Pasta with Creamy Ricotta and Spinach Sauce Recipe
This pasta is a quick, green meal ready in 15–20 minutes – a delicate ricotta and spinach sauce coats every piece of pasta. In Italy, dishes like this are made when there’s no time for long cooking, but you still want something homemade. It’s a great way to sneak spinach into the diet of family members who aren’t keen on vegetables.
This pasta is the essence of Italian home cooking: a few ingredients, minimal effort and a sauce that practically “makes itself” while the pasta cooks. Creamy ricotta softens the flavour of the spinach, so the dish is delicate yet full of umami from the Parmesan and garlic. It’s classic Italian comfort food that tastes like it came from a small trattoria, even though it’s ready in 20 minutes.
Chef's tips
Add the spinach to fairly hot oil and sauté briefly – just until wilted – otherwise it will release too much water and the sauce will be runny. Add the ricotta off the heat or over very low heat so it doesn’t curdle; adjust the consistency with pasta cooking water, adding it a tablespoon at a time. Combine the pasta with the sauce immediately after draining – once it cools, it won’t “soak up” the creamy sauce as well.
How to serve
Serve this pasta with a glass of light Italian white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, or with lemon water if you’re having it as a quick weekday lunch. It pairs beautifully with a simple rocket salad dressed with olive oil and lemon, or with tomatoes and basil. It’s the kind of dish that saves weeknights after a long day at the office, when you want a proper meal before a TV series but don’t have the energy for complicated cooking.
Ingredients
- pasta - 250 g
- fresh baby spinach - 150 g
- ricotta cheese - 200 g
- grated Parmesan - 30 g
- garlic cloves - 2 piece
- olive oil - 1.5 tablespoons
- grated lemon zest - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook for as many minutes as indicated on the package, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the rest.
- Peel and finely chop the garlic. If using fresh spinach, rinse and dry it; tear larger leaves into smaller pieces.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the spinach to the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the leaves wilt and reduce in volume. If using frozen spinach, cook until completely thawed and the excess water has evaporated.
- Reduce the heat. Add the ricotta, grated Parmesan and lemon zest. Stir until you get a thick, creamy sauce. If it’s very thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water and mix.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss well so the sauce coats the pasta evenly. If needed, add a little more cooking water until you get a creamy but not watery consistency.
- Season with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 1–2 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or milk to bring back the creamy consistency; avoid high heat so the sauce doesn’t separate.
