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A close up photo of Pasta with Zucchini and Ricotta in a black pot.
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Ricotta Pesto Pasta with Zucchini

This Ricotta Pesto Pasta is made with zucchini and is refreshing, flavorful, and easy to make. The red pepper flakes add a hint of heat with the lemon zest bringing in a balanced freshness to the dish. It's the perfect dinner. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 447kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion diced (about 1 3/4-2 cups)
  • 2 lbs zucchini sliced into 1/4" inch thick coins
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup basil pesto
  • 1 1/3 cup Ricotta
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 1 lb penne pasta

Instructions

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions to the butter and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the zucchini is somewhat soft (but not too soft!), about 8 minutes. Turn off the heat. 
  • While the zucchini is cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil, once boiling add about 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Cook the pasta until a tad under al dente. Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water. 
  • Add the pasta to the zucchini mixture. Stir to combine. 
  • Add ¾ cups of the reserved pasta water, ricotta, red pepper flakes, parmesan, pesto, and lemon. Turn heat to low and cook and stir until the pasta turns creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If you need to add more pasta water to the dish, do so. Serve immediately.

Notes

If you don’t have a fresh lemon, you can use lemon peel or a splash of lemon juice. 
Be sure to reserve at least a cup of the pasta cooking water to add a bit of creaminess to the pesto and ricotta mixture.  
Recipe Source: Adapted from NY Times Cooking

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 501mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 890IU | Vitamin C: 21.7mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 1.5mg