This easy baked lemon ricotta pasta takes just 20 minutes to put together and has a wonderfully bright flavor from the lemon juice and zest. It's easy enough for a weeknight but delicious enough for company!
You can use any type of noodle you've got on hand. Our favorites are lasagna noodles, as seen in our images, and ziti noodles. But any type will work, so use up that pasta that's been hanging out in your cupboard!
We love to serve this easy lemon ricotta pasta with a good crusty bread and a simple side salad. This stuffed garlic bread is a real treat and a wedge salad is always a popular choice. Or simply serve it on its own with a nice glass of wine!
This dish is also a favorite of ours to use in our freezer cubes. You can layer it before or after baking, then simply bake it in individual servings as needed. It's great for busy nights when everyone's on different schedules, or for anyone who lives alone and doesn't want to be eating the same leftovers for days on end. (For more ideas, join our Freezer Cubes subreddit!)
Ingredients
This baked lemon ricotta pasta has a lot of flavor despite the short ingredient list. It comes together quickly!
- Ricotta cheese (whole milk is best but low-fat will do the trick)
- 1 lemon (zested and juiced)
- Italian sausage
- Onion & garlic (omit these for an even easier recipe - it will still be delicious!)
- Pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- Dried pasta, such as lasagna, ziti, etc.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- The first thing you'll need to do is make the lemon ricotta, which is simply mixing together the ricotta cheese with lemon juice and zest, then adding some salt and pepper.
- Next you'll cook the pasta just until it's al dente (it will cook more in the oven) and set it aside.
- Now cook the Italian sausage, onions, and garlic, then stir in the pasta sauce.
- Putting it all together is the next step. Layer a third of the pasta sauce, then half of the pasta, half of the ricotta, then repeat. End with the remaining pasta sauce, then top it all with the mozzarella and parmesan.
- Now just bake it until it's hot and bubbling!
Variations
- Try ground turkey or chicken sausage for a lighter version.
- Try adding some fresh spinach if you'd like to get your greens in.
- For a vegetarian version, you can swap the sausage for mushrooms or a mix of bell peppers and zucchini. Spinach is also a great choice.
- Add shredded provolone or fontina with the mozzarella, or mix a little pecorino into the ricotta.
- If you prefer creamy sauces, you can add a little cream to the pasta sauce before assembling.
- Fresh basil, parsley, oregano, or thyme can be mixed into the ricotta or sprinkled over the top before baking.
- Add some crushed red pepper to the pasta sauce if you like it spicy. You can also use spicy Italian sausage.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store any leftover lemon ricotta pasta in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or cover the baking dish with foil and heat in a 325°F oven for approximately 30 minutes or until it's hot and bubbling.
Make-Ahead
- Make-ahead (unbaked): Assemble the casserole completely, cover it tightly with foil or a fitted lid, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Bake it as directed, adding about 10-15 minutes if it goes into the oven straight from the fridge.
- Make-ahead (baked): Bake the casserole fully, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat at 325°F until it's hot and bubbling.
Freezing
- Freeze the whole casserole (unbaked): Assemble the entire dish in a freezer-safe, tightly wrapped baking dish. Cover it first with plastic wrap, then with a layer of foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed above.
- Freeze the whole casserole (baked): Let the cooked casserole cool completely, then wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat it at 325°F as directed above.
- Freezer Cubes: Assemble the ingredients directly into the freezer cubes and freeze them unbaked, or portion the fully cooked casserole into the cubes once it has cooled. Press down gently so the pasta and sauce settle evenly, then freeze the cubes until they're solid (8 hours or overnight). Pop out the frozen blocks, transfer them to a freezer bag, and label it with the name and date. They keep well for 2-3 months. Bake from frozen in a small covered baking dish (45 minutes for 1-cup servings or 1 hour 15 minutes for 2-cup servings).
Related Recipes
Looking for more easy freezer recipes? Try these:
Baked Lemon Ricotta Pasta
This easy pasta recipe has a creamy lemon ricotta paired with Italian sausage and a blend of two cheeses. It's a perfect weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- Zest from one lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 16 ounces ground Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 36 ounces pasta sauce, divided
- 12 ounces dried pasta, such as lasagna, ziti, etc.
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper. Mix it until it's thoroughly combined and set it aside.
- Boil a pot of water and season with 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the uncooked pasta and cook it just until it's al dente, according to box instructions. Set it aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the Italian sausage and cook it until almost no pink remains. Add the onions and garlic and cook for another few minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened. Stir in the pasta sauce and remove it from the heat.
- In a lightly greased casserole dish, add a layer of pasta sauce (just enough to coat the bottom) then a layer of the cooked pasta.
- Spoon about half of the ricotta mixture over the top of the pasta. Then, spread the sausage over the ricotta.
- Add another layer of pasta sauce, then cooked pasta, then layer the last of the ricotta.
- Layer the rest of the pasta sauce and top with mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until it's bubbling hot and has a nice golden crust.
Notes
You can also use shredded Parmesan cheese, it will just have a crunchier top
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 821Total Fat: 58gSaturated Fat: 29gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 2166mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 47g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
She is also a professional food photographer who specializes in editorial, portrait food photography and styling.
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