Spinach Ricotta Pasta: A Fast, Creamy Pantry Dinner

Step-by-step Spinach Ricotta Pasta

Are you in the mood for a quick ricotta pasta? We have an easy recipe for you. You only need a few simple ingredients, and it tastes extra delicious. Curious how to make it? Then let’s start. This spinach and ricotta pasta recipe comes together fast. Follow each step one by one below, so you know exactly what to do.

Cook pasta and get everything ready.

Start by cooking the pasta. Fill a large pot with water. Wait until the water boils, then salt it. Add the pasta and cook it exactly like the package instructions say. That means until it’s al dente, right to the bite. When it’s almost ready, save some cooking water from your pasta. You need that pasta water to make a smooth sauce.

Now you have the pasta boiling, so it’s time for the spinach and ricotta pasta sauce. You save a lot of time when you cook both at the same time.
First, prep the ingredients. Finely chop the onion. Cut the garlic cloves in half. This spinach ricotta pasta recipe works with fresh and frozen spinach.
If you use frozen spinach, take it out of the freezer now so it can soften a bit. If you use fresh spinach, wash it in a fine mesh strainer and drain it well. For fresh spinach, the best choice is baby spinach. If you use regular fresh spinach, cut it into pieces.

Make the sauce

Put a pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high. If your stove has numbers, that’s 6 out of 9. Add the onion to a pan with oil and fry it. Wait until the onion turns transparent, then add the garlic. Fry it for about 2 minutes, then remove the garlic. You add the garlic for a short time to give the spinach ricotta pasta sauce a light garlic flavor. You don’t want a strong garlic taste here. That’s why you remove the garlic cloves now. They already gave the sauce enough flavor.

Add spices and stir quickly. Use oregano, black pepper, and salt. You likely have these simple spices at home. There is no need to overload this ricotta spinach pasta with spices. The combination of creamy ricotta and mild, earthy spinach is already extremely delicious.
Stir the spices quickly. Add the frozen spinach. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer until it defrosts. Then bring it to a boil. If you use spinach with additives and spices, add your spices at the end. We recommend spinach without any additives.
If you use fresh spinach, it works too. Add the spinach to the spices and stir. Cover with a lid and cook until the liquid is gone.
Add ricotta and stir. Bring it to a boil. Now you have a rich, creamy spinach ricotta sauce.

Add pasta and combine.

Take the sauce off the heat. Add the cooked pasta and the pasta water. Stir well so everything comes together. That’s it. Your pasta with spinach and ricotta is ready to serve. It’s a perfect weeknight meal, ultra quick and easy.

Ingredients and Tips

Now you know how to make this easy pasta with ricotta cheese. Let’s talk about the ingredients in detail, so you get the most delicious pasta dish.

Ingredients

For exact measurements, check the recipe card below.

Pasta
Use any type you have at hand. Add a generous amount of water to the pasta pot, and don’t forget the salt. This way, your pasta tastes better.

Oil
You can use olive oil, sunflower oil, or any oil you have at hand. If you choose extra virgin olive oil, the sauce will be even more flavorful.

Ricotta
Choose a good-quality ricotta. For a rich ricotta cream sauce, look for a cheese with a label that says whole milk ricotta or full-fat ricotta at the grocery store. You need creamy ricotta, and it tastes so good with earthy spinach. Love creamy pasta sauces in an earthy or herby combo? Try our herby creamy pesto pasta too.

Onion and garlic
Chop the onion finely and cut the garlic cloves in half. No need to chop the garlic finely. You just want to infuse olive oil with garlic and then take it out. You want a mild garlic touch. With grated garlic, the taste would be too strong.

Spices
Use a few simple spices: oregano, black pepper, and salt.

Spinach
You can use fresh or frozen spinach. This pasta with ricotta and spinach works perfectly with both. For frozen spinach, young spinach or baby spinach is the best. The leaves are small, and the sauce turns very smooth. Plus, with frozen spinach, it’s such an easy spinach pasta. It cooks in about 15 minutes, and you don’t need to prep it before you put it into the pan.
Want to use fresh spinach instead? It works too, but it is not as quick. Fresh baby spinach is the best choice here. Check the step-by-step above to see how to use it.

Tips

Want the most delicious pasta? Check the tips below.

• Salt your pasta water well. When the pot water starts to boil, add a generous amount of salt and then the pasta. This simple trick makes your pasta with spinach and ricotta cheese taste much better.
• Cut the onion into tiny pieces for the sauce. That way, it gives you great flavor, and you won’t notice the pieces in your sauce.
• Add the garlic, fry it quickly, and remove it. This gives the sauce a light garlic touch without a strong garlic taste.
• Want an extra quick pasta? Use frozen spinach. Frozen young spinach without any additives works best. It’s super easy, and you can make the sauce while the pasta is cooking.
• Don’t add a lot of spices. Too many spices overshadow the natural flavor of the pasta. We love the simple mix of fried onion, garlic, and basic spices. Season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
• Choose quality ricotta. It gives you a smooth, creamy ricotta spinach pasta sauce. Combined with spinach, the sauce tastes creamy, slightly earthy, and fresh. And you don’t need heavy cream.
• Don’t forget to save pasta water. By adding pasta water, you get the ideal sauce consistency. Not dry, but moist and full of flavor. Perfect to combine with pasta.

Which Pasta Is the Best?

Curious which pasta is best for ricotta spinach sauce? Let’s talk about it in detail.
We love to use tagliatelle. The ribbons coat so well in the sauce. They are broad and thick, and every bite feels so satisfying.
You can also use spaghetti. It’s not as broad as tagliatelle, but it still coats perfectly in the creamy sauce.
Penne pasta is another great choice. It’s firmer and more chewy than tagliatelle and spaghetti. Penne rigate works even better because the ridges hold the sauce so well.
These are our favorite choices, but you can use any pasta you have at hand. So choose any pasta you like, get cooking, and enjoy your spinach and ricotta pasta in no time!

What to Serve With It + More Recipes

Curious what to serve this pasta with? We’ve got a few simple ideas for toppings and sides. We also have lots of creamy pasta recipes you can make next. Check them below.

Sides and Toppings

• Seasoned breadcrumbs or pangrattato: perfect if you like a little crunch on your spinach ricotta pasta. If you want to add something special, grate some lemon zest into the breadcrumbs. It tastes so good with the creamy sauce. Lemon ricotta is such a delicious combo.
• Vegetarian grilled chicken or steak: if you want to add plant-based protein, serve some veggie pieces on the side.
• Add vegetables: sautéed green beans, zucchini, or asparagus work great on the side.

More Quick and Creamy Pasta Recipes

Ricotta and spinach pasta ready? Want more creamy pasta recipes? We’ve got plenty for you. Try these next:

• Gigi Hadid pasta – creamy with tomato paste, vodka, and Parmesan cheese.
• Creamy tomato pasta – a quick sauce with the best of both worlds: creamy and tomato.
• Sweet potato pasta – extra creamy feta cheese sauce with sweet potato.
• Cream sauce for pasta – simple ingredients and so quick.