This recipe comes from the cookbook Naples at Table by Arthur Schwartz. It features authentic, old-school Neopolitan recipes, and this pasta with ricotta cheese is one of my favorites. With tangy tomatoes, creamy ricotta, and sweet basil, this pasta dish is a delight to dig into!

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Pasta with Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese. So creamy. So dreamy. And because of its mild flavor, it makes a great addition to many foods, especially pasta. This recipe for pasta with ricotta cheese comes from the cookbook Naples at Table, which I bought in the early aughts and is still part of my cookbook collection. This might be the first recipe I made from the book and the one I’ve made the most.

The only deviation I make from the original is adding a little more ricotta (because why not?) and using one of my marinara sauce recipes instead of referring to the one in the cookbook. If you’re looking for something easy to cook for dinner (especially if you have some marinara sauce already prepared), this is worth making.

I think the only other thing worth mentioning here is that the cookbook recipe suggests adding freshly ground black pepper upon serving. OK, ground black pepper is nothing revolutionary, but I always do it here. For some reason (maybe it’s the contrast with the sweet ricotta, tomatoes, and basil), a generous sprinkling makes this dish even more delectable.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Canned Whole Tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Yellow Onion
Fresh Garlic
Fresh Basil
Pasta
Whole-Milk Ricotta
Pecorino Romano Cheese

Why You’ll Love This Pasta with Ricotta Cheese

It’s comfort food: But when is creamy pasta not comfort food?

It doesn’t require many ingredients: That makes it a relatively quick and easy meal for weeknight dinners.

It’s like a dressed-down, no-frills baked ziti: Maybe I’m stretching things a bit here, but you get the idea.

Pro Tips

Keep the ricotta mixture warm: When the pasta is just about finished cooking and you reserve some pasta water, you’ll want to mix together the ricotta, Pecorino, and marinara sauce per the recipe instructions. Reserve the pasta water in a sturdy glass measuring cup, stir the cheeses and marinara sauce in a small bowl, and place the bowl on top of the measuring cup. The heat from the pasta water will keep the mixture warm until you’re ready to use it.

Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions

Use your favorite pre-made marinara sauce if you don’t want to make it from scratch.
Add red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Toss some cut cubes of fresh mozzarella into the cooked pasta, which will melt as you toss everything together. It will also move this pasta dish one step closer to legit baked ziti, minus the baking part 🙂

Leftovers

Refrigerate in an airtight container, and consume within three days. I don’t recommend freezing this pasta because it could turn mushy when you reheat it.

For more Italian favorites, try the following recipes:

Pasta with Ricotta Cheese (Pasta con la Ricotta)

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Servings servings

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Ingredients

For the Marinara Sauce

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
3 whole garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed
Fresh basil

For the Pasta

16 ounces pasta (preferably a short, sturdy pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, or orecchiette)
1 and 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
2 cups marinara sauce, divided (use your own or the recipe above)

Instructions

Heat up your premade marinara sauce or make from scratch per the instructions below.
Using a blender or food processor, puree the whole tomatoes until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot, then add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, and gently press the garlic cloves into the olive oil to release their flavor.
Carefully pour in the tomatoes along with a few torn pieces of fresh basil and salt and pepper to taste. Taste the tomatoes after they have been simmering a bit; if they're bitter, add a pinch of sugar to help sweeten them. The basil should also help. Simmer the sauce on low heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Turn off the heat, and remove the whole garlic cloves from the sauce.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to instructions or taste for desired tenderness.
Use a fork to blend the ricotta and Pecorino in a small bowl. Add 1 cup of the marinara sauce and stir everything together.
Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta (Don't worry about shaking too much excess water out, as you'll need to add some back in.) Toss the drained pasta with the ricotta, Pecorino, and marinara mixture, ensuring the sauce coats the pasta evenly. Add a splash of reserved pasta water as you stir to loosen the sauce and give the pasta a creamy consistency. Pour in a little at a time instead of too much at once.
Ladle the pasta into bowls and garnish each with more fresh torn basil, marinara sauce, and Pecorino Romano. Grind more freshly ground black pepper on top. Dig in!

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