Easy 3-Ingredient Ricotta and Pecorino Pasta Sauce (No-Cook Recipe)

Traditional Italian pasta sauce generally falls into two categories: red or white. My Easy 3-Ingredient Ricotta and Pecorino Pasta Sauce is a creamy no-cook sauce from the Liguria region. This proves that you don’t need to simmer for long to get deep, authentic flavor.

What’s also nice is that it requires no cooking – just the pasta. If you can boil water, you can do this. This is a decadent, creamy sauce made with just three simple ingredients: ricotta, Pecorino Romano, and ground black pepper.

The Story Behind White Pesto Sauce

We are all familiar with the very popular marinara and bolognese sauces, but in Italy there is also a world of white sauces often called Bianca. You could call it white pesto. But while we usually associate pesto with the famous green basil version – which takes its name from the Italian word for pound – this pasta recipe offers a different take on this rustic tradition.

Instead of using a mortar and pestle to crush the herbs, this version uses a hand blending method to create a smooth, whipped consistency. It honors the spirit of pesto as a fresh, raw sauce, but trades hard work for effortless creaminess.

Pesto Bianco Ligure: A history of white sauce

The origin of this sauce is rooted in the Ligurian Alps, a mountain range located just east of the border between Italy and France. This is where you will find the local cuisine known as La Cucina Bianca (the white kitchen or white kitchen). Because these mountain communities had limited access to fresh Mediterranean vegetables, they built their recipes around white ingredients like flour, dairy, nuts, and garlic-free cheeses.

Cacio e Pepe meets the American Alfredo

Creamy ricotta sauce mixed with tangy Pecorino is a flavorful combination that results in pasta cremosa (creamy pasta).

It’s a cottage cheese sauce that you can add a lot to, but it’s perfect in its simplest form. Unlike many thick sauces, garlic is not involved because it is a no-cook sauce. This allows high-quality cheeses to be the star.

Different types of ricotta

In Italy, there are two common types of ricotta: cow’s milk and sheep’s milk. Sheep’s milk ricotta is tangier, much like Pecorino cheese, but it is not as common or easy to find in the United States.

While the traditional pasta recipe calls for sheep’s milk ricotta, to solve the problem I added Pecorino Romano (a hard sheep’s milk cheese similar to Parmesan) to the mix. This mimics that distinct, tangy profile and provides the perfect salty bite to balance the milder cow’s milk ricotta, bringing the dish closer to its traditional roots.

An authentic twist on Alfredo

It should be noted that authentic Alfredo sauce is different in Italy from anywhere else. In its original form, it’s simply butter and parmesan – the Roman predecessor to the thick, cream-based American Alfredo sauce. This recipe honors this tradition of simplicity by using high-quality dairy products to create a rich texture without the heavy fillers.

Optional additions to this sauce recipe

• Lemon zest
• Fresh basil, chopped
• Cook pieces of pancetta or bacon
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic
• Protein of your choice (cooked chicken or shrimp)
• A drizzle of good olive oil to finish the dish

Tips for success

• Don’t skip the pasta water: This is the most important rule! Before draining your pasta, reserve at least one cup of pasta water from the pan. Since this is a no-cook sauce, hot water is the magic ingredient that helps the Pecorino cheese melt and transforms the ricotta into a velvety sauce.
• Freshly grated is best: For this pasta recipe, avoid the pre-grated cheese in the green box or plastic bags. These contain anti-caking agents that prevent the cheese from melting smoothly. Grate your fresh Pecorino Romano finely for a better texture.
• Use ricotta at room temperature: Take your ricotta out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking. Adding frozen cheese to your pasta will instantly lower the temperature of the dish. By using room temperature ricotta, the heat from the pasta and reserved water will create a much softer, warmer emulsion.
• Check consistency: Slowly add the pasta water – a splash at a time. You are looking for a creamy emulsion. If it is too thick, add more water; if it’s too thin, a handful of extra Pecorino will thicken it again.
• Season carefully: Pecorino Romano is a naturally salted sheep’s milk cheese. Always taste your sauce before adding additional salt! You’ll probably find that between the salty cheese and the salty pasta water, you only need a small pinch.
• Use high quality pepper: Since black pepper is one of the three main ingredients, use freshly cracked peppercorns if possible. It provides a floral heat that pre-ground pepper simply can’t match.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. However, there are two things you need to know to save this sauce for later:

• The sauce will thicken: Once cooled, the ricotta and Pecorino Romano will tighten up and the sauce will lose its creamy, whipped consistency. Don’t worry if the pasta seems dry or clumpy the next day: this is completely normal for a cheese-based sauce.
• The water splash rule: To bring that silky texture back to life, don’t just reheat it as is. Add a little water (or a teaspoon of milk) to the bowl before reheating.
• Reheat gently: Use low heat on the stovetop or 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring in between. This prevents the cheese from breaking or becoming greasy. As it warms, the added moisture will help the ricotta relax into a creamy sauce.

Easy 3-Ingredient Ricotta and Pecorino Pasta Sauce (No-Cook Recipe)

Janette

This traditional, no-cook creamy ricotta and pecorino sauce, when tossed with pasta, makes the ultimate quick meal. Using the heat of the reserved water to create a creamy emulsion, you get a luxurious, whipped texture. All you have to do is cook the pasta.

Preparation time: 5 minutes minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes minutes

Total duration: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Boil the pasta:

• Fill a large saucepan ¾ full with water. Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to package directions. Important: Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of hot, starchy water for the pasta.

Prepare the sauce:

• Add the ricotta and Pecorino Romano to a blender or food processor. Pulse until well mixed. Note: You can whisk it by hand in a large bowl, but a mixer will give you a much silkier, professional-quality finish.

• Add black pepper to cheese mixture. With the blender or food processor running on low (or whisking vigorously), slowly pour in ¼ cup of the hot pasta water at a time. Check the consistency. If it’s too thick for you, add more pasta water until the mixture comes together into a smooth, creamy sauce.

• Taste and season with salt and more pepper if necessary (remember Pecorino is naturally salty).

• Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl. Toss the hot, drained pasta directly into the sauce. If the pasta seems dry, add a little reserved pasta water to emulsify it. Serve immediately.

This is cow’s milk ricotta which is more readily available with a subtle milk flavor. Sheep’s milk ricotta has a tangy flavor like Pecorino.
Make sure the ricotta is not cold, otherwise it could cool the hot pasta once mixed.
Use whole ricotta. Using low-fat ricotta may result in grainy curds or small lumps and may not be completely smooth. Part-skim or fat-free options are often grainy, watery and lack the creamy texture of whole milk options. Also, some mass-produced brands that lack fat or are made by heating milk/whey too quickly. Some brands use stabilizers like gums, which can cause the ricotta to ooze and become grainy while cooking.