One of the most frequent requests I get from my students at the cooking school is for ideas for easy, weeknight dinners. The kind of meal that you want for those busy evenings that do not allow for much time spent over the stove. This easy one-pot pasta with Ricotta and mushrooms dish often comes to mind, because you can put it together in just half an hour!
This simple pasta dish is not only delicious, but also very versatile, as the added ingredients can change with the season. The base of the dish is creamy Ricotta cheese which goes so well with the bright flavor of lemon zest. In this fall version of the recipe, I pair it with Cremini mushrooms, which add body and an earthy dimension to the dish.
Ingredients for the Easy One-Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Mushrooms
Easy, every-day ingredients are part of this recipe and most of them interchangeable, depending on what you have and what the season is.
- Pasta: I used “campanelle” shaped pasta (“bellflowers”), which go well with thick, vegetable-based sauces, but farfalle, seashells, orecchiette or similar, short-shape pasta are great choices.
- Ricotta: Use full-fat Ricotta cheese and choose a good brand. It should be creamy, velvety and not grainy. If you have the time, you can also make your own. Here is a useful review of store-bought Ricotta from America’s Test Kitchen .
- Mushrooms: They are a great addition for the fall season. I used Cremini mushrooms here, but mixed mushrooms would also be wonderful. Try this dish with peas in the spring, or, cubed zucchini at summer time.
- Garlic: A shallot would also go well, if you do not have garlic.
About Ricotta:
Good Ricotta is essential for this simple dish. Making your own takes only a few minutes of “hands-on” time and it is a fun weekend project! Homemade Ricotta simply cannot be compared to the prepackaged, often grainy stuff you buy at the supermarket which are often filled with thickeners and stabilizers. If you want to learn how to make your own, check out my easy recipe here!
Possible Additions:
- Keeping it vegetarian: Even though this pasta dish is delicious and very filling on its own, there are ways to make it even more substantial. Besides the sautéed mushrooms, you could also stir in another favorite, cooked seasonal vegetable or two.
- For the meat lovers: If you have some leftover rotisserie chicken or cooked sausage, either one can be easily added to the mushrooms and heated through just before adding the pasta and Ricotta sauce.
Four Tips for the Perfect Pasta with Ricotta and Mushroom Dish:
- Use full fat Ricotta for the richest flavor
- Season generously, as you go and also just before serving, in order to bring out the flavors of the dish
- Do not forget to save the cooking water to loosen up the Ricotta sauce, if and as needed.
- Serve at once when it is ready. The more this stays in the pot, the more it will absorb the sauce and become dry! As the Italians say, “La pasta non aspetta!” (Pasta does not wait!)
If you have a package of mushrooms in your refrigerator and some leftover Ricotta in your cheese drawer, I hope you will feel inspired to try this easy pasta dish when you are looking for a quick weeknight recipe. You will not be disappointed!
- ½ pack (8 oz.) short shaped pasta
- 6 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 8 oz. Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ¾ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ cup full fat Ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (or, Grana Padano cheese), grated and packed
- 1 lemon – zest only
- ¼ TBSP. fresh parsley, minced
- --- more Parmigiano Reggiano cheese for serving
- --- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Bring water to a boil in a medium, wide-mouth pot. Once it is boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water and stir in the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, checking two-three minutes before the cooking time on the package says that it is ready.
- While the pasta cooks, clean and slice the mushrooms, mince the garlic, and set both aside.
- When the pasta is ready, reserve one cup of hot cooking water and drain the pasta. Empty the hot pasta into a bowl and toss with two TBSP. of the olive oil.
- Without washing the pot, return it to the stove and, over medium heat, add the sliced mushrooms. Dry-sauté for a few minutes stirring frequently, to allow the moisture of the mushrooms to evaporate. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and continue cooking until the mushrooms are golden brown. Two minutes before the mushrooms are done, stir in the garlic and season it with salt, pepper, and the red pepper flakes (if using) then cook until soft.
- While the mushrooms cook, start preparing the Ricotta cheese sauce. In a small bowl, blend the Ricotta and Parmigiano cheeses with the lemon zest. Set aside.
- When the mushrooms are done, return the cooked pasta and ½ cup of the reserved water to the pot and stir to combine. Remove the pot from the heat then stir in the cheese mixture and the fresh parsley. Give it another good mix and, if it looks dry, add some more of the cooking water to loosen up the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve at once with some more Parmigiano and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
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