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A close-up overhead shot of pesto pasta topped with whipped ricotta and pine nuts in a large white bowl with a blue rim atop a white marbled surface.

Restaurant-Worthy Pesto Pasta with Whipped Ricotta (25 Minutes)

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dishes
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

It’s not hard to make a good pesto pasta—we all know that! 😉 But with just a couple of small upgrades, you can turn it into something seriously magical.

Toss al dente pasta with your favorite fresh basil pesto, then top it with toasted pine nuts and dreamy dollops of whipped ricotta for a 5-ingredient, 25-minute Italian dinner that tastes just like it came straight from your neighborhood trattoria.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces gemelli or dried pasta of choice
  • 1 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
  • 6 ounces ricotta cheese (approx. ¾ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
  • for serving, as desired: extra virgin olive oil, finely grated parmesan, chopped basil or parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously season the water with salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot to reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta – do not rinse. (Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)An overhead shot of cooked gemelli noodles in a white pot atop a white marbled surface. A glass measuring cup of pasta water sits alongside it.
  2. Whip the ricotta cheese: Meanwhile, as the pasta boils, whip the ricotta. Add the ricotta cheese and olive oil to a food processor. Season with a good pinch of kosher salt. Let the processor run until the ricotta is whipped with a light and creamy texture – this takes a couple minutes, so be patient and stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor as needed. Set aside for serving.An overhead shot of ricotta cheese and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor on a white marbled surface. A glass bowl of ricotta cheese, a grey marble dish of salt and a jar of olive oil sit alongside the food processor. An overhead shot of whipped ricotta in the bowl of a food processor atop a white marbled surface. A glass dish of ricotta, a jug of olive oil and a small dish of salt sit alongside it.
  3. Finish the pesto pasta: Return the drained pasta to the pot it was cooked in and set over medium-low heat. Stir in the pesto sauce. Toss to combine well – the pesto should evenly coat the pasta. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the sauce needs to loosen up a little; increase the heat if it needs to tighten up more. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, allowing the pasta to meld with the sauce, then remove from the heat.An overhead shot of pesto pasta in a large white pot atop a white marbled surface. A white measuring cup of pesto sits alongside the pot.
  4. Serve: Portion the pesto pasta into individual bowls. Dot the whipped ricotta cheese over top and finish with a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately with additional grated parmesan, chopped fresh herbs, or an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil as desired. Enjoy!An overhead shot of pesto pasta topped with whipped ricotta and pine nuts in a large white bowl with a blue rim. The bowl is surrounded by dishes of basil, pine nuts, whipped ricotta, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Equipment

Notes

  • Dietary Restrictions: This simple pesto pasta recipe is naturally meatless. To ensure it’s vegetarian, be sure to use your favorite vegetarian pesto and rennet-free parmesan cheese.
  • Storage and Reheating: Leftover pesto pasta and whipped ricotta will keep, stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. Reheat the pasta on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding an extra splash of water or cooking stock to loosen up the pesto sauce as needed, until warmed through. Serve with whipped ricotta.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/pesto-pasta-with-whipped-ricotta/