What to serve with pesto ricotta pasta?

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 .

Does the ricotta cheese get chunky in this pesto sauce?

No. Under the right temperature, it gets nice and creamy in the sauce and pasta water is used for the perfect texture.

How to Store and Reheat?

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.

Pesto Ricotta Pasta - Simply Made Eats

Name: Pesto Ricotta Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 16 ounce bag of dry Rigatoni pasta; 1/2 cup pesto sauce, store-bought or this homemade pesto recipe; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, whole milk; 2-4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded fine; 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine

Pesto Ricotta Pasta

Ricotta pesto pasta topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Print Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

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.

Author: Tara Smithson
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 1 lb of cooked pasta
Category: Pasta
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

16 ounce bag of dry Rigatoni pasta
1/2 cup pesto sauce, store-bought or this homemade pesto recipe
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, whole milk
2-4 tablespoons of reserved pasta water
1/2 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 1/2 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!

Equipment

dutch oven

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Pasta Pot

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Notes

Make sure to save 1/2 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.

Find it online: https://simplymadeeats.com/14001/pesto-ricotta-pasta/