Pasta al limone is a flavorful and beautiful Italian dish that is essentially a lemon-pasta. There are countless variations and we wanted to add one of our favorite creamy ingredients to the mix - ricotta cheese. This creamy Lemon Ricotta Caper Casarecce pasta dish is bright and has a gentle lemon flavor, but at the same time it is rich and satisfying. Using casarecce pasta allows the sauce to be captured in the pasta for a great bite every time. We also included artichokes instead of any meat or other protein and for artichoke lovers - that's even more flavor! The result is a dish for all four seasons that is sure to please, but is especially delicious during spring and summer!
Looking for more lemon pasta recipes? Try out our Shrimp Orecchiette with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce or Lobster Ravioli with Lemon Cream Sauce.
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Pasta al Limone
Pasta al limone (also referred to as a spaghetti al limone recipe), is a classic and simple Italian dish that was designed to be made with very few ingredients. However, as people become more progressive so does the food and classic dishes spawn so many variations. The original version of pasta al limone relied on lemon, butter, olive oil and pasta with a little pepper or other local seasoning. Cream and cheese (such as Parmesan cheese) are sometimes added depending on where you might be in Italy. You will find classic versions of Pasta al Limone along the Amalfi Coast of southern Italy where perfect lemons grow in abundance, making this is a very popular dish!
Now, there are many variations of pasta al limone, but the lemon remains as the must-have ingredient. You can find Italian versions with tuna, vegetables, cream and ricotta - like we did here. Lemon with pasta is a truly beautiful flavor, so enjoy this lemony pasta dish!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Bright and citrusy flavors combine with luxuriously creamy ricotta
- Very easy to make with easy to find ingredients.
- The artichoke hearts are substantial but not domineering for a terrific flavor with the lemon notes
- Capers add a nice briny flavor that complements the artichoke hearts
Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this recipe for lemon ricotta pasta
- Artichoke Hearts: We made it easy, using drained, canned artichoke hearts and amped up their flavor in a hot pan with some wine.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: We use extra virgin olive oil to gently sauté the artichoke hearts.
- Dry White Wine: A small amount of dry white wine is added to the artichokes, giving another dimension to their flavor
- Capers: We love a small amount of capers here as they complement everything else and give a briney pop to the dish
- Ricotta cheese: Fresh ricotta is whipped into a creamy texture, forming the base of the creamy, lemony sauce
- Lemon zest: The lemon zest provides a beautiful lemony flavor to the ricotta sauce and we add a little extra for garnish
- Fresh lemon juice: Also a very important part of the sauce to give it that bright lemon flavor
- White pepper: Very little white pepper is used in this dish, but it helps round out the flavor of the sauce. We prefer using white pepper in cream sauce to keep the color of the sauce as light as possible, but black pepper works here too.
- Nutmeg: It’s hard to resist a bit of nutmeg in a creamy sauce, even if you don’t notice it’s there!
- Sugar: A very small amount helps balance the acidity of the sauce
- Pasta: We used casarecce pasta because we love the mouthfeel of this shape and how it captures the sauce, but you could use any other dry pasta shape that you like in this dish. You could also make fresh pasta if you prefer!
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil is used for garnish, but it also pairs well with lemon flavors. Other fresh herbs like oregano or parsley work here as well.
- Parmesan cheese: We freshly grate some Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (parmesan cheese) onto the plated pasta for serving.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions
Here are a few common substitutions for the ingredients in this lemon pasta recipe:
- Pasta: Use spaghetti, linguine, or any long pasta, or use something tubed like penne, ziti, or rigatoni. No rules here, so use what you like
- Ricotta: If you wanted to use heavy cream in place of ricotta, you could certainly make a cream sauce out of this. Alternatively, you could omit it completely, making a less substantial but a more lemony sauce
- Artichoke Hearts: You could use fresh ones, but be sure to cook them first. You could also replace them with a vegetable of your choice, such as zucchini, or omit them as well.
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Casarecce
This delicious pasta dish is a very simple recipe, yielding a bunch of flavor that is super-satisfying. The artichokes are prepared first by draining them then drying with paper towels. Then we give them a quick pan-fry in a bit of olive oil and add some white wine to infuse flavor. The sauce takes no time to whip in a food processor and add to a pan. Everything is added to the pan before the pasta, which comes in at the end. The result is a delicious lemony, creamy pasta dish for an easy dinner!
Equipment
Here is what you need to make this simple dish
- Food processor to whip the ricotta and blend the sauce ingredients
- Large pot to boil the pasta
- Large pan to prepare the artichokes and, after, the rest of the sauce
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Halve, Drain, Dry and Season the Artichoke Hearts
- Remove the artichokes from the can and drain. Halve each artichoke heart and place cut-side down on paper towels for 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and season both sides with salt and pepper
Step 2: Pan-Fry the Artichoke Hearts
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the artichokes cut side down. Cook for about a minute, or until the artichokes just start turning golden brown. Turn the heat to medium and add the wine, cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated. Remove the artichokes to a plate and set aside. Wipe the pan clean and place back on the stovetop.
Step 3: Prepare the Capers
- Drain the capers from the brine they were packed in. Rinse with cold water briefly to remove some of the brine but do not soak in water. Set aside.
Step 4: Assemble the Sauce
- In a food processor, add the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, kosher salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and sugar. Process until the ricotta is creamy and smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Put the whipped ricotta cream mixture into a large pan on the stovetop.
