Lemon Ricotta Pasta Bake
Updated June 25, 2026
Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Kaitlin Wayne.
- Ready In
- 1 hr
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound rigatoni
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound hot or sweet Italian chicken sausage (or Italian pork sausage), casings removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
3 garlic cloves, grated
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 6 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
1 cup ricotta
½ cup grated Parmesan
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup/4 ounces shredded mozzarella
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
For garnish
Basil leaves
Crushed red pepper
Lemon zest
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
74 grams carbs; 175 milligrams cholesterol; 887 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams saturated fat; 45 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 1290 milligrams sodium; 45 grams protein; 9 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package’s instructions. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water and then drain the pasta.
- Step 3
In a large (preferably ovenproof) skillet over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Once hot, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it’s cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the sausage from the pan.
- Step 4
In the same pan (no need to wash it), lower the heat to medium-low and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and stir for 1 minute, allowing the flour to become fragrant and nutty. Slowly stir in the milk, gently picking up any bits that have stuck to the pan.
- Step 5
Next, mix in the grated garlic, lemon zest and reserved ¾ cup pasta water. Stir until a thick sauce comes together that coats the back of a spoon; 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and immediately stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding more salt as needed.
- Step 6
Add the drained pasta to the sauce along with the chicken sausage, spinach and shredded mozzarella. Give it a good mix until the pasta is fully coated in the sauce. If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer the pasta mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or other 3-quart baking dish).
- Step 7
Cover the top with the slices of fresh mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mozzarella topping is melted with golden brown flecks. Garnish with basil leaves, crushed red pepper and more lemon zest to taste before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
I used freshly made mild Italian sausage as the only mod on the recipe. Used fresh Italian mozzarella - sliced thinly on top - and absolutely did not find it too cheesy (as in other comments). Don’t skip the basil or the red pepper flake at serving. They lift it right to where it needs to be. 10/10 and that’s from a former chef who can barely help herself from adjusting recipes as I go. Wouldn’t change a thing here. PS. Skip the foil thing if you have a casserole dish (this is where a Le Creuset can change your life) Lid on for the bake, off for the broil. No foil needed. Easy store. Breezy clean up.
Delicious combination, but the sauce separated and curdled when baked. Make sure sauce is thick enough to coat the spoon. 2-4 minutes at medium low was not enough.
This was alright. Good for a weekend lunch or a light dinner. But we usually prefer a little more flavor in our homecooked meals. The directions say that prep time is 15 minutes and cook time is 45 minutes. I would challenge anyone to prep this dish in 15 minutes. I consider myself fairly comfortable and experienced in the kitchen, and the recipe took me 45 minutes to prep, moving at a fairly brisk pace.
This is a flavorful pasta dish with a twist of lemon and plenty of cheese. We really enjoyed it and will make again. It's a commitment with all the prep but worth it. I cooked the sausage in a skillet but washed it out before moving on to making the roux. I pressed the lemon zest into the measuring spoon for full flavor and added the red pepper flakes into the mix at the end instead of on top and I added more spinach. Be patient with the roux - the directions are good. Enjoy!
Nice, comforting meal. Next time will add chili flakes to the mixture (rather than just on top after baked) as we did find it bland.
This was a rare NYT recipe miss for me. I made it exactly as indicated and just felt like it was a fairly bland dairy-bomb. The roux and all the various cheeses mean that you can't really taste the garlic, lemon zest or even the sausage (which is small in proportion to everything else). Won't be making this one again.