Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Lemon Ricotta Pasta
A bright and creamy baked pasta made with whole-milk ricotta, fresh lemon, olive oil, and short pasta. This easy oven-baked dish cooks under foil until tender, then finishes uncovered for a lightly golden, bubbling, citrusy comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry short pasta rigatoni, penne, or fusilli
- 1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta
- 2 large lemons zested and juiced, about 1/3 cup juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups hot water added in the baking dish as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper until combined but still slightly textured.
- Add the dry pasta to the bowl and toss until every piece is coated in the ricotta mixture.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
- Pour 1 cup hot water evenly over the top.
- Press the pasta down gently with a spoon so most of it sits in the liquid.
- Add up to 1/2 cup more hot water if the pasta still looks very dry on top.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil, crimping the edges to trap steam.
- Bake covered on the middle rack for 25 minutes.
- Carefully remove the foil, tilting it away from your face to release steam.
- Stir the pasta well, scraping the bottom of the dish to loosen anything that settled.
- Add a little more hot water if the pasta looks dry, then smooth it back into an even layer.
- Bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until the pasta is just tender and the sauce is creamy and bubbling around the edges.
- Let the pasta rest for 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Do not overmix the ricotta; small curds give the sauce texture. Add hot water only as needed so the pasta stays creamy, not soupy.
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcal
Love this recipe?Fllow us at @tasteofrecipes for more