Creamy Ricotta Pasta with White Wine: One Pan Recipe

Who says you have to wait until fall to enjoy this easy pumpkin ricotta pasta? Creamy Ricotta Pasta is a quick and easy pasta recipe! It uses a 9×13 pan so the clean-up is easy, and it’s only 281 calories!

We like to serve it with crusty bread, a side salad, and a glass of wine! You can also add chicken or any protein to this recipe as well.

What is Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta?

Our pumpkin ricotta pasta is a fun, healthier take on baked penne alla vodka.

We wanted to create something creamy and delicious without so many calories!

Do I have to use white wine?

The white wine just brings out the flavor of the dish and makes the sauce creamier. With that said, you could swap it for vodka or broth. 

Can kids eat this recipe?

Don’t worry — the alcohol from the white wine or vodka cooks off so you don’t have to worry about getting tipsy.

This quick and easy dinner recipe is family-friendly, and kids can even enjoy it!

Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta Variations

If you don’t like pumpkin or the idea of eating pumpkin outside of the Fall months, you can make this creamy ricotta pasta with your plain or garlic hummus! You’ll just use 1 cup of hummus versus the canned pumpkin.

What You’ll Need

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 minced cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, adds spice)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin or plain hummus
•  1/3 cup ricotta cheese (we used part-skim)
•  1/4 cup white wine
•  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 14 oz cooked and drained penne

You can also top individual plates with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if you want!

How to Make Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta

1. Start by preheating your oven to 375ºF.
2. Place your cherry tomatoes into a 9×13 pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add in your garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
3. Push your tomatoes to the outer part of the pan and place your pumpkin and ricotta in the center of the pan. Drizzle your white wine over the tomatoes. 
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The tomatoes should looked puckered.
5. Remove from the oven and with a large spoon smoosh the tomatoes into smaller pieces (they’ll be hot, so be careful not to let the juice splatter on you!)..
6. Mix everything together to create the sauce. Mix in your cheese and cooked penne.  Stir until combined.
7. You can stop with extra cheese and red pepper flakes if you’d like.

Love this recipe? Check out our Free Mediterranean Quick Start Guide!

We also share healthy Mediterranean and Blue Zone recipes on our Instagram each week!

You may also like:

• The Best Wine for Mediterranean Diet & How Much to Drink
• Simple 4 Ingredient Healthy Chicken Salad without Mayo
• Simple Chickpea and Pasta Soup (Italian Pasta e Ceci)