This Pesto Ricotta Pasta is so delicious and a great weeknight meal, ready in just 20 minutes. Store bought or homemade pesto can be used in this creamy pasta recipe and it uses minimal ingredients for a super easy dinner idea.
I'm all about pasta, especially simple pasta recipes that are so approachable I don't mind fixing it for my own personal lunch. This is exactly that. It's so easy and only uses 2 dishes to get the job done with very little prep.
This Ricotta Pesto Pasta is really great for Spring and Summer months, because the ricotta pesto sauce lightly coats the pasta and isn't at all heavy. Plus, if you make homemade pesto sauce, it's a lot easier to get your hands on lots of fresh basil in the Spring and Summer.
For more easy pesto recipes to add to your meal plan, try this Creamy Pesto Gnocchi, Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto and Pesto al Pasta.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Quick and Easy Prep. This recipe takes just minutes to prep. The pesto sauce is already loaded with garlic and fresh basil, which is big on flavor, so we don't need to add much to it.
- Vegetarian Friendly. This is meatless recipe, but you can also add chicken, shrimp or meatballs for a more filling meal.
- Makes a Big Batch. This large pot of pasta easily feeds 4-6 people.
- Easy Weeknight Dinner. Great for busy weeknights and it's ready in just 20 minutes.
- A Spring and Summer favorite. Basil grows like crazy in my garden in the Summer and I love making homemade pesto. This pasta recipe is a great recipe for using up fresh garden basil.
If you love simple pasta recipes, don't miss out on this Lemon Pasta with Spinach, Pancetta and Pea Pasta, and Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta.
Ingredients:
Pesto Sauce: Homemade pesto sauce or store bought can be used for this recipe. A homemade version will have a lot more flavor and freshness from the fresh basil and garlic, but store bought works here too, and will save time. My homemade version is linked in the recipe card below and only takes 10 minutes to make.
Ricotta Cheese: I recommend whole milk ricotta for this recipe, and honestly for most of my recipes. The taste is just much creamier and delicious versus skim or part skim.
Pasta: Rigatoni was used in this recipe and it works really well because of the large size and ridges in the pasta.
Parmesan Cheese: Heavily topped onto the pasta to bring in salty nutty flavors. Shred it from a block if possible, for the best taste. Parmigiano-Reggiano is my favorite brand of cheese.
Fresh Basil: An optional topping, but the taste of fresh herbs on top is delish. I highly recommend using fresh basil as a topping, especially if you buy store-bought pesto. This will bring in more powerful flavors, when using a store-bought pesto, that can be on the bland side.
*A list of the full ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
- Store bought or homemade pesto sauce can be used for this recipe.
- Other varieties of pasta can be substituted for the Rigatoni. Fusilli, Penne, or even fettuccine will pair well with this ricotta pesto sauce.
- For more protein, top this pasta with these Pan seared shrimp, Crusted Chicken Romano, or Mini Meatballs.
- Love citrus? A tablespoon of fresh lemon juice would be delicious in this sauce.
- Looking for more veggies? Add in a few handful of baby spinach into the sauce and wilt for a few minutes with the lid on before adding in the pasta. Chopped roasted red peppers would be yummy too.
- Want more ricotta cheese? Dollop a few spoonfuls on top of the dish and cover the pot to warm for a few minutes before serving.
How to Make Pesto Ricotta Pasta:
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in the pasta. Season with salt and a bit of olive oil, if desired. Cook the pasta until al dente, firm when bitten into, according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and strain the remaining water from the pasta.
Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, heat a large dutch oven or pot to medium low heat on the stovetop. Add in the pesto, salt and red pepper flakes and cook for 4-5 minutes until warm.
Step 3: Add in the ricotta cheese and 2 tablespoons of pasta water and stir until the ricotta melts into the sauce, then reduce the heat to low. Stir every few minutes.
Step 4: Toss the pasta into the sauce and stir to coat each noodle. Taste and add salt and additional red pepper flakes if needed.
Step 5: Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Make sure to save ½ cup of pasta water to smooth out the sauce. You may not need the full amount, but if the sauce starts to thicken or separate, splash a bit into the pasta to correct it.
- Shred the parmesan from the block for the best taste. Avoid bagged parmesan as it has a different taste and texture.
Looking for more easy weeknight recipes? Try this TikTok French Onion Pasta, Gnocchi with Marinara Sauce and Creamy Chicken and Noodles.
Recipe FAQs:
Pesto ricotta pasta tastes amazing paired with a salad, like this Arugula Spinach Salad or Peach Burrata Salad. Serve it with a slab of French bread or Air Fryer Garlic Bread. For an appetizer, try this Burrata Bruschetta or Goat Cheese Crostini.
No. Under the right temperature, it gets nice and creamy in the sauce and pasta water is used for the perfect texture.
This pasta is best eaten fresh for the creamy texture, but it can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a pot on the stovetop over medium low heat or microwave until hot.
More Easy Pasta Recipes You'll Love:
If you tried this Ricotta Pesto Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Pesto Ricotta Pasta
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 lb of cooked pasta 1x
Description
This Pesto Ricotta Pasta is so delicious and a great weeknight meal, ready in just 20 minutes. Store bought or homemade pesto can be used in this creamy pasta recipe and it uses minimal ingredients for a super easy dinner idea.
Ingredients
- 16 ounce bag of dry Rigatoni pasta
- ½ cup pesto sauce, store-bought or this homemade pesto recipe
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup ricotta cheese, whole milk
- 2-4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded fine
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add in the pasta. Season with salt and a bit of olive oil, if desired. Cook the pasta until al dente, firm when bitten into, according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and strain the remaining water from the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat a large dutch oven or pot to medium low heat on the stovetop. Add in the pesto, salt and red pepper flakes and cook for 4-5 minutes until warm.
- Add in the ricotta cheese and 2 tablespoons of pasta water and stir until the ricotta melts into the sauce, then reduce the heat to low. Stir every few minutes.
- Toss the pasta into the sauce and stir to coat each noodle. Taste and add salt and additional red pepper flakes if needed.
- Top with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to save ½ cup of pasta water to smooth out the sauce. You may not need the full amount, but if the sauce starts to thicken or separate, splash a bit into the pasta to correct it.
- Shred the parmesan from the block for the best taste. Avoid bagged parmesan as it has a different taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: pasta
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Josie
Yum! This was so easy to make and tasty too.
Tara Smithson
Thanks Josie! So happy to hear that.