Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is a total life changer. . . Not really but darn it's good!!!!! We are really enjoying lemons lately. They're great with veggies, seafood, pasta, chicken, pork, drinks and so much more!!! The best part of a lemon..... EVERYTHING!! Well, except for the white part and the stem! 😀 I find the zest of lemon adds so much to every recipe. Oh, and don't forget about the lemon peel in a Martini. Soooo good!!

If you love lemon like we do this is the pasta dish to try. It's so easy and it will totally impress everyone. It's bright, light, and full of zesty lemony flavor. The mixture of ricotta and parmesan adds a nice creamy texture to this very fun dish. It's great to have as a weeknight family dinner or a sit-down evening guest.

How do I defrost frozen shrimp for this recipe?

The first thing is to defrost the shrimp and remove the shells. If you're like us, the shrimp are frozen. I mean who remembers to take the shrimp out of the freezer in the morning or the day before so they can slowly defrost in the fridge???? And if you do let them defrost slowly, for some reason, they get that shrimpy smell in the fridge for a few days. So, what we do, is put the frozen shrimp in a bowl. Cover them with warm water. They usually defrost in about 10 minutes.

After defrosting the shrimp remove the shells and they are ready to cook. If the shrimp have that shrimpy smell after they are defrosted follow these easy steps. 1. sprinkle one teaspoon salt on the shrimp. 2. gently stir the shrimp and salt for one minute. 3. rinse off the salt. 4. repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 for 2 more times. 5. they are ready to go and will not have that lovely shrimp smell. The best part, this process does not change the flavor of the shrimp. Actually, I think the shrimp taste better!!!! We found the shrimp is such a great addition to this lemon ricotta pasta, but it isn't a requirement, the pasta is great with chicken also!!! You can even leave it out for a meatless Monday staple.

What pasta is best?

We've found you can really use any pasta you like for this dish. We make this recipe with whole wheat and actually prefer it for this dish because of the extra bite. As far as long pasta vs. short: It can be done with either! Just make it easy and use what you already have on hand. We make it with linguine and also LOVE it with fusilli (like below). This recipe works with your favorite shape.

Now it's time to make the Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Ok, now it's time to make the dish. Get the pot of water ready to boil. Follow the directions on the box for cooking the pasta. While the water is heating up. Zest the lemon and set aside. Put ½ the juice of the lemon on the shrimp to lightly marinate. Set the other half aside. Grate the parmesan cheese. Get the spinach, ricotta, and wine measured out and ready. Once this starts to cook it goes very fast so it's a good idea to have everything measured in advance. Don't forget the red pepper flakes if using them. Also, get a measuring cup out to capture the pasta water.

I saw a tip the other day about capturing the pasta water that I thought was a great idea. They said if you are using a strainer for the pasta then place a measuring cup inside the strainer. So when it's time to drain the pasta you won't forget to capture some of the pasta water first. So often I forget the pasta water so this is a fun tip to help me always get some of that cooking water to add to the sauce.

Pasta water is boiling!

Don't forget to add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the water after it starts to boil. This helps season the pasta and really adds great flavor to the entire dish. While the pasta is cooking heat the olive oil and add the shrimp with the lemon juice, salt and red pepper flakes. Cook the shrimp until done about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan.

When the pasta is done add it to the pan used for cooking the shrimp and over medium heat, add in the wine, the rest of the lemon juice, and ½ cup of reserved pasta water. Stir.

In a bowl, mix the lemon zest with the ricotta. Add ¼ cup of hot reserved pasta water to the ricotta and stir well. This will keep the ricotta from curdling.

Add the ricotta mixture to the pasta and stir. Toss in the parmesan cheese and again stir to completely coat the pasta.

Add the spinach and toss until wilted.

Pour into a serving dish and top with the shrimp and more grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy the Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Shrimp!!!

Here are few other recipes you might enjoy:

• Lemon ricotta sauce with shrimp - Lemon ricotta sauce blends garlic, wine, lemon & ricotta to make a creamy sauce served over Pasta with shrimp.
• Shrimp pesto pasta salad - This Shrimp Pesto Pasta Salad is perfect for a picnic or cookout and comes together in a flash. Pesto and Ricotta cheese coat the pasta and shrimp. The cherry tomatoes and onion add a sweet crunch.
• Homemade pizza with pesto and ricotta sauce - Homemade Pizza with Tomato and Pesto Ricotta Sauce. This easy recipe combines creamy pesto with zippy tomato sauce for a gourmet pizza night at home.
• Lemon pasta with shrimp and spinach - Lemon Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach is zesty and creamy. Cottage cheese makes a creamy sauce that's perfect with a vibrant lemon flavor.
• Baked zucchini pesto pasta - A cheesy casserole that combines garlic, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes with pasta coated in a tangy pesto ricotta sauce.