Spinach ricotta skillet pasta
Tomato pasta with spinach and soft ricotta spooned over the finished skillet.
Serving illustration.
Tomato pasta with spinach and soft ricotta spooned over the finished skillet. This version is written for two people, with ingredient quantities that you can scale using the recipe card. Read the whole method before heating your pan so you can prepare the ingredients in the order they are used. Cooking times are estimates and should be checked against the doneness cues in the instructions.
What makes this dinner work
Ricotta is added after the pasta is hot and coated, rather than boiled into the sauce. This leaves a softer contrast against the tomato base.
Spinach wilts quickly, so it enters near the end. Keep enough room in the skillet to fold it without spilling sauce.
Before you start
Serve from the skillet with a wide spoon. This contains wheat and dairy; substitutions can change the final texture.
Measure the sauce ingredients and prepare the vegetables before handling any raw meat or seafood. Keep the ingredient list beside you: changes in thickness, pan size and stove output can affect the cooking time. When multiplying servings, a second pan or separate batches may work better than crowding everything into the original pan.
Cooking and handling notes
Follow the preparation directions on packaged ingredients. Keep cooked food and preparation utensils separate from any raw animal ingredients in the kitchen.
The CDC guidance linked below covers keeping hands and surfaces clean, separating raw foods and refrigerating perishable food promptly. Check ingredient labels for allergies, including wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and seafood where relevant.
Spinach ricotta skillet pasta
Prep and cooking times are estimates.
Ingredients
How to make it
- Cook pastaBoil pasta according to package directions and reserve ½ cup cooking water before draining.
- Start sauceWarm oil in a deep skillet over low-medium heat. Add garlic briefly, then tomatoes and oregano.
- SimmerSimmer gently for about 8 minutes, stirring. Add a little water if the tomato sauce becomes too thick.
- Add greens and pastaFold in spinach until wilted, then add the drained pasta. Toss and loosen with reserved cooking water as needed.
- Add ricottaRemove from heat and spoon ricotta over the surface. Fold lightly or leave small dollops. Taste and season with salt before serving.
Make it work for you
Ricotta is added after the pasta is hot and coated, rather than boiled into the sauce. This leaves a softer contrast against the tomato base. Spinach wilts quickly, so it enters near the end. Keep enough room in the skillet to fold it without spilling sauce.
Sources & editorial notes
Follow ingredient labels and the cooking guidance below. Food-safety references are listed for further reading.
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