Creamy Lemon Ricotta Rigatoni
A bright, lemon‑infused rigatoni that’s ready in about 15 minutes. The silky ricotta sauce blends with fresh arugula or spinach for a vibrant, summery bite, while a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of red pepper flakes add depth. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that feels indulgent yet light.
Recipe by Sara Stewart, MS, CNS · Structured by ReelsMeals
From: Instagram(view original)
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Prep Time
Cook Time
Servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb rigatoni
- 1 cup ricotta
- 8 oz arugula
- 8 oz spinach
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes, to taste
- fresh basil, to taste
Instructions
- 1In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, finely grated parmesan, olive oil, grated garlic, the zest of one lemon, and the juice of the lemon. Stir until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook until al dente, about 9–11 minutes.
- 3When the pasta is about two minutes from al dente, add the spinach to the boiling water and stir for roughly one minute, then drain the pasta and spinach together, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water.
- 4Return the drained rigatoni (and spinach, if used) to the pot. Add the ricotta sauce, pouring in a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking water. Toss to coat, adding more water as needed until the sauce is creamy and clings to the pasta.
- 5If using arugula, stir it into the pasta now; the residual heat will wilt the leaves quickly.
- 6Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.
- 7Plate the pasta, drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top, sprinkle with additional parmesan, and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
- 8Serve immediately while hot and enjoy the bright, lemon‑filled flavor.
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Cooking context
25 min estimated total time for 4 servings.
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Creamy Lemon Ricotta Rigatoni?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Creamy Lemon Ricotta Rigatoni recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Creamy Lemon Ricotta Rigatoni recipe come from?
- It was shared by Sara Stewart, MS, CNS on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.