Why We Love This One-Pot Spinach Pasta with Ricotta
What’s not to love about a one pot meal? One pot, quick, easy, less clean up, less work, and all of the goodness of a homemade meal with love to spare! It is perfect for a weeknight meal! This One-Pot Spinach Ricotta Pasta is reminiscent of Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Shells, without all of the stuffing and the baking, and is considerably lighter and healthier. I love spinach in just about anything… Salads, cold dishes, hot dishes, stir-fry, even smoothies and muffins. However, spinach isn’t the only player in this dish. The crunchy walnuts, aromatic shallots, garlic, and nutmeg, not to mention the light creamy ricotta sauce, and the sweet tangy sun dried tomatoes make this One-Pot Spinach Ricotta Pasta recipe one I like to keep on hand. Made with vegetable broth and plenty of fresh veggies, this One-Pot Spinach Ricotta Pasta is a vegetarian meal. It is easily converted into a gluten-free dish as well, just by using gluten free pasta. So what are you waiting for? Lets go!
Ingredients You Need
Shallots & Garlic – starts to build flavor! Nutmeg – for a depth of flavor Vegetable Stock – for a vegetarian pasta, use vegetable stock. Pasta – I used trumpets, but you can use your favorite short pasta shape! Heavy Cream – for a creamy sauce Ricotta – adds flavor and texture to the sauce Spinach – use fresh baby spinach Sun-Dried Tomatoes – if packed in oil, drain well Walnuts – chopped walnuts add texture Salt & Black Pepper – to taste
How to Make Spinach Pasta with Ricotta
Prepare all of the ingredients for your One-Pot Spinach Ricotta Pasta before you start cooking. Any chopping, peeling, grating, or straining during the cooking process can throw your times off and could cause the pasta to be overcooked. Pro Tip! Remember to save the vegetable scraps in the freezer for your next batch of homemade vegetable stock. In an extra-large skillet or sauté pan on medium-low heat, sauté shallots and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add freshly ground nutmeg and sauté for 1 more minute. Next, pour in vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the pasta, cover, and cook to al dente. There should be plenty of liquid in the pot. Be careful not to overcook the pasta, or let the broth evaporate too much. You don’t want your One-Pot Spinach Ricotta Pasta to be dry or mushy. Finally, on low heat, gently stir in cream and ricotta cheese. Fold in the spinach, walnuts and sun dried tomatoes. Cook a couple more minutes until the spinach is wilted and all ingredients are heated. That’s it! Top it off with parmesan cheese to serve!
Tips & Tricks
Add extra vegetables! You can make this pasta exactly how you want! Some variations include adding mushrooms, zucchini or peas for added veggies! Use your favorite pasta shape. I like to use pasta shapes that have a hole that can pick up all the creamy sauce! But you can use anything, from spaghetti to penne pasta. To brighten up the flavor, serve with a squeeze of lemon juice from a lemon wedge! For added spice, add a few shakes of red pepper flakes to this pasta dish!
Serving Suggestions
This vegetarian spinach pasta with ricotta is perfectly delicious on its own! But you can serve it with a variety of side dishes or a protein of your choice, especially if feeding a crowd! Try serving it with:
Grilled Salmon Garlic Bread Baked Chicken Cutlets Grilled Corn Salad Breadsticks
Looking for More Easy Pasta Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta Chicken Picatta Pasta Greek Shrimp Pasta Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta Hearts of Palm Pasta
Share This Recipe With Friends!
