Description
A delightful and creamy pasta dish featuring lemon and fresh spinach, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (linguine or spaghetti)
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions.
- Reserve Pasta Water: Before draining, save about 1 cup of pasta water for later use.
- Prepare the Ricotta Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, and black pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Wilt the Spinach: Return the drained pasta to the pot and toss in the spinach, stirring for 1–2 minutes.
- Combine Everything: Pour the ricotta mixture over the pasta and spinach, tossing together and gradually adding reserved pasta water for creaminess.
- Taste and Adjust: Sample and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.
- Serve: Plate warm, garnishing with extra lemon zest or olive oil if desired.
Notes
This dish can be made dairy-free by using plant-based ricotta. Great for meal prep with the ricotta mixture stored ahead of time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: pasta, lemon, ricotta, vegetarian, spinach, quick meal