Go Back
–+ servings
Square image of finished pasta overhead in pan.
Print Recipe

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Al dente rigatoni with a homemade creamy and rich lemon ricotta sauce with kale and cheese, this Lemon Ricotta Pasta is easy, tasty and super comforting.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 9
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Tornadough Alli

Ingredients

  • 1 pound rigatoni pasta
  • ¼ cup butter
  • ½ yellow onion diced (about ½ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup heavy cream + 2 tbsp
  • 1 cup milk divided
  • ⅔ cup ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 6 ounces kale chopped

Garnish:

  • Chopped basil
  • Lemon zest
  • Parmesan

Instructions

  • Add 4 cups of salted water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add the pasta and cool Al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
  • Over medium heat, add butter to a large pan and melt it. Then add onion and saute for 5 minutes, and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Whisk in the flour and coof for an additional minute.
  • Next, slowly alternate incorporating the heavy cream and 2/3 cup of milk. Whisk it often until it's smooth and the sauce starts to thicken. This typically takes about 5 minutes.
  • While the sauce is thickening, mix the ricotta, heavy cream, remaining milk, parmesan, basil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and juice all in a small bowl. Mix well with a whisk to combine.
  • Add the mixture to the sauce and whisk to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add in the kale and stir it in. Cook until the kale starts to wilt.
  • Stir in the pasta and top with more parmesan garnish with basil and lemon zest before enjoying.

Notes

  1. Swap out the pasta for a different form other than rigatoni, see some of my suggestions above.
  2. Don't overcook the kale or it will start to lose its nutrient values and benefits. 
  3. We do not recommend freezing this recipe.
  4. Add in any extra additions, see some vegetable and meat suggestions above. 
  5. This can easily be doubled to serve more people.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 394mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2469IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 1mg