Ricotta Pesto Pasta

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Calories: 806kcal

Servings: People

Metric - Imperial

Ingredients

Pasta

500 g Rigatoni Pasta

Roasted Roma Tomatoes

22.5 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
300 g Roma Tomatoes Halved
2 g Thyme Chopped or Picked
2 g Oregano Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves Grated
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Ricotta Basil Pesto

1 bunch Basil Leaves
1 Garlic Clove Crushed
10 g Pinenuts
10 g Walnuts
20 g Parmigiana Reggiano Grated
60 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
300 g Ricotta Cheese
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Add all of the roasted Roma tomato ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. Spread onto the prepared tray and roast for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta 1 minute less than the packet instructions. Reserve 1 cup (250ml) of pasta water, then drain.
Add the basil, garlic, pine nuts, walnuts, and Parmigiano Reggiano to a blender and blend on high speed, adding the olive oil gradually until you have a thick, pourable pesto. Add the ricotta and blend until combined. Check the seasoning and set aside.
Add the drained pasta back to the pot it was cooked in. Place over medium heat and add the roasted tomatoes and ricotta pesto. Mix well to combine, adjusting the consistency with the reserved pasta water to your liking. Cook for 2 minutes to thicken the sauce and finish cooking the pasta. Remove from the heat.
Serve in bowls, garnished with Parmigiano Reggiano, basil leaves, and cracked black pepper. Dig in.

Chef's Tips

Add the olive oil to the pesto gradually rather than all at once — it's easier to stop at the right consistency than to fix a pesto that's gone too thin.

Blend the base pesto ingredients properly before adding the ricotta — ricotta is soft and blends in fast, but the basil, nuts, and garlic need a bit longer to break down evenly, so doing them in that order gets a smoother result.

Roast the tomatoes cut-side up, as written — it keeps the juices concentrated in the tomato rather than pooling out onto the tray, which means more flavour ends up in the pasta.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Not recommended for freezing — ricotta tends to turn a little grainy once frozen and thawed, similar to how cream-based sauces can split.

To reheat, warm gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of water or reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, stirring often. Microwaving works in short bursts, stirring between each, but a pan gives a smoother result.

Serving 300gCalories 806kcalCarbohydrates 102.6gProtein 27.9gFat 31.5gSaturated Fat 7.7gPolyunsaturated Fat 5gMonounsaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0.3gCholesterol 27.6mgSodium 215mgPotassium 603.5mgFiber 5.6gSugar 5.7gVitamin A 420.18IUVitamin C 10.76mgCalcium 303.5mgIron 5.8mg