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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.
Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Small shallot
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Lemon zest
- Red pepper flakes
- Short cut pasta
- Zucchini or yellow summer squash
- Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- While milk ricotta cheese
- Shredded gouda or fontina cheese
- Fresh basil, roughly chopped
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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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!
This post was originally published on July 29, 2021
Would I be able to add some broccoli florets to this recipe in addition to the zucchini, and if so should I wait to add it later so it doesn’t get to limp? Or do you have a similar recipe using just broccoli? I made this recipe with just zucchini and it was outstanding, my husband requests it all the time!!
Thanks so much, Lisa! Sure, you could add some broccoli, I would add it with the zucchini. Let me know how it turns out!
I loved this and my family too 🙂
I wanted more veggies, so I used 3 zucchini and only had dry thyme.
Definitely a keeper!
Hey PJ,
Awesome! I’m so glad to hear this recipe was a hit with your family, thanks a bunch for making it!
Great recipe! I added some light cream to increase the creamy sauce for guests. High praise from them. Was fabulous the next day too.
Hi there,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win! Have the best weekend:)
Very tasty even with tweaks, love the lemon / thyme / milky ricotta combo.
1/2 batch
Leek instead of shallot
3 cloves garlic
Kept full zucchini & ricotta amounts
Parm instead of gouda / fontina
No basil 🙁
Hey Victoria, Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Made this last night. It’s a keeper!
Thank you SO much Cindi! Happy to hear this recipe is a keeper for you! 🙂 xT
Delicious! A few subs i made for higher protein in case anyone else is trying to do that – goodles noodles, bone broth in place of chicken stock and cottage cheese in place of ricotta. Added parm and feta instead of the other cheese just as a taste preference. So tasty and so easy! My son loved it and even my husband who doesn’t like pasta liked it!
Hi there! Thank you so so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed this pasta, and I love the swaps you made! 🙂 xT
This recipe was amazing! And so simple! My 7 year old helped and basically did it all with a bit of help but a great learning recipe. Perfect for summer and quick for busy evenings. I used protein pasta. I also baked some seasoned chicken breast in strips and threw them on top( just threw the chicken in the oven while the pasta was cooking)
Looking forward to trying more recipes.
Hey Michelle,
Yay! Thank you so much for trying this dish and your comment, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! Have the best week!
Great summer dish! In lieu of nuts, added fresh corn at the end of cooking. Will definitely be making this again.
Hi Mary,
Happy Monday!! I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks a lot for making it!
Amazing…not surprising though as every recipe I have made of yours is. Fresh squash from my garden added a nice touch. Thank you for all your amazing recipes. Every Saturday is a “Test Kitchen” night with our friends and I make your recipes, everything is always a keeper!
Hey Karen,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Summer!
After finishing his plate my nine year old said “That was delicious.” Then went back for seconds. My 11 year old told me yesterday he HATES zucchini. He had no clue it was in the pasta and ate it all and said it was good. I’ll be making this again! Thank you!
Hey Tara,
Fantastic!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, I appreciate you making it! xx
Delicious!! Family went back for seconds. I didn’t have any issues with the ricotta separating. I did have it at room temp like you suggested in comments below. Loved tasting the fresh basil in the dish.
Hey Liz,
Fantastic!! Love to hear this recipe was a winner, I appreciate you making it! xx
Wow! I was searching for some meatless meals to make for my lunch since I’m trying to cut back on meat a bit to eat healthier. This was so easy and has amazing flavor! My son kept coming by and trying to eat it out of the pot. 🙂 Thanks for such a great recipe, I’ll be trying some of your others too!
Hey Kelly,
Awesome! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best week:)
The flavor of this pasta was loved by all in my household, however, my sauce didn’t emulsify the way yours did. When I added the ricotta it kind of separated… I only had part-skim ricotta on hand so that’s what I used… not sure if that was my cardinal mistake or if there was still a little too much broth? You mentioned the sauce should come out a little “soupy” so I didn’t think that would be a big deal. Any suggestions to avoid the separation happening again?
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe!! Next time, I would try the whole milk ricotta and then make sure it is at room temp, that should help! xx
This unfortunately missed the mark for me. I had the instinct to make the sauce separately from cooking the pasta, and I wish I’d followed that instinct. The sauce ended up too watery, and the cheese didn’t emulsify into the liquid, leaving it with stringy bits of cheese in a too-watery sauce. The flavors were good, but texturally this didn’t work for me.
Hi Alie,
Thanks for trying this dish and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
I want to make this recipe for dinner party along with an easy salmon dish. Which recipe would you recommend? I also have all of your cook books if you want to choose one in there. LOL THANK YOU!
Hi Jenn,
Here are some ideas for you:
https://fett-weg.today/creamy-spinach-and-artichoke-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/greek-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/lemon-parmesan-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/parchment-baked-roasted-red-pepper-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
OMG It TOTALLY helps!!! Everything looks SO yummy and NOW I CANNOT DECIDE!!!! Thank you!
So I made this for my dinner party, along with the crockpot tuscan white bean and lemon soup (the carrots didn’t cook through – I kept it on low for 5 hours. Any reason why?). Everyone was BLOWN away. I was prepping and cooking for 5 hours. I couldn’t feel my legs, but I was so PROUD! I have to add that my dinner party was a family whose home I frequent for holidays and the wife is a fireball in the kitchen. She cooks multiple entrees and sides for each meal. I don’t know how she does it. She asked for my recipes!!!! YAY!!! THANK YOU for the recommendations!
I would love to ask for another recommendation. I have 3 frozen pieces of fresh caught Alaskan Halibut. Can you recommend a recipe I can use the halibut with? I searched halibut and nothing came up. Also, how would I change the cooking time for the halibut?
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday!! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed:) Here are some recipes that I think the halibut would work nicely with:
https://fett-weg.today/garlic-butter-baked-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/parchment-baked-roasted-red-pepper-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/creamy-spinach-and-artichoke-salmon/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xx
Would I cook the Halibut for the same time/temperature as the salmon? THANK YOU!
That should work nicely for you!