. Use whole-milk ricotta for best creaminess; drain if watery. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta water or broth to loosen. Fresh lemon zest is essential for bright flavor. For variations, add spinach or kale in last 3 minutes, or swap ricotta for plant-based alternatives for dairy-free version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: no-boil pasta, lemon ricotta pasta, creamy pasta, quick dinner, one-pot pasta, easy pasta recipe, weeknight dinner