Weeknight meals may never be the same once you have a bite of Creamy Ricotta Pasta. This vegetarian pasta dish features leeks, sweet peas, and a smooth, simple cheese sauce that's quick, easy, and absolutely dreamy. It's practically perfect on its own, but also extremely welcoming for add-ins.
1largeleek, white and light green parts onlyhalved and sliced into ½" moons
2clovesgarlicminced
¾cupfull fat ricotta cheese
½lemonzested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
¼cupgrated parmesan cheese
1cupfrozen peas
¼cupfresh torn basil
ground black pepperto taste
Instructions
Fill a large stock pot with at least 2 quarts water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente per package directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water, then drain and return the pasta to the stock pot.
Once the pasta is halfway cooked, start the ricotta sauce. Heat a 10" skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter, and heat until the butter foams.
Add the sliced leeks to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and the whitest pieces turn translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sautee until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the ricotta, lemon juice, parmesan, and ⅓ cup of pasta water to the skillet. Stir frequently until the parmesan melts and the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the frozen peas to the sauce and heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
Scrape the ricotta sauce and vegetables into the cooked pasta, along with another ⅓ cup pasta water. Toss until the pasta is evenly coated in the sauce. The sauce should be rich, but not clumpy - add more pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time, to achieve desired consistency.
Add fresh basil and ground pepper to taste, then toss once more. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed (I didn't add any).
Portion into pasta bowls, garnish with additional basil and parmesan to taste, and serve immediately. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.