Pasta With Ricotta And Tomato Sauce

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This pasta with ricotta and tomato sauce is one of our favourite pasta dishes. The sauce is rich, creamy and super comforting and comes together in just under 20 minutes.

Linguine with tomato sauce and fresh basil in white bowl — Linguine with tomato sauce

This is a great pasta night recipe that is fast and delicious and one that will certainly please the family! It uses just a few simple but very flavoursome ingredients.

You can use any pasta you like to make this, preferably one that is able to hold the sauce well.

This recipe uses a simple classic Italian tomato sauce.

Prepare the tomato sauce from scratch for best flavour rather than buying a ready made one from the store. Ricotta cheese is melted into the sauce to give a wonderful creamy richness.

Serve it immediately in large bowls with some freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil, any of these side salads and some crusty bread.

See below for answers to all your commonly asked questions.

For more pasta dishes check out our pasta with gorgonzola sauce, pasta with shrimps or this basil pesto sauce with any shape pasta. And if you are in the mood for a comforting pasta soup try our pasta fagioli soup or authentic Italian minestrone soup.

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Ingredient notes
Tips for boiling pasta
Tips to make the sauce
Your questions answered
Storing
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📋 Recipe

Ingredient notes

A few notes on ingredients for this creamy tomato and basil pasta.

Tomatoes – use a good brand of canned tomatoes, it makes so much difference to the flavour. We like Cirio or Mutti canned tomatoes as they are not too acidic, for their rich flavour and they are easily available in our area.

Pasta – We used linguine here but this sauce is just as delicious with any type of pasta. You could try it with paccheri, penne, rigatoni or gnocchi.

Basil – Select fresh medium size leaves for best flavour and tear into halves or quarters to release the oils and flavour before using. Tearing basil leaves releases more flavour.

Tips for boiling pasta

To boil the pasta, ensure the pan is filled with enough water so the pasta cooks fully submerged. The pan needs to be large enough so boiling water can move around each piece of pasta. This way the pasta will cook uniformly not stick together.
Salt the water at the beginning, before it comes to a boil then stir so it becomes salted throughout.
Add the pasta in one go then stir with a wooden spoon so it doesn’t stick together.
Do not add oil as it will rise and float to top affecting the temperature of the water and cooking time.
There is no standard time for cooking pasta as cooking times will vary depending on the shape and type of grain used. Cook the pasta one minute less than the time on the packet so that last minute can be used to cook the drained pasta with the sauce. Watch the clock as undercooked pasta will be raw inside and inedible, while overcooked pasta will be soft, starchy and sticky and won’t taste good at all.
When draining the pasta water away, reserve a small amount (around 120 millilitres, or half a cup) of the starchy pasta water to mix into the sauce as it will help the sauce stick to the pasta and add creaminess.

Tips to make the sauce

For a smoother sauce use a potato masher, a hand blender or jars of sieved tomato sauce (passata).
The amount of pasta sauce required should be just enough to coat all the pasta and not make the pasta ‘soupy’.
Tear the basil leaves rather than chopping them, to release more flavour and avoid bruising.
The tomato sauce can be made ahead without the ricotta then stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or kept frozen for up to three months. Thaw and reheat, then stir in the ricotta before using.
After adding ricotta, the sauce will thicken slightly.

Your questions answered

How do I stop garlic from burning?

To prevent the garlic from burning add it to the olive oil before turning on the heat, then turn the heat on to low. This allows the oil and garlic to slowly heat up, releasing more flavour.

What is pasta water good for?

After boiling pasta, reserve approximately half a cup of the starchy pasta water to help mix the sauce with the pasta. This also gives a little extra creaminess to sauces, gravies and soups.

Will oil prevent pasta from sticking while boiling?

Do not add oil to the water when boiling pasta! The oil will float to the top preventing water evaporation and trapping heat thus overcooking the pasta. Instead, to prevent pasta from sticking, use a pan large enough so the water is able to move around the pasta and it does not cook in a large clump.

Why is the ricotta grainy?

Ricotta contains solids and whey which makes it appear grainy. To make ricotta appear smoother, wrap it in cheesecloth then place in a strainer over a bowl, gently pressing to remove the liquid. Place a heavy jar on top to compress the ricotta and keep it in the fridge to drain for anywhere from 2-8 hours. This will give a much smoother ricotta.

Storing

This pasta is best when freshly prepared and it is not suitable for storing, however, the sauce can be made ahead and kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

See my helpful tips above for a partial make-ahead suggestion.