Step 5: Cook the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add some kosher salt so the water tastes like the sea (2 tablespoon per 6-8 quarts of water). Add the dried pasta and cook to al dente (follow package directions for the cooking time). About halfway through, start heating the sauce on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce is hot but not bubbling - adjust the heat as needed. Once done, transfer the pasta from the pot to the pan with the sauce along with the artichokes and stir to thoroughly combine. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water. If the sauce sees too thick, add a little of the pasta cooking water to thin it out.
Step 5: Combine the Dish & Serve
- Combine the pasta and artichokes well with the sauce, then place portions in 4 individual plates or bowls. Serve with small basil leaves, parmesan cheese and extra lemon zest on top.
Variations
Here are a couple of ways to change up this recipe:
- Try even more lemons and reduce the amount of ricotta for an extra lemony flavor if that is what you like.
- Add a protein instead of artichokes. Grilled or sautéed boneless skinless chicken breasts are fantastic, sliced thinly. Or try sautéed shrimp for a great addition as well.
Storage
How to store leftover lemon pasta:
- This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
How to reheat lemon pasta?
- Gently reheat in a pan over low heat until warmed through. You may want to add a splash of water as you reheat it so it can loosen up the sauce.
Can you freeze leftover lemon pasta?
- Because of the use of ricotta that has been heated up, it is not advisable to freeze this dish as a leftover. The sauce will break down significantly and the texture will not be desirable.
Top tip
Briefly rinsing the capers is a way to reduce the caper-brine taste without sacrificing the flavor of the capers. If you like the flavor of the brine, you don’t have to rinse them but be careful of going too far with the salt additions.
Troubleshooting
This is quite easy to prepare, so you shouldn’t run into any issues. Just be sure not to overcook the pasta!!
What to Make with Lemon Ricotta Caper Casarecce
This is a complete dinner in itself as a main course, so you really don’t need much else. Although a nice side salad is always a good idea with our Fresh Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette (5-minute Salad Dressing).
This pasta can be a great side dish for a more substantial meal. Try it out with our Crispy Parmesan Crusted Baked Cod Recipe or Crunchy Chicken with White Wine Lemon Butter Sauce.
You can also serve this with an additional vegetable such as roasted asparagus, broccolini, or sautéed spinach.
What Wines Pair with Pasta al Limone
We love white wines with this pasta al limone recipe and three pair perfectly with the creamy, lemony sauce studded with artichokes. All three are Italian wines: Vermentino, Verdicchio and Italian Sauvignon Blancs. A Sauvignon Blanc from France, such as Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre are also great choices.
FAQ
Al limone means with lemon, so pasta al limone is simply lemon pasta!
Pasta al Limone is a lemon pasta dish with many variations! At it's base, this dish is simply pasta with a lemony flavor and can be made with olive oil or butter. Pasta al Limone can also have a creamy lemon sauce, and in this recipe we used ricotta cheese as the creamy base.
White wine is, of course, our preferred beverage with Pasta al Limone, especially this lemon ricotta and artichoke version! Our favorites are Vermentino, Verdicchio, and Sauvignon Blanc (from Italy or France).
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are our favorite meat/poultry/fish dishes to serve with pasta al limone:
📖 Recipe
Lemon Ricotta Caper Casarecce with Artichokes (Pasta al Limone)
Equipment
- 1 Large pan
Ingredients
- 1 can artichoke hearts (14-oz) packed in water
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 Tablespoon capers in brine
- 1 ½ cups 12 oz ricotta
- 2 Lemons, zested
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 12 ounces dried Casarecce (or either long or short tubed pasta)
- Basil leaves small, for garnish
- Lemon zest extra for garnish
Instructions
- Remove the artichokes from the can and drain. Halve each artichoke heart and place cut-side down on paper towels for 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and season both sides with ½ teaspoon of the salt and black pepper1 can artichoke hearts (14-oz)
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high to high heat in a large pan. Add the artichokes cut side down. Cook for about a minute, or until the artichokes just start browning. Turn the heat to medium and add the wine, cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated. Remove the artichokes to a plate and set aside. Wipe the pan clean and set on the stovetop.1 Tablespoon olive oil, ¼ cup dry white wine
- Drain the capers from the brine they were packed in. Rinse with cold water briefly to remove some of the brine but do not soak in water. Set aside.1 Tablespoon capers
- In a food processor, add the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and sugar. Process until the ricotta is creamy and smooth, scraping the sides as needed. Put the whipped ricotta cream mixture into a large pan on the stovetop.1 ½ cups 12 oz ricotta, 2 Lemons, zested, 1 Lemon, juiced, ½ teaspoon white pepper, Pinch nutmeg, ½ teaspoon sugar
- In a large pot of boiling water, add some kosher salt so the water tastes like the sea (2 tablespoon per 6-8 quarts of water). Add the pasta and cook to al dente (follow package directions). About halfway through, start heating the sauce on medium low, stirring occasionally until the sauce is hot but not bubbling - adjust the heat as needed. Once done, transfer the pasta from the pot to the pan with the sauce along with the artichokes and stir to thoroughly combine. If the sauce sees too thick, add a little of the starchy pasta cooking water to thin it out.12 ounces dried Casarecce
- Combine the pasta well with the sauce, then place portions in 4 individual plates or bowls. Serve with small basil leaves and extra lemon zest.Basil leaves, Lemon zest
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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