Less than half an hour is all that separates you from this incredibly sunny spaghetti dish! Lemon Ricotta Spaghetti is deliciously tangy, bright, and joyous, with creamy ricotta accenting the vibrancy of the citrus flavor. A warming touch of red pepper flakes adds a sunbeam’s heat to each bite of this Lemon Ricotta Spaghetti. Let the sun shine into your kitchen and right into your bowl!
Ingredients
For the pasta:
- 1 (16-ounce) box spaghetti or bucatini
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1/2 cup pecorino or parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
Optional, for serving:
- pecorino or parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- basil, to taste, freshly sliced and whole leaves
- extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 2 –Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, draining the remainder.
Step 3 –Return the pasta to the pot.
Step 4 –In a medium bowl, add the ricotta, 1/2 cup of the pecorino, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, the lemon zest, and the lemon juice and stir to combine.
Step 5 –Season the ricotta mixture with the salt, the pepper, and the red pepper flakes.
Step 6 –Add the ricotta mixture and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to the pasta in the pot and toss to combine.
Step 7 –Add more of the pasta water, as needed, to coat the noodles. You may not need all of it.
Step 8 –Serve garnished with the remaining pecorino, the basil, and the remaining olive oil.
