When you want something that feels fancy but takes under 30 minutes, this pesto and ricotta pasta is your weeknight savior. It’s creamy without cream, fresh and peppery, and gloriously green. Not to mention that I upped the amount of protein by doubling down on the ricotta!
🙏I beg you to top it with pine nuts to give this silky pasta a little toasty bite.
What you’ll love about this recipe
- ⏱️ Ready in 20 minutes – Even though I’m making pesto from scratch, it’s so fast!
- 🥬 Fresh & summery– Rocket (arugula), basil and lemon can only mean summer in a (pasta) bowl 😍. I love using ingredients when they are in season!
- 🧀 Creamy, but light – Ricotta gives richness without the heaviness of cream.
- 💡 Versatile – Swap greens, nuts, or pasta shapes based on what you’ve got. Or cheat and use a good store-bought pesto 😉!
- 🧂 Bold flavors, simple steps – Bright, but buttery and satisfyingly yummy, but so easy to make.
- 🌿More plants – all of the plants count towards your 30 plants a week goals for gut health. Yes, even the garlic and especially the nuts!
Watch how to make Pesto & ricotta pasta
Ingredient notes
- Wild rocket (arugula): I love that peppery bite to balance the creamy ricotta.
- Walnuts: Buttery and more budget-friendly compared to just using pine nuts.
- Grana Padano: I use it because it’s cheaper than Parmesan, but still salty, nutty, and slightly sweet.
- Ricotta: I use full-fat because it works best for creaminess; drain if watery.
- Lemon zest + juice: This is your flavor equalizer! Don’t skip it because it brightens and balances the dish.
- Pasta: I often use farfalle (bow shaped), but any short shape like fusilli, tube or shell shaped (like orecchiette) to hold the sauce work well.
- Basil: you can use basil to make your pesto, or just add a handful for that flavor.
How to make pesto and ricotta pasta (step-by-step)
Time needed: 20 minutes
This might be the easiest fancy-feeling dinner you’ll make all week: my pesto and ricotta pasta is creamy, zingy, and loaded with lemony rocket and walnuts. A five-minute pesto, a swoop of ricotta, and dinner is done in 20!
- Cook the pasta
Boil a large pot of salted water, cook pasta to your desired bite (I like mine a little softer not al-dente), and reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining.
- Make the pesto
In a food processor whiz rocket (arugula), walnuts, garlic, finely grated Grana Padano cheese, lemon juice and lots of olive oil. Season with just a pinch of salt, since the cheese is giving the pesto a sharp, salty edge already. This takes only 5 minutes. You can up the flavor by adding a handful of basil and a few tablespoons of pine nuts, but this is totally optional (and more expensive). Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Finish the sauce
In a large frying pan over low heat, gently warm the pesto (don’t let it burn). Add the ricotta and smush it with a spatula until creamy. Stir in the lemon zest and loosen the sauce with some of the reserved pasta water until it’s silky, but not to runny.
- Toss with pasta
Add the hot drained pasta to the sauce and mix until evenly coated.
- Garnish and serve
Top with toasted pine nuts, torn basil leaves, an extra scatter of grated cheese if you fancy—and serve straight away to enjoy all the creaminess !
Pro Tips & serving ideas
- Don’t throw away all of the pasta water, keep some back! I use it to adjust the sauce consistency—starting with half a cup and add more as you need it.
- Toast the pine nuts for that toasty flavor bite at the end. Just a few minutes in a dry pan and you’re done, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Be careful not to burn the pesto, you only need a low gentle heat to warm it through, once you add the hot pasta it will all blend nicely together.
- We usually have pasta on a Monday (you know when you just can’t think of anything to cook and want something fast) and this pan-fried salmon is always the fastest choice to top this pasta with.
- Often I have leftover grilled chicken supreme from weekend grilling and a few slices served next to this pesto ricotta pasta just hit the spot!
