Next Post
Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
The creamiest, easiest, one pot Lemon Butter Ricotta and Zucchini Pasta…our perfect bowl of summertime comfort food. This simple zucchini pasta is made in under 30 minutes, uses just one pot, and is a great way to use up that summertime zucchini. It’s creamy, garlicky, packed with zucchini, and finished with fresh thyme and basil. The perfect cozy summer dinner, or easy side, any night of the week. Everyone in the house will enjoy this dish, veggies and all!
Sometimes I set out to create recipes and I am so excited about them. But then sadly, the outcome just isn’t quite what I had pictured in my head. Most of the time the photos I paint in my head are far too pretty and perfect than what I could ever actually create. They’re probably a little unrealistic too, but I always strive to match that vision the best I can.
But this time…I really didn’t have a good picture in my head. So I went into this recipe with pretty low expectations. And somehow…it ended up being my favorite recipe of the week.
The details are simple…hello to a one pot recipe!
This isn’t my first one pot recipe, but it’s truly one of my easiest…and personally one of my favorites.
It’s summery and simple, but cozy and delicious too.
Here’s how this goes. Find yourself a nice big pot that can fit your pasta and lots of zucchini. Now melt together some butter, shallots, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest. I also like to add a nice pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of spiciness.
The trick is to cook the butter until it just begins to brown and smell nutty. Then the shallots soften, the thyme becomes fragrant, and the lemon and chili flakes infuse their flavor into the butter. And just like that, the kitchen is already smelling amazing.
From here, the rest is really so easy.
Stir in your favorite short-cut pasta, then lots of grated zucchini, and broth. Bring the broth to a boil and cook until the pasta becomes al dente. Next, add the creamy ricotta, some fontina or gouda cheese, and tons of fresh basil.
As you’re stirring, smells of lemon, garlic, thyme, and basil will quickly hit your nose.
It’s wonderful.
I serve this up right out of the pot with fresh thyme, basil, and chili flakes. This dish would also be great with some added texture. Try using any type of toasted nuts or seeds. I love salted pistachios…and roasted walnuts or salted pepitas would also be great.
It’s best to eat this pasta immediately. It’s meant to be on the creamy/almost soupy side, with lots and lots of creamy sauce. The pasta will soak up the broth up if it sits too long, so enjoy it right away…it will be just perfect.
Oh, and leftovers are great too!
This is a good way to get in your vegetables and use up all the zucchini you have. Plus, because the zucchini is grated, kids barely even notice it’s there.
And well, that’s that, told ya it’s simple!
Looking for other one pot recipes? Here are some favorites:
One Pot Melty Burrata Lemon Pesto Pasta
Creamy Penne Alfredo with Spicy Arugula
One Pot Spicy Alla Vodka Pizza Pasta
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Lemon Butter Ricotta and Zucchini Pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Lemon Butter Ricotta and Zucchini Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 844 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- red pepper flakes
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 2 zucchini or yellow summer squash, grated (about 2 to 2 1/2 cups grated)
- 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded gouda or fontina cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot set over medium heat, melt together the butter, shallot, garlic, thyme, lemon zest and a big pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until the butter is browning and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pasta and toss to coat in the lemony butter. Stir in the zucchini and broth. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer 5-8 minutes until the pasta is al dente, stirring often.3. Stir in the ricotta, fontina, and basil. Cook another few minutes until very creamy and the basil is wilted. It should be creamy, but with just a touch of liquid.4. Divide the pasta among bowls and top with fresh thyme, basil, and chili flakes. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
For extra texture and flavor, try using any type of toasted nuts or seeds. I love salted pistachios, roasted walnuts, and salted pepitas!
Made this tonight but vegan – subbed with homemade cashew ricotta. It was the perfect addition to our “summer pasta Friday” rotation, and used all the yellow zucchini, basil, and thyme from our garden.
love that you continue to stick with dairy (and meat) in all your recipes, cause it makes it more creative and fun for myself to adapt!
Thanks so much Janine! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you making it:) xT
Thanks for this one! Very fresh and delicious. Easy to make. Used ricotta and sharp cheddar and the sauce was perfect. Mmmmm.
Just finished this for dinner. I used cottage cheese since we didn’t have ricotta. Added some roasted cherry tomatoes I made and some spinach. Delicious. Will definitely make again.
Hi Arna,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great weekend:)
Outstanding recipe. The whole family loved it. Cheesy, but light. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Hi Laura,
Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great weekend:)
My sauce split for some reason when I added the ricotta! Any thoughts on why that would happen?
Bout to make it right now… let ya know my results
Hi Rachel,
So sorry to hear this!! Was your ricotta at room temp? That really helps to avoid any issues with this dish! Let me know how I can help! xx
Popped over to make this from Instagram and it is a new fav! I am gluten free so I used GF noodles but other than that followed as is and it is PERFECT! Can’t wait to make many more times!
Thanks so much Sammi Jo!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you making it! Happy Friday!
Making tonight! But I have neither of those cheeses. 🙁 Would mozzarella work ok?
Hi Rebecca,
You could use mozzarella in place of the gouda, but you really want to use the ricotta here:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Haven Made this yet,but would like to make and freeze for a later date.Would that be ok to do
Hi Mary,
This wouldn’t be a top pick of mine to freeze:) I think you would lose the integrity of the sauce. Let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
I would definitely make this again. Despite my trip to the grocery store, I forgot items! So i had to use dried thyme and lemon juice. Also from experience, I know my family won’t eat an entire pound of pasta, so I only used 2.5 cups of dried mini bow tie noodles (and it was plenty!). I added ground sausage that I had already cooked.
I loved how quickly it came together and that I was eating veggies and not knowing it. My five year old really liked it too! Cooking the noodles to al dente is key to make sure your noodles are not mushy. I really loved everything about this.
Hey Megan,
Fantastic!!🍒🍉 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! xx
Divine
Thanks so much Mary!!
This dish was really tasty! For those who can’t eat gluten, this worked well with gluten-free noodles. Like other commenters, I had to add a little extra broth and water to get the noodles to the right consistency. But overall this was a hit!
Hi Brian,
Happy Friday!! I’m thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it and your comment!😎🍑 xx
This dish was delicious! The lemon butter ricotta sauce was chefs kiss! My only thing was the pasta took longer to cook and I needed to add some water and some were still too firm. I may be better off cooking the pasta separate. Would I still need to cook the other ingredients for 5-8 min after the butter browns/garlic becomes fragrant if I’m cooking the pasta separately?
Hi Keri,
Amazing!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was tasty for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Nope, you could skip that step:) 🥑🥝 xT
We love this recipe – I’ve made it many times for the family and it’s delicious! I love that I can sneak in some veggies into the kids dinner this way. My only small critique is the time estimate- I do not think the average home cook can prep all those ingredients in 10 minutes, unless I’m significantly below average which I suppose is a possibility.
Hey Cathy,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
Made this for dinner tonight and it turned out perfect. Halved the recipe since it’s just my hubby and I. We both loved it. I loved how easy and quick it is too. I added a bit extra ricotta because, why not? Lol. I love that it’s veg. Next time I’m going to sauté up some mushrooms and toss them in at the end. Thanks for another delicious recipe. 😁
Hi Daniella,
Fantastic!!🌻 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Delicious! We served it to friends and I even had the leftovers for breakfast it was just that good.
Hey Brooke,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! xT
Was delish! followed everything and will be making again. Tieghan you did it for me again!
Hey Ilene,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was tasty! xx