Pea Ricotta Pasta
This creamy, delicious pea and ricotta pasta makes a quick weeknight dinner that's perfect for spring. It's fresh, light, full of flavour, and ready in about 20 minutes.
Quick Look: Pea and Ricotta Pasta
- ⏰ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 20 minutes
- 🥦 Serves: 4
- 🍽️ Calories: 400 per serving
- 📖 Dietary info: vegetarian, quick & easy, weeknight dinner, pasta
- ⭐️ Why you'll love it: quick, easy and perfect for spring, this pasta is fresh, light, ready in 20 minutes - it's the perfect weeknight dinner!
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- Quick Look: Pea and Ricotta Pasta
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Additions & Substitutions
- How to Make Pea and Ricotta Pasta
- What to Serve with Pea Ricotta Pasta
- Pea and Ricotta Pasta FAQs
- More Spring Recipes You'll Love
- Did you make this recipe?
- Pea Ricotta Pasta
- Get my FREE Meal Planning Guide
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: this recipe is ready in about 20 minutes. Boiling the water takes the most time!
- Light & Fresh: with fresh flavours like lemon, mint and ricotta, this pasta is flavourful but light.
- Healthy: green peas provide protein, fibre, and are an underrated vegetable making this dish healthy, filling & balanced.
- Perfect for Spring: most of the ingredients in this recipe are perfect for spring - bright, fresh & green!
Ingredients You'll Need
Full ingredient measurements & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: a short pasta like penne, rigatoni, fusilli or rotini are ideal. The creamy ricotta sauce coats them really nicely, and they're easier to eat with the peas.
- Lemon: you need the zest and juice from one lemon. Lemon adds so much brightness to this recipe, and balance nicely with the other flavours.
- Ricotta: I suggest using full fat ricotta. Don't use a low fat or reduced fat version. It won't provide the same texture or creaminess.
- Peas: frozen peas are preferred - making this recipe so easy. You could use canned I suppose, the cooking times will change though.
- Mint (optional): optional, but I really encourage it! It adds a beautiful brightness! Use as much or as little as you want.
Additions & Substitutions
- Make it gluten free: use a gluten free pasta
- Add heat: garnish with a pinch (or more) of red chili flakes to add a little spice
- Canned peas: you can use these instead, but you won't need to cook them - refer to the notes in the recipe card for suggestions.
- Protein: the peas and ricotta do add protein, but edamame, or chicken would pair well if you want more protein.
How to Make Pea and Ricotta Pasta
- Step 1: Cook minced garlic over medium heat with oil.
- Step 2: Add frozen peas, lemon zest and lemon juice. Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
- Step 3: Add the ricotta (starting with the lesser amount) to the peas.
- Step 4: Stir to combine. Taste and add salt, more lemon zest and juice to your preference.
- Step 5: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pasta into the ricotta pea pan. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Step 6: Add ¼ cup pasta water, and stir the pasta into the ricotta and peas. Transfer to bowls, garnish with more lemon zest, parmesan cheese & fresh mint.
What to Serve with Pea Ricotta Pasta
Pea ricotta pasta is fresh, light, and goes well with many other things. Here are some tasty pairing ideas:
- Salad: serve with a fresh, green salad, something like my spring asparagus salad, or my brussels sprouts salad.
- Protein: grilled chicken, sausages or salmon would go well with this pasta. Either add it on top, or enjoy on the side.
- Biscuits: my quick drop biscuits take about the same amount of time as this pasta, and would be a yummy side to pair.
Pea and Ricotta Pasta FAQs
Short pasta like penne, rigatoni, fusilli or rotini are ideal. The creamy ricotta sauce coats them really nicely, and they're easier to eat with the peas.
Yes! This recipe uses frozen peas, and they take only minutes to cook. I prefer frozen peas because they keep if your freezer for months, and they hold their green colour when they're cooked.
Peas and ricotta add protein to make this pasta filling. But you could pair it with chicken, salmon, or edamame for extra protein.
I do suggest making and serving this immediately for the best results. However, you could possibly make the sauce ahead of time, and store in the fridge for up to two days. When you're ready to serve, cook the pasta fresh and toss with the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen it if needed.
More Spring Recipes You'll Love
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, tag me @harvesttablenutrition on Instagram - that way I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
Pea Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups green peas, frozen
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- ¾ - 1 cup ricotta
- 250 g pasta of choice (short pasta - penne, rigatoni, etc) about ½ a 500g bag
- salt, to taste
- fresh mint, for garnish
- parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Add oil to a pan over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the peas, zest of ½ a lemon, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Cook until the peas are no longer frozen.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook your pasta according to the package directions.
- To your peas, add ricotta (starting with the lesser amount). Stir to combine well. Taste and add salt, more lemon zest and juice to your preference.
- When the pasta is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer it directly into the ricotta pea pan. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.If you don't have a slotted spoon, reserve your pasta water first, then drain your pasta, and dump it into the ricotta pan.
- Add ¼ cup pasta water to the pan with the pasta and ricotta. Stir to ensure all the noodles are coated. You may need need to add more pasta water to help thin things out.
- Transfer pasta to bowls. Garnish with more lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and a few fresh mint leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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If we haven’t met yet, hi hello! I’m Bailey, a Registered Dietitian and recipe creator. I offer 1:1 nutrition coaching and cooking classes to help make healthy eating easier. On my blog you can find easy, seasonal, vegetarian recipes! If you try this recipe (or any of my other recipes), leave me a comment with your thoughts!
My Meal Planning Guide is a step-by-step guide to help you plan your meals, save time and eat well. It includes 15 recipes (breakfast, lunch/dinner and snacks) and a blank meal planning template.
If you need a quick weeknight dinner that's perfect for spring, you need to try this recipe! If you do, be sure to let me know how you like it!