Spaghetti with ricotta and spinach
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 594
- Carbohydrates g 73.2
- of which sugars g 6.5
- Protein g 27.1
- Fats g 21.5
- of which saturated fat g 10.5
- Fiber g 4.2
- Cholesterol mg 65
- Sodium mg 628
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Prep time: 10 min
- Cook time: 15 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Very low
PRESENTATION
Spaghetti with ricotta and spinach—it's one of those Italian dishes that really nails the whole "simple but delicious" vibe. Really good stuff. The combo of fresh spinach and creamy ricotta makes for a meal that’s both light and satisfying, with a bit of that rustic charm from whole wheat spaghetti. Folks all over Italy enjoy this spaghetti with ricotta and spinach because it brings together tender greens and that creamy cheese in such an easy way. And here's the thing: the slightly bitter taste of spinach? It just fits right in with the smoothness of the ricotta. So every bite is a little different—sometimes moist and cheesy, sometimes bright and fresh. Really, you can whip this up fast, and it feels kinda special, even on a random weeknight. Plus, being a vegetarian spaghetti recipe, it checks the box for healthy eating while still feeling like comfort food.
A lot of people love that this creamy spinach pasta doesn’t need fancy stuff to taste really really good. In different regions of Italy, you might see little changes, like a pinch of nutmeg or using local ricotta, but the basics pretty much stay the same—fresh spinach, good ricotta, and quality pasta. Mixing in whole wheat spaghetti gives the dish that bit of earthiness, which makes everything taste a little deeper and more homey. Since it’s quick, it shows up often for lunch or as a light dinner, especially in families that like healthy pasta dishes. And you know what? It’s great for anyone who wants a meal that's easy to make but still has some real flavor going on. The smooth cheese, golden pasta, and savory spinach just work together—seriously good—making this ricotta spinach pasta a go-to for people who love Italian food but don’t want to fuss with complicated recipes. There’s something pretty awesome about how this dish turns just a few simple things into something so rich and tasty. It makes you want to try more pasta with ricotta and spinach combos in the future. It is the kind of dish that really shows the beauty of Italian cooking.
You might also like:
- INGREDIENTS
- Whole wheat Spaghetti pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
- Spinach 13.3 cups (400 g)
- Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1 ¼ cup (300 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.5 oz (100 g) - grated
- Nutmeg 1 pinch
- Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g)
- Garlic 1 clove
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
How to prepare Spaghetti with ricotta and spinach
To prepare spaghetti with ricotta and spinach, start by putting water on the stove to boil the pasta, and when it comes to a boil, salt it to taste. Then begin by thoroughly washing the spinach, pat them dry with kitchen paper. In a large pan, pour the extra virgin olive oil and the whole peeled garlic clove 1. Let the garlic brown, then add the spinach 2 and cover with a lid 3; a few minutes of cooking will suffice.
This will result in soft spinach but not mushy. Then remove the garlic clove 4 and transfer the spinach to the tall glass of an immersion blender 5, then blend them 6. You should obtain a puree.
Transfer the puree to a large high-sided pan 7 and add the ricotta, keeping the heat very low 8, mix with a spatula to combine the ingredients 9.
Add pasta cooking water if necessary to make the dressing creamier, then cook for about 5 minutes over low heat and after the necessary time, add the grated cheese 10 and mix 11. Then flavor with nutmeg 12, salt, and pepper to taste.
In the meantime, cook the whole wheat spaghetti 13 and when they are al dente, transfer them to the pan with ricotta and spinach 14, then add a ladle of spaghetti cooking water to prevent the pasta starch from drying out the dressing too much 15.
Mix to flavor and combine the ingredients (16-17) and serve the spaghetti with ricotta and spinach as soon as they are ready 18!