If you’ve ever tried whipped ricotta toast, you know how it can make even the simplest dish taste amazing. Well, the same magic happens with pasta too! Whipped ricotta takes your pasta game to a whole new level, especially when it’s paired with a delicious sun-dried tomato sauce and spinach, like we did here. This dish combines the richness of Alfredo sauce with the tanginess of marinara, creating a flavor explosion you won’t forget.
To get that smooth, glossy sauce coating your rigatoni, we whipped our ricotta in a food processor until it was super creamy. You can also use a blender if that’s what you have. Just make sure your ricotta is cold and use your best olive oil for the richest flavor.
Don’t have fancy kitchen gadgets? No problem! You can still enjoy this creamy pasta by whisking the ricotta ingredients together until smooth. It’ll have a bit more texture, but it’ll still taste amazing!
Whipped Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- Salt
- 12 oz. rigatoni
- 1 8.5-oz. jar julienned oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (reserve 3 tbsp. oil)
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 3/4 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 15-oz. container whole-milk ricotta
- 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 5-oz. package baby spinach
- Grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta water.
- In a skillet, cook sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper in tomato oil until fragrant.
- Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt, then simmer until thickened.
- In a food processor or blender, combine ricotta, lemon zest, salt, and olive oil until smooth.
- Add pasta, reserved water, and spinach to the skillet, cooking until coated in sauce.
- Serve with dollops of ricotta and Parmesan on top. Enjoy!