Creamy Lemon Rigatoni with Spinach
An easy vegetarian main course or side dish to any protein. You can also add shredded rotisserie chicken if desired.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rigatoni pasta (half a 16oz box) cooked to package instructions
- 1 1/2 cups full fat ricotta cheese
- 1 cup milk (you may need less)
- zest from one large lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 2-3 cups baby spinach
- sea salt or kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
- 1/4 cup Chopped roasted salted pistachios, walnuts or oine nuts
Instructions
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Place salted water in a large pot on high heat. Cook pasta to package directions. While waiting for water to boil prep ingredients.
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Measure out ricotta and milk and set aside, use a microplane to zest lemon, scraping the skin of the lemon until the white is exposed and then moving to a new area. Juice the lemon, grate Parmesan, set aside.
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When pasta is cooked al dente (you want the pasta firm, not overcooked), strain (do not rinse). In same pot, add ricotta and half the milk, heat on medium heat while stirring with a whisk. Add lemon zest, juice and garlic. Stir. Add parmesan, mix well. If you feel you need to thin out the sauce, add more milk until the sauce is the consistency you prefer. When sauce is warm add pasta and spinach, mix well, sprinkle generously with sea salt, freshly ground pepper and red pepper flakes (start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more if you like heat.)
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Pour into a bowl, top with nuts and more red pepper flakes if desired. Serve.