This 1-pot lemon ricotta pasta is comforting, nutritious, and perfect at the end of a long day! With kale, garlic, lemon, and protein-rich vegan ricotta, it's a lazy vegan meal you can feel great about. Use any pasta you love, from whole-grain to gluten-free varieties. Ready in 25 minutes!
Sometimes all I want is a quick, easy pasta dish with plenty of garlic and a little tang from cheese and/or lemon. Toss in a green vegetable for good measure, and call it perfect!
Paired with the easiest, most delicious vegan tofu ricotta, this plant-based pasta recipe totally hits the spot. Garlic and lemon are the key flavors, with kale and tender pasta bringing texture.
With just 1 pot, 25 minutes, and a handful of ingredients you probably have on hand, dinner is on the table in no time.
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Ingredient Notes
- Vegan Ricotta - we really love this tofu ricotta because it's not only healthy and delicious, but ridiculously easy! It's made with firm tofu, plain non-dairy yogurt, lemon, and a few seasonings. You can also see it in action here in this vegan lasagna. If you're not into tofu, almond ricotta is a perfect sub.
- Pasta - I used a regular penne pasta but any variety you have on hand is perfect!
- Lemon - you'll need one lemon for the zest and juice.
- Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves, depending on their size.
- Kale - I used regular curly kale. Tuscan kale is also great. Try to find a large bunch so there's enough for pairing with an entire pound of pasta. Use two bunches of kale if they're small. Otherwise, don't fret too much about the exact amount.
See the recipe card below for quantities and printable recipe.
How to Make Vegan Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Here's the basic flow to show you how quickly this ricotta pasta comes together.
- Make a batch of this vegan ricotta cheese (5 minutes). Set aside. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions then drain.
- Return the empty pot to the stove. Saute the kale until wilted and dark green, about 6 minutes. Add lemon zest, garlic and a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper. Stirring frequently cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pot and toss with the kale.
- Add the ricotta and stir to combine. Taste and add lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm.
Substitutions
- Gluten-Free - any GF pasta you enjoy is perfect for this recipe.
- Nut-free - in the ricotta use soy, coconut, or oat yogurt. Make sure it's completely unflavored and unsweetened!
- Soy-free - instead of the tofu ricotta linked in the recipe, use this 2-ingredient almond ricotta.
- Kale - this dish is also great with spinach, broccoli, peas, and/or asparagus.
Batch Size
The recipe is written to use 16 ounces of pasta and a full batch of the homemade tofu ricotta.
If you prefer to make a half batch of lemon ricotta pasta (8 ounces of pasta), it's easiest to go ahead and prepare the full batch of vegan ricotta. Freeze half of it for later, or use the leftover ricotta in other dishes throughout the week.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish - top with vegan parmesan and chopped basil or parsley.
Salad - a side salad adds freshness to round out the meal. Dress it with our popular fat-free Italian dressing!
With oil - if you include oil in your diet, add even more richness and flavor to the finished pasta with a drizzle of olive oil.
RELATED: if you're a fan of pasta with lemon, try these next: Creamy Vegan Lemon Pasta, White Wine Pasta, and Lemon Garlic Casarecce Pasta!
Storage
Store leftover ricotta pasta in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Depending on the type of pasta you use, it may not stand up well to freezing.
More easy vegan dinners:
As always, I love hearing from you! If you try this quick vegan pasta with ricotta comment below to let us know!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Ricotta Pasta With Kale (Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 batch homemade tofu ricotta or 2 cups of your favorite ricotta - tap for recipe; ready in 5 min.
- 16 ounces dry penne pasta or other variety - use gluten-free or whole-grain as desired
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, optional, plus more for serving - for oil-free omit or use a splash of veg broth
- 1 large bunch kale, thick stems removed, chopped
- 4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium lemon
- salt and pepper
- red pepper flakes
For serving, optional:
- fresh parsley or basil
- vegan parmesan, homemade or store-bought - tap for recipe
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain in a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water to prevent sticking. Toss and let drain.
- Return the pot to the stove over medium heat. Add the oil, if using, and kale. Stirring frequently cook until dark green and softened, 6 or 7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Zest about half of the lemon into the pot. Add garlic and a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper. Stirring frequently cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the pot and toss with the kale. Add the ricotta and stir to combine. Taste and add lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper as desired.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and vegan parm, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Gluten-Free - any GF pasta you enjoy is perfect for this recipe.
- Nut-free - in the ricotta use soy, coconut, or oat yogurt. Make sure it's completely unflavored and unsweetened.
- Soy-free - instead of the tofu ricotta linked in the recipe, use this 2-ingredient almond ricotta.
- Kale - spinach, broccoli, peas, and/or asparagus
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Karen W
I need more nutritional information for this recipe. My spouse has kidney disease and diabetes. I need to know the sodium and potassium content for recipes. He is also supposed to monitor phosphorus but potassium is more important right now. This sounds like a great recipe especially with the substitutions you provide. Thanks.
Lori
Hi Karen,
Are you familiar with cronometer.com? That’s what I use to calculate basic nutrition info for the recipes.
Considering the specific needs you have I think you might find it very useful. It’s free to use (though they do have paid plans, too), and it provides extensive vitamin and mineral info. Entering the exact ingredients and amounts you use in a recipe will provide the most accurate numbers.
For recipes that call for a specific amount of salt, I often include that information. But for recipes like this one I feel it would be confusing or misleading since the amount of salt will vary. I hope that helps!
ShaunD
Hello yummy!! Easy, refreshing and DEElightful!!
I had some Rockin Ricotta in the freezer that needed to be used up. This recipe has an option to add basil which my ricotta already has in it. A perfect fit!!
Mary R.
This was such a quick, non-fussy and delicious meal! I made the tofu ricotta earlier in the day, so putting everything together at dinner time was a cinch. The lemon zest and juice really added a lot of fresh flavor to the dish. I also cleaned out my refrigerator by adding some leftover chickpeas and chopped tomatoes, but I did cut back on the amount of pasta a bit to compensate. Thanks, Lori, for a great recipe!
Lori
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Mary. Thank you for the feedback!