Ricotta Pasta with Peas + Prosciutto

This creamy pasta is balanced with layers of sweet spring flavors and just the right amount of salty punch. There’s ricotta. Scallions, lemon, and peas that pop with sweetness in each bite. Parmesan. And prosciutto! Shatteringly crisp prosciutto adds little salty hits all throughout the dish. There’s just enough of everything that you can’t help but close your eyes when you first dig in. I use frozen peas in this recipe, which means you can make it year round. For a deeper dive into this recipe, along with product recs and extra cooking tips, follow along on my Substack, Cooking But Keep It Casual and be sure to subscribe here.

Ricotta Pasta with Peas + Prosciutto

This creamy pasta is balanced with layers of sweet spring flavors and just the right amount of salty punch.

Prep:
10
min
cook:
35
min
total:
45
min
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch scallions, diced
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 1/4 cup ricotta
  • 1 lemon, plus more wedges for serving
  • 1 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 1 lb pasta
  • 1 1/2 cups shelled peas, fresh or frozen
  • Salted butter for finishing, optional
  • 2-3 oz  pack of prosciutto, more if desired
  • Fresh basil for serving
Instructions
Sweat the aromatics + build sauce
  1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and preheat the oven to 350*F.
  2. Meanwhile, in large skillet or dutch oven, over medium-high heat add olive oil and scallions. Season generously with kosher salt and stir to combine. Turn heat to medium-low and gently sweat scallions for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are soft and somewhat translucent. We’re not going for browning here, just a gentle cook to soften them and to keep the flavor bright.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes on medium-low.
  4. With a microplane grater, zest the lemon. Then slice and juice lemon, set juice aside.
  5. Add ricotta, and half of the lemon zest and juice. Stir to evenly combine. Turn off heat and cover with lid to keep warm.
Crisp the prosciutto + cook pasta and peas
  1. When the oven is preheated, arrange prosciutto in a singe layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set a timer! Remove from oven when done.
  2. Add pasta to boiling water and cook just shy of al dente, as it'll finish cooking in the sauce. I like to cook it 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions call for to account for this.
  3. In last minute or so of cooking, add peas to pasta pot.
  4. Using kitchen spider, scoop cooked pasta and peas out of pasta pot and transfer into skillet with sauce. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta water and set aside.
Finish + serve
  1. Over medium heat, toss pasta and peas with ricotta mixture and a splash of pasta water to loosen. Add the remaining lemon juice to the pot and stir. This part is up to you to really taste and adjust. Throw in a couple knobs of butter for richness, more parm for more savory salty notes, more lemon for brightness, and continue to taste and adjust, adding more of everything.
  2. Serve in bowls while warm with more parm, cracked black pepper, broken up bits of crispy prosciutto, and fresh basil. I can’t overstate how much the lemon juice makes the dish at the end, so I also like to serve each bowl with a lemon wedge! Enjoy.

Let's riff

Comment

Did you love this? Let me know!

Name
Email
Message
Thanks for contributing to our community! Your comment will appear shortly.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Avery
November 22, 2024
I loved this! Made as directed. This will go into my rotation for sure!
Alyce Diamond
November 6, 2024
Phil Stewart
October 7, 2024
Leigh Grassi
October 4, 2024
Yolanda Pavy
October 3, 2024
Phil Stewart
October 1, 2024
Josefa
September 5, 2024
Jay
August 25, 2024
Hey! Went to make this tonight but mine turned out very watery/liquidy - any idea what went wrong? Just used organic hellmans and a bunch of basil with an immersion blender - maybe used too much basil?
Philipp
August 23, 2024
Alicia Motley
August 15, 2024
Helene Langley
August 9, 2024
Suzanne McColl
August 7, 2024
Alba Renteria
August 4, 2024
Williams Swift
August 3, 2024
Chantal Harless
July 31, 2024
Vada
July 30, 2024
Jamal Reddy
July 29, 2024
Asa Loughlin
July 28, 2024
Bobbie Prout
July 27, 2024
Dolly Sackett
July 25, 2024
Octavio Ranieri
July 25, 2024
Kim W
July 22, 2024
I made this last night, and it was one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever eaten! I am going to make this a lot while the tomatoes are in season. Thank you!
Dorie Akehurst
July 22, 2024
Catherine Hann
July 21, 2024
Belen Speed
July 18, 2024
Carmela Clift
July 18, 2024
Jenna Symon
July 15, 2024
Van Dagostino
July 14, 2024
Margery Waley
July 10, 2024
Alisia Cota
July 6, 2024
Priscilla Didomenico
June 29, 2024
Caren Greathouse
June 26, 2024
Elisha Sams
June 23, 2024
Jasmine Blumenthal
June 20, 2024
Craig Gellibrand
June 18, 2024
Angelia Beardsmore
June 15, 2024
Leesa Amess
June 15, 2024
Curtis Ingham
June 11, 2024
Amparo Helton
June 9, 2024
Rhys Pigott
June 5, 2024
Humberto Caesar
June 4, 2024
Gita Leschen
May 31, 2024
Diane Aslatt
May 31, 2024
Annetta Merchant
May 20, 2024
Brendan Bear
May 9, 2024
Nora Perry
May 8, 2024
Mark Moore
May 6, 2024
Charley McWilliam
May 5, 2024
Latesha
April 30, 2024
April 30, 2024
Maggie Covington
April 27, 2024
Gene Penny
April 21, 2024
Hilario Druitt
April 17, 2024
Tilly Killough
April 16, 2024
Jeannine Turner
April 13, 2024
Alvin Goold
April 7, 2024
Dean Baader
April 6, 2024
Frank Hardie
April 5, 2024
Elvira
April 4, 2024
Aleisha Lee
March 31, 2024
Noreen Stretch
March 28, 2024
Sherman Cruz
March 25, 2024
Ludie Key
March 23, 2024
Gini
March 20, 2024
Loved the soup. Croutons too much trouble. Fast in a cup!
Ray Beall
March 16, 2024
Richard
February 22, 2024
send me fruits to add with another fruit to cure disease
Deneen Medland
April 17, 2023
Kelle Trouton
April 17, 2023
Caroline
January 23, 2023
I made this same amazing salad with the following additions: I used a bed of chopped romaine hearts, and squeezed the juice of all the trimmed cara cara oranges, plus 1/2 lemon, added a drizzled of Tupelo honey on top. The herbs: chopped fennel fronds and mint. Everyone went crazy for it!
Marcus
YUM! Definitely going to pair this with a nice and funky natty white next time!
Caroline
January 23, 2023
I made this same amazing salad with the following additions: I used a bed of chopped romaine hearts, and squeezed the juice of all the trimmed cara cara oranges, plus 1/2 lemon, added a drizzled of Tupelo honey on top. The herbs: chopped fennel fronds and mint. Everyone went crazy for it!