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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
We loved this! It came together easily and the flavors were complex yet subtle and overall delicious. We used gouda and it worked well. Next time I’ll try Tieghan’s suggestion of pistachios on top and maybe a little toasted panko for crunch. We enjoyed the leftovers heated up in the microwave as well!
Hey Bronte,
Happy Labor Day!?? Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Came out delicious. We used yellow squash, instead of grating it (we weren’t trying to hide the veggies, lol), I diced it. Liked the texture of the little chunks. We had fontina so we used that. Have frozen some to use when we return from a trip!
Next time I make this I’d like to combine it with your one-pot corn and ricotta recipe – I think both green squash and yellow corn would be delightful. On to spicy shrimp recipe!
Hey Deborah,
Fantastic! Love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Fantastic recipe, thank you! I had ricotta and fontina left from the Spicy Pesto Cheese Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers (100%!), making this recipe an absolute breeze. All herbs and veg came from the garden which is always fun. Hubs had two servings and requested the leftovers for his lunch today. I am winning all around. 🙂
Hey Karen,
Happy Friday! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! Thanks a lot for making it. xTieghan
Freaking delicious and my 4 year old devoured her bowl. The only negative is that she thought there was no vegetables in it and was really bummed lol. So if you have a kid that you’re trying to sneaky feed veggies this is a hit. So good as always!
Hey Emily,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback. I’m glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I was confused how the pasta would cook that fast and it didn’t . … my pasta took more like 25 minutes of regular stirring bc there’s not much liquid
Hey Amanda,
Sorry you had issues here. Was there anything you adjusted? There’s plenty of liquid for the pasta to cook:) Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Hi there! I wanted to love this but mine came out really soupy and I used less broth than advised. Any suggestions?
Same!!! So sad and my ricotta was not as smooth…
Hey Alexandra,
Sorry to hear this, was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? You did cook the pasta in the pot correct? xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! What kind of meat dish would you pair with this pasta?
Hey Sarah,
I think chicken or sausage would both work well here. I hope you give the recipe a try, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! How many people does this feed?
Hey Kaitlin,
This recipe will make 6 servings. I hope you love the dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Great and simple recipe. Next time I would add more zucchini and less pasta since it made TONS.
Hey Elenor,
Wonderful! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving the recipe a try!! xTieghan
Wow, i just made this pasta and really loved it. I don’t really like zucchini but it so well hidden in this recipe. I followed the recipe closely but i didn’t really have any extra liquid. I added a few squeezes of those zested lemons because i preferred it a bit more lemony. Absolutely delicious!
Hey Maureen,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was a winner:) xTieghan
I made this with whole wheat pasta so I ended up having to add an extra ½ cup of water (which I expected since whole wheat pasta takes more water than white). Honestly I thought it tasted pretty bland as is so I added some homemade pesto which made it better but I probably won’t make it again.
Hey Ryan,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry it was not enjoyed. xTieghan
What’s this pasta called? It looks so bouncy!!
Hey Rachael,
Here is the link for the pasta that I used:
https://www.delallo.com/delallo-fusilli-col-buco-pasta-1-lb/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved this! Light and refreshing, felt
Very Italian. I added pistachios, some of us put in sausage slices. We felt it could be a good basic pasta that could be changed up many ways.
Hey Mary Anne,
Happy Friday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Great flavor. Next time I would use goat cheese or a smoother cheese for the texture.
Hey Daina,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try. Have the best week! xTieghan
I cut this in half for 2 people and we really enjoyed it! I used ricotta and fontina cheese and a spiral pesto pasta I bought at a specialty store. Also took Tieghan’s suggestion and topped with toasted chopped walnuts. Excellent!
Hey there,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Could this be made in an instant pot?
Hey Suzie,
So sorry, I have not tested this recipe in the instant pot so I am unsure of the results. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan