Pea Ricotta Pasta Mint (Printable)

Light Italian dish with tender peas, creamy ricotta, fresh mint, and pasta for a fresh meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz short pasta such as penne, fusilli, or orecchiette
02 - Salt for pasta water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 2/3 cups fresh or frozen peas
04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
05 - Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
07 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

→ Herbs and Seasonings

08 - 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the peas and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, slightly longer if using frozen peas, until bright and just tender.
04 - Add the drained pasta to the pan with the peas. Toss to combine.
05 - Remove from the heat. Stir in the ricotta, lemon zest, Parmesan, and half of the chopped mint. Add enough reserved pasta water to create a creamy sauce that coats the pasta.
06 - Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Divide among plates and sprinkle with the remaining mint and extra Parmesan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 25 minutes, which means weeknight dinners feel effortless and elegant at the same time.
  • The ricotta creates a silky sauce without heavy cream, so it's light enough to eat without guilt but rich enough to feel indulgent.
  • Fresh mint transforms everything—it's like adding a whole new dimension of flavor that nobody expects from pasta.
02 -
  • Cold ricotta clumps instead of melting into the sauce, so always bring it to room temperature before adding it to the hot pasta.
  • The pasta water is your actual ingredient here—it transforms ricotta and cheese into a proper sauce, so don't feel wasteful reserving that full cup.
  • Mint added after cooking stays bright and fresh, while mint cooked into heat becomes muted and loses its personality.
03 -
  • Use a zester or the small holes on a box grater for lemon zest rather than a knife, because you want tiny fragrant pieces, not big chunks.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it—if it's not salty enough, your whole dish will taste flat no matter what else you do.
  • Keep the pan off heat when you add ricotta so it stays creamy and doesn't scramble or separate into grainy bits.
Go Back