- A simple side green salad with lemon vinaigrette or my broad bean salad that adds even more protein if that’s something you are after.
- Add roast cherry tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes and olives.
- Grate or shave more Grana Padano cheese or parmesan to finish it!
Nutritional benefits
Of course the abundance of plants and good extra virgin olive oil makes this dish such a wholesome nourishing option. Not to mention that I upped the amount of protein by doubling down on the ricotta! But for me, the hero here are the nuts, they are high in fibre and will feed those friendly gut bacteria happy!
Servings
This recipe yields 3 portions, enough for a small family.
variations and substitutions
- VEGETARIAN: If you want this recipe vegetarian, you will have to swap the Grana Padano for a vegetarian hard cheese, watch the labels!
- VEGAN: For a vegan option, use dairy-free ricotta (here’s a good vegan ricotta recipe) and a vegan hard cheese.
- My daughter Iggi used to hate rocket. If you are not a fan of it, you can use basil instead or even kale or radish tops.
- Nut-free? Pine-nuts are your swap (although I know that some folk are also allergic or intolerant to them). You can use sunflower seeds (watch the label though, because sometimes they are packed in a nut factory, take it from a food scientist 😜).
- Different pasta? Works with spaghetti, linguini or penne too.
- No food processor? Use a mortar and pestle to mash by hand. Just kidding 🤣! Pick up a good store-bought pesto on your way from work, I know I would!
Whether it’s a busy Monday or a lazy Sunday, this pesto and ricotta pasta gives you that comfort, but it’s so fast and full of fresh flavors. 🌿🍋 With a peppery green pesto, creamy ricotta, and bright lemon zest, it’s a flexible and feel-good dish you’ll make on repeat.
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recipe FAQ
Yes! Store in the fridge for up to a week.
If you want this recipe vegetarian, you will have to swap the Grana Padano for a vegetarian hard cheese, watch the labels!
You can, but making your own it’s so easy and so much more vibrant. If you must, look for one with quality olive oil and no additives.
I love it best warm, but leftovers make a tasty pasta salad the next day.
Pesto and Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
For the pesto
- 60 g wild rocket arugula
- 1 garlic clove
- 30 g walnuts
- 25 g Grana Padano cheese grated
- 100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- a handful of fresh basil optional
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the pesto ricotta sauce
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- Zest of 1 lemon
To garnish
- Basil leaves to garnish
- 20 g toasted pine nuts optional
Instructions
Cook the pasta
- Boil a large pot of salted water, cook pasta to your desired bite (11-13 minutes), and reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining.
Make the pesto
- In a food processor whiz rocket (arugula), walnuts, garlic, finely grated Grana Padano cheese, lemon juice and lots of olive oil. Season with just a pinch of salt, since the cheese is giving the pesto a sharp, salty edge already. This takes only 5 minutes. You can up the flavor by adding a handful of basil and a few tablespoons of pine nuts, but this is totally optional (and more expensive). Blend until smooth and creamy.
Finish the ricotta pesto sauce
- In a large frying pan over low heat, gently warm the pesto (don’t let it burn). Add the ricotta and break it up with a spatula until creamy. Stir in the lemon zest and loosen the sauce with some of the reserved pasta water until it’s silky, but not too runny.
Toss with pasta
- Add the hot drained pasta to the sauce and mix until evenly coated. Taste and season again if needed with salt and black pepper.
Garnish and serve
- Top with toasted pine nuts, torn basil leaves, an extra scatter of grated cheese if you fancy—and serve straight away to enjoy all the creaminess !
Video
Notes
- Don’t throw away all of the pasta water, keep some back! I use it to adjust the sauce consistency—starting with half a cup and add more as you need it.
- Toast the pine nuts for that toasty flavor bite at the end. Just a few minutes in a dry pan and you’re done, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Be careful not to burn the pesto, you only need a low gentle heat to warm it through, once you add the hot pasta it will all blend nicely together.
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