Description
Bright, creamy, and full of fresh flavor, this Stanley Tucci’s Creamy Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Arugula is the kind of easy dinner that feels special without being hard to make. Tender rigatoni gets coated in a silky ricotta lemon sauce, then finished with peppery arugula, Parmesan, and a touch of garlic for a quick breakfast-for-dinner idea, easy dinner, comfort food favorite, and simple pasta recipe you will want to make again for lunch, dinner ideas, and cozy food ideas.
Ingredients
12 ounces rigatoni
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 lemon zest and juice
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water, then drain.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper.
3. Add a little hot pasta water to the ricotta mixture and stir until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the hot rigatoni to the bowl and toss until evenly coated, adding the remaining pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
5. Fold in the arugula and toss just until slightly wilted.
6. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan, lemon zest, and black pepper if desired.
Notes
Do not add the ricotta mixture over cold pasta, or the sauce can turn thick and clumpy instead of smooth and creamy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 465
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 540mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 30mg