This easy lemon ricotta pasta with sweet peas and peppery arugula is a creamy and fresh 20-minute dinner that comes together with just 9 ingredients. The lemon ricotta sauce is light and bright making this vegetarian pasta perfect for enjoying during the warmer months of the year.
Light and Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta for the Weeknight Dinner Win
I’ve been making variations of this easy lemon ricotta pasta for years as soon as the warmth of spring starts to thaw the winter chill. I figured it was time to officially share it here while ensuring that it came together quickly AND packed in a fair amount of plant based protein (two things that I think A LOT of us care about these days!).
Between the pasta, ricotta, peas, and edamame, each of the 4 servings has around 25g of protein. You can increase this even more with a protein pasta and by using my tofu ricotta! I really love peppery arugula here and a sprinkle of chopped tarragon to build on the fresh vibes but spinach and basil are super tasty subs.
Key Ingredients
The sauce for the pasta is super simple and relies on just ricotta (go for whole milk ricotta for the best flavor!), lemon juice and zest, parmesan, and salt. You can honestly use any pasta you like but I used rigatoni because I love when the peas get stuck in the ends! Gluten free and regular pasta both work here (I tend to use gluten free). Since I never skip an opportunity to incorporate as many plants as possible, I added a combination of peas, edamame, and arugula to the mix. Since the lemon ricotta sauce is so simply, the pasta really benefits from a sprinkle of fresh herbs like tarragon or basil.
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta in Just 20 Minutes (or Less!)
This easy dinner recipe comes together in pretty much the amount of time it takes the pasta to cook so it may take you closer to 15 minutes than 20!
Since the pasta takes the longest, start it first. During the last couple of minutes of the cooking time, you’ll add the peas and edamame. Then, make sure to reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water before straining everything because it will help loosen the ricotta sauce and make it extra creamy. While the pasta cooks, simply mix together the ricotta sauce and set it over medium-low heat to warm up.
Once the pasta has been strained, stir the arugula and some of the pasta water into the ricotta sauce. Then, add the cooked pasta, peas, and edamame and toss to coat. Don’t forget to season with more salt as needed! And, you can add more pasta water if the sauce is looking a little too thick.
Looking for another quick weeknight pasta meal? I have a feeling you’ll love this artichoke pasta salad with kale and white beans. It’s ready in just 25 minutes and leftovers can be eaten straight from the fridge without reheating! Or, if you don’t like cleaning a bunch of dishes, try this lemony one pan orzo with peas and asparagus!
Court’s Tips for Making Ahead and Reheating Leftovers
This pasta dish works really well as a make-ahead meal! If you’re not eating it right away and making it for meal prep, you can keep the cooked pasta/peas/edamame stored in a separate container from the ricotta sauce. Toss them together when you want to heat up a portion to eat. If you’re reheating leftover lemon ricotta pasta that has already been tossed together, simply add a few splashes of water or milk as needed when re-heating to ensure the sauce stays creamy!
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Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta (20-Minute Recipe)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
This easy lemon ricotta pasta with sweet peas and peppery arugula is a creamy and fresh 20-minute dinner that comes together with just 9 ingredients. The lemon ricotta sauce is light and bright making this vegetarian pasta perfect for enjoying during the warmer months of the year.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces short pasta, such as rigatoni or penne
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese, whole milk preferred
- 2 medium lemons, zested and juiced
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 2 ounces baby arugula (about 2 large handfuls)
- 1 handful tarragon, finely chopped
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add a big pinch of salt then add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions for al dente. During the last 2 minutes of cooking time, add the frozen peas and edamame. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before straining.
While the pasta cooks, whisk together the ricotta, zest and juice of the lemons, a big pinch of salt, and the parmesan in a large skillet. Set the skillet over medium low heat and stir regularly to gently warm the sauce. After you strain the pasta, add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the arugula to the sauce. Stir for about 1 minutes to allow the arugula to wilt, then add the strained pasta, peas, and edamame. Toss to coat in the sauce, adding more pasta water as needed if the sauce seems too thick and salt for seasoning.
Serve the pasta with a sprinkle of fresh tarragon and more parmesan if you like.
Keep leftovers in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days. Reheat leftovers with a couple of splashes of water or milk to help loosen the sauce.
Notes
- If you want to make this dish gluten free, simply use gluten free pasta. I used gluten free rigatoni!
- If you want a vegan version, try this with vegan parmesan and my tofu ricotta.
- I love the flavor of tarragon with the lemon, ricotta, and peas but fresh basil is equally delicious and easier to find!
- Not all parmesan is vegetarian friendly so make sure to check the label to ensure it is not made with animal rennet.
- If you are using fresh shelled edamame and peas instead of frozen, you’ll still add them during the last 2 minutes of cooking time for the pasta.
- If you only have large lemons, start with the zest and juice of one, then taste the sauce and add more zest and juice as needed to suit your tastes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
We loved this pasta! The flavor was so fresh. Definitely making again!
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it! 🙂
I loved that I could use some frozen veggies to make it simpler! The flavor was incredible, even my 8 year old was asking for seconds!
YES!! I always keep peas and edamame in the fridge for easy meals. So happy it passed the kiddo’s approval! 🙂
I love this pasta dish! The creamy lemon ricotta pairs so nicely with the parmesan, pasta, and veggies. It is the perfect spring dish. We will definitely have this on repeat here! Thanks for the lovely recipe!
So happy it was a hit! 🙂
I loved this recipe! The flavor is perfect and as a dietitian I love the higher protein veggies! Yum!!
Yay! So happy you liked the mix of veggies 🙂
The lemony brightness with that rich ricotta sauce is such a perfect combo, definitely adding this to my weeknight list.
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I absolutely adore, lemon regatta pasta, but this recipe definitely takes it one step above! The combination of that spicy arugula with a creamy lemon sauce is just so perfect!
So happy you enjoyed the flavors in the pasta! I love lemon and arugula so knew it would be perfect here.
This recipe came together so easily . I love the lemon zest and ricotta mixture. I will definitely make it again.
So glad you enjoyed it! The lemon and ricotta are such a delicious pair.
I loved this pasta dish. Well, anything with ricotta is usually amazing. The arugula was a nice peppery addition, I’m going to add it to more pasta sauces from now on.
Happy to hear that you liked the arugula here! It definitely gave it such a great peppery flavor that complemented the lemon.