Easy Ricotta-Herb Pasta Salad
Easy Ricotta-Herb Pasta Salad
What you'll Need:
- Deep pot for boiling pasta
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Deep pot for boiling pasta
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients: (serves 4)
- 1 lb Pasta
- I love using farfalle or mini farfalle but other pastas like penne are also great choice!
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Store bought ricotta works great! But homemade ricotta is even better
- 1/4 -1/3 cup fresh basil
- I like to chiffonade my basil because it's pretty and sounds fancy. Serious eats has an excellent video explaining knife work with herbs here if you have no idea what I'm talking about
- Also, you don't HAVE to use basil. Basil is favorite to use here but you can easily substitute any fresh herb or mix of fresh herbs you feel like using. Anything from tarragon to dill could work depending on what you're serving it alongside or mixing into it.
- 2 Tbs fine grated hard Italian cheese
- my family's favorite is Locatelli which is a Pecorino Romano. This is a sheep milk cheese which is very flavorful and a bit salty
- If you prefer to keep it all in the cow family, opt for a nice Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano which are produced from cow's milk.
- optional add-ins
- Butter
- fresh tomatoes, oven roasted grape or cherry tomatoes OR sundried tomatoes
- other roasted vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, eggplant
- leftover roasted chicken, cubed
- baked salmon
- 1 lb Pasta
- I love using farfalle or mini farfalle but other pastas like penne are also great choice!
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- Store bought ricotta works great! But homemade ricotta is even better
- 1/4 -1/3 cup fresh basil
- I like to chiffonade my basil because it's pretty and sounds fancy. Serious eats has an excellent video explaining knife work with herbs here if you have no idea what I'm talking about
- Also, you don't HAVE to use basil. Basil is favorite to use here but you can easily substitute any fresh herb or mix of fresh herbs you feel like using. Anything from tarragon to dill could work depending on what you're serving it alongside or mixing into it.
- 2 Tbs fine grated hard Italian cheese
- my family's favorite is Locatelli which is a Pecorino Romano. This is a sheep milk cheese which is very flavorful and a bit salty
- If you prefer to keep it all in the cow family, opt for a nice Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano which are produced from cow's milk.
- optional add-ins
- Butter
- fresh tomatoes, oven roasted grape or cherry tomatoes OR sundried tomatoes
- other roasted vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, eggplant
- leftover roasted chicken, cubed
- baked salmon
Directions:
This pasta salad can be made ahead and stored in container with a tight fitting lid or served immediately
- Prepare pasta per directions on the box. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 - 1 cup of pasta water. After draining, do not rinse, simply return the pasta to the pot.
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, herbs, and hard Italian cheese.
- For a creamier sauce, you can also add up to 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted is preferred.
- Into your ricotta mix, slowly stir in the reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time. Continue adding pasta water until a creamy sauce develops. Discard any remaining pasta water
- Pour the creamy ricotta sauce into the pasta and stir gently until pasta is coated.
While this pasta herb salad is a great fresh side as is, if you'd like to make it a more stand alone dish, feel free to add in roasted vegetables, fresh, roasted or sundried tomatoes, leftover chicken or even salmon.
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