• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Starters & Snacks
    • Dinner
    • Side Dish
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
  • Witchcraft
    • Kitchen Magick
  • Podcast
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe

Awesome on 20 logo

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Side Dish
    • Starters & Snacks
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
  • Kitchen Magick
  • Witchcraft
  • Podcast
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dinner » Pasta » One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta

    January 16, 2023 Dinner

    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta

    Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase as a result of clicking one of these links. There is no additional cost to you. 

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta is bright, creamy, and full of great texture and flavor. It's an easy weeknight dinner that will feed the whole family. Pretty awesome, right?

    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta with text

    Our ancient ancestors spent so much time toiling for their survival. Hunter gatherer peoples were constantly on the move, just searching for enough food to get them through the day. And even when agriculture was established and some basic technologies in common use, most of them still spent much of their time processing crops, keeping up their dwellings, and making everything they owned from scratch. Can you imagine if you wanted a new dress, but you had to start by raising the sheep?

    And yet, somehow they still found time for art, music, and storytelling. They took pride in their work and created things simply because they brought them joy. They loved, they laughed, they fought, they cried, just like we do today. I always feel a deep sense of gratitude when I look back and consider what my ancestors, both recent and ancient, had to endure in order for me to be here today. And when I'm eating imported fruit and hydroponic herbs in the dead of winter, I know how blessed I am.

    Two Bowls of One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta

    What makes this Lemon & Ricotta Pasta so awesome?

    This is a recipe for the modern kitchen witch, for sure. I think my ancestors would be blown away by corn, lemon, and basil available year 'round, and I'm certainly grateful for it because I needed these bright flavors in the dead of winter. This pasta tastes like summer. The sauce is made quite simply from ricotta cheese, melted brie, and the starchy pasta water. It's just the right consistency to coat the pasta without drowning it. It has sweet pops of sauteed corn running throughout and a bright, tangy hit of lemon juice. The fresh basil brings a verdant green flavor as well.

    This is one of those pasta dishes that just seems to expand as you build it. It's so filling, so it can easily feed a family of four to six people. If you wanted to add some protein, you could grill and slice some chicken to add to the bowl. If you want to keep it meatless, I assure you, it's a meal unto itself.

    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta in a white bowl

    Magical Properties of Lemon

    I find lemons to be powerfully magical. For me, they instantly bring brightness, cleansing, and a burst of energy. Ironically, they're tied to the moon and the element of water, but unsurprisingly, they also correspond with the solar plexus chakra. Lemons can also be used for protection. For example, you can pierce a lemon with nine nails, wind red thread around them, tie off the thread, and place this charm above your door to ward off the evil eye.

    For further details on the magical properties of lemons, as well as the other ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

    Ingredients

    Here's everything you'll need to make this recipe.

    • Short cut pasta - I like something with some texture that will hold onto the sauce, like spirals or shells.
    • Butter - salted is fine, whatever you have
    • Frozen corn kernels
    • Thyme - dried or fresh
    • Garlic - chopped or garlic paste
    • Salt and pepper
    • Crushed red pepper flakes
    • Ricotta cheese
    • Brie - you'll want to remove the rind for this
    • White wine - something Italian would be nice
    • Basil - fresh is best
    • Lemon - you'll need the zest and the juice
    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta with lemon and chili flakes

    Tips for making this Lemon & Ricotta Pasta

    To cut back on the washing up, you'll cook your pasta first, then make the quick sauce in the same pot as you cooked the pasta in. Just leave your drained pasta in the collander. It all comes together pretty quickly, especially if you prep all the ingredients while the pasta is cooking and have them ready to go into the pot. Oh, and don't forget to reserve some of the pasta cooking water before you drain it. I set a mug in the collander so I don't forget.

    So back in the pasta pot, we'll sautee our corn in butter, along with garlic, seasoning, and spices. Once the corn is ready, we'll make our sauce by stirring in that pasta water, some wine, and both the cheeses. It's going to look like a mess at first, but as the cheese melts, it will all come together. Just give it a good stir.

    Then you'll stir your pasta back through the sauce, making sure it's all well coated. To finish it off, you'll stir in chopped basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Zest your lemon right over the pot so that the essential oils fall over your food and not your counter. Taste for seasoning, and don't skimp on the salt.

    What can I serve with lemon & ricotta pasta?

    A big green salad would be lovely. To add some protein, top this with some grilled chicken.

    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta with fresh basil

    This One Pot Lemon Ricotta Pasta will brighten up even the darkest day. And since it's easy enough to make on a weeknight, it just might turn your whole day around. It's that awesome.

    Looking for more awesome pasta recipes? Try this Chicken & Goat Cheese Pasta or some Sun-Dried Tomato & Chicken Pasta.

    Print

    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta

    One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta with lemon and chili flakes
    Print Recipe

    This One Pot Lemon & Ricotta Pasta is bright, creamy, and full of great texture and flavor. It's an easy weeknight dinner that will feed the whole family. Pretty awesome, right?

    • Author: Renee Rendall
    • Prep Time: 15
    • Cook Time: 20
    • Total Time: 35 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Italian
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound (500 grams) short cut pasta
    • 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter
    • 1-½ cups frozen corn kernels
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2 cloves garlic, grated with a zester
    • Salt and pepper, to taste
    • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1 cup (250 grams) ricotta cheese
    • 6 ounces brie, rind removed
    • ¼ cup white wine
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
    • 1 lemon

    Instructions

    1. Cook your pasta in plenty of salted water according to the packet instructions. Before draining, reserve at least ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and set aside.
    2. In the same pot over medium heat, add the butter. Once it's melted, add the corn kernels, dried thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook the corn mixture, stirring frequently, for about five minutes.
    3. Add ½ cup of the pasta water, as well as the ricotta cheese, brie, and white wine. Stir frequently as the cheese melts and a sauce is formed.
    4. Add the cooked pasta back to the pot, and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce.
    5. Remove the pan from the heat, add the basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt as needed.

    Equipment

    Image of saucepan

    saucepan

    Buy Now →
    Image of zester

    zester

    Buy Now →
    Image of measuring cups/spoons

    measuring cups/spoons

    Buy Now →

    Keywords: pasta, lemon and ricotta

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @renee_awesomeon20 on Instagram and hashtag it #awesomeon20

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

    Recipe slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest.

    By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with the site owner and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from the site owner. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time.

    Processing…
    Success! You're on the list.
    Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

    More Pasta

    • Spicy Alfredo Sauce
    • Garlic Bread Mac & Cheese
    • Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
    • Lemon Linguine

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Renee, the creator behind Awesome on 20. I’m a food blogger, a podcaster, and a witch who loves junk food. I share easy comfort food recipes and tips for creating a more magical and awesome life. 

    More about me →

    Become an awesome Patreon supporter

    Become a Patron!

    Popular

    • Herbs in Witchcraft: Basil
    • Herbs in Witchcraft: Oranges
    • Recipes to Celebrate Imbolc
    • Crispy Honey Chicken

    Awesome winter recipes

    • Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes
    • Garlic & Herb Baked Chicken
    • Rosemary Potato Rolls
    • Brown Elephant Amarula Cocktail
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter & Membership

    • Sign up for emails and updates
    • Join us on Patreon
    • Join the Moon Magic Mastermind

    Contact

    • Contact
    • VA Services
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme