Pasta with Ricotta Cheese (Pasta con la Ricotta)
The cookbook Naples at Table by Arthur Schwartz features authentic, old-school Neopolitan recipes, and its pasta with ricotta cheese is one of my favorites. With tangy tomatoes, creamy ricotta, and sweet basil, this pasta is divine to dig into!
Money-Saving Tip: If you have extra Pecorino Romano on hand, try making linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic, classic Italian meatballs, or Italian peppers with olives and breadcrumbs.
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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 collection. This may be the first recipe I made from it, but it’s definitely the one I’ve made 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 make for dinner (especially if you have some marinara sauce already prepared), this is a definite option.
I think the only other thing worth mentioning here is that the cookbook recipe suggests adding freshly ground black pepper upon serving. Sure, 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 of it makes this dish even more dreamy.
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 maybe you get the idea.
Key Ingredients
- Canned Whole Tomatoes: I recommend whole tomatoes vs. diced tomatoes because I think they retain their flavor better.
- Whole-Milk Ricotta: Ensure you use whole-milk as it’s richer than part-skim and fat-free ricotta.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: This sharp Italian cheese is ideal for this recipe, but you can also use Parmigiano Reggiano if that’s your preference.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Pasta with Ricotta Cheese
- Make the sauce: Puree the whole tomatoes until smooth. In a pot, cook the onion and whole garlic cloves in the olive oil until the onion softens, and press the cloves into the oil to release their flavor. Pour in the tomatoes with the salt, pepper, and fresh basil. Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the whole garlic cloves.
- Cook the pasta: Boil it in a large pot of salted water until desired tenderness. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Prepare the ricotta: Blend the ricotta and Pecorino Romano in a small bowl with a fork. Add 1 cup of marinara sauce to it and stir everything together.
- Assemble the pasta: Toss the drained pasta with the ricotta mixture, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
- Finish: Ladle the pasta into bowls and garnish each one with more fresh basil, marinara sauce, and Pecorino.
Pro Tips
- Keep the ricotta mixture warm: 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 diced cubes of fresh mozzarella into the cooked pasta, which will melt as you toss everything together.
Recipe FAQs
You can keep this sauce’s creamy consistency by adding some pasta water to it when assembling the pasta. This will loosen the sauce and create added moisture. Reserve some extra pasta water if you go back for seconds, as the pasta will thicken as it sits.
You can sweeten bitter marinara sauce by adding white sugar to it. Start with a pinch, and if it still tastes bitter, add a little more.
Storage
Refrigerator
Refrigerate in an airtight container and consume within 3 days.
Freezer
I don’t recommend freezing this pasta because it could turn mushy upon reheating.
Reheat
Reheat in the oven, covered and at maximum 350F, until warmed through. You can also microwave in a microwave-safe dish, covered.
More Pasta Recipes
- Linguine aglio e olio with roasted garlic
- Linguine with clams, anchovies, and breadcrumbs
- Italian sausage and peppers
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please take a moment to leave a five-star review below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Pasta with Ricotta Cheese (Pasta con la Ricotta)
Ingredients
For the Marinara Sauce
- 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup yellow onion peeled and minced
- 2 whole garlic cloves peeled and lightly smashed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper freshly ground
- ½ tablespoon fresh basil torn
For the Pasta
- 16 ounces pasta (Note 1)
- 1 and ½ cups ricotta cheese whole-milk
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese (Note 2)
- 1 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- 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.1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup peeled and minced yellow onion, 2 peeled and lightly smashed whole garlic cloves
- Carefully pour in the tomatoes with the salt, pepper, and basil. 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.½ teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, ½ tablespoon fresh basil
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to instructions or taste for desired tenderness.16 ounces pasta
- Use a fork to blend the ricotta and Pecorino in a small bowl. Add the marinara sauce and stir everything together.1 and ½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese, ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, 1 cup marinara sauce
- 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!
