20-minute Farfalle Pasta With Prosciutto, Broccoli And Ricotta

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This farfalle pasta (AKA bow-tie pasta!) recipe has it all. It’s light and fresh tasting, but it’s also creamy and comforting. You could say it’s like a lighter version of carbonara. It’s particularly perfect in the spring and summer, but I’d eat it any time of year. The best part? It’s on the table in just 20 minutes!

Closeup of a dish of farfalle pasta with prosciutto, broccoli and ricotta with cutlery in a blue and white dish on a marble background and with half a lemon in the background.

Why you’ll love it

Quick and easy. On the table in just 20 minutes – maybe even 15 once you’ve made it a few times, which makes it perfect for busy weeknights.

Creamy comfort food… on the lighter side! A pasta sauce made with ricotta cheese is a healthier alternative to a traditional creamy sauce made with heavy cream.

Fresh, light and tasty. You’ll love the mild creamy lemon ricotta ‘sauce’, but also the flavorful kick from the tasty prosciutto.

Family-friendly elegance. You could say this is a sophisticated twist on a classic pasta carbonara. This should appeal to even the fussiest eaters. Just call it ham and cheese pasta if it’ll help them to try it!

Looks great! Farfalle’s unique bow-tie (or butterfly!) shape adds charm, fun and visual appeal to the dish.

It’s versatile. Serve it as an easy midweek meal for the family. For date night, or as a simple but tasty meal for guests.

Super healthy veggies! Don’t love or don’t have broccoli? If it’s spring, use asparagus, or if not go for another green vegetable such as green peas instead.

About the ingredients

Labelled ingredients for lemon ricotta pasta

Pasta: I really like to use farfalle (or bow-tie pasta) for this recipe. Common in Northern Italy, it goes well with creamy sauces, holds its shape well when cooking, and looks great too, don’t you think?

But let’s be honest here, you can use any type of pasta in this recipe – even spaghetti! If the store doesn’t have any farfalle, great substitutes are rotini or fusilli (spiral-shaped pastas), casarecce or gemelli (‘twisted’ shapes) or penne (tube shaped). All of these shapes hold sauces well, just like farfalle!

Broccoli: I find ‘baby broccoli’ or ‘tender stem broccoli’ works particular well. I throw in the broccoli stems as well. Not keen on broccoli? See the list a bit further down for more green veg ideas.

A lemon: Use both the zest and the juice for the best flavor.

Parmesan cheese: I do sometimes buy parmesan ready grated to save time. Just don’t use parmesan that you find in the non-refrigerated section. Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are great alternatives.

Prosciutto: Prosciutto is very thin slices of Italian dry-cured ham. Its rich, salty, and savory flavor adds beautiful depth to this dish. It’s usually easily found in delis, or supermarket deli or fridge sections.

Alternatively, you can use Jamón Serrano (a Spanish dry-cured ham), some really good quality cooked ham, bacon or pancetta, chopped Italian sausage or even smoked salmon for an interesting but just-as-delicious twist!

Ricotta cheese: I prefer to use ricotta with a tiny bit of texture in this creamy farfalle pasta recipe rather than the types labeled ‘smooth’. Mascarpone cheese could work well, too!

Basil: Grab a fresh bunch, preferably on the day you’re going to make this meal. It complements the other salty and savory flavors perfectly!

How to make it

There are just a few simple steps to making this delicious bow-tie pasta in just one pan (plus a saucepan for cooking the pasta!).

Firstly, prepare all of your fresh ingredients. Wash and chop the greens, grate some parmesan, zest and squeeze the lemon, and rip up the prosciutto and basil.

While the pasta is cooking, stir-fry all of the green vegetables – quickly and on a fairly high heat.

Next, add all of the other ingredients – cooked pasta, ricotta, parmesan, lemon, basil and prosciutto.

Stir well, then loosen up the sauce by adding a little reserved pasta water.

Serve immediately with more fresh basil and parmesan sprinkled on top. Don’t forget to season with pepper.

A series of photos showing how to make lemon ricotta pasta with prosciutto and broccoli

Helen’s top tips

  • Put the ‘butterfly pasta’ on to boil while you’re preparing the vegetables and sauce.
  • Use a big frying pan or wok style pan so that you can stir-fry the vegetables and make the whole dish in that one pan.
  • Before you drain the pasta, do as the Italians do and scoop out a cup of the starchy cooking water. Stirring just a little of this into the dish will help to bind the sauce and pasta together beautifully.
  • Don’t wait to serve this. It’s best served when just made when the sauce is hot, smooth and velvety.
  • Don’t add any extra salt until you’ve tasted the sauce. Remember that parmesan and prosciutto already taste quite salty. You may not need to add any at all.

Variations

Mix up the greens: Not a fan of broccoli? You can use any quick-cooking green vegetable in this farfalle pasta recipe:

  • asparagus, chopped into pieces
  • courgette/zuchhini slices
  • frozen peas! (no need to defrost, just stir fry for a minute or two)
  • snow peas/mange tout/snap peas
  • spinach
  • green beans chopped into short lengths – either fresh or frozen
  • Go wild and add a mixture of the above!

Also, you can also easily replace the prosciutto with another protein that doesn’t need much (or any) cooking. How about good quality smoked ham, lightly pan-fried chorizo, Spanish Jamón Serrano (similar to prosciutto), or even smoked salmon which of course doesn’t need to be cooked either.

If you have any leftover cooked chicken, steak or pork, these would also make a very delicious bow-tie pasta dish as well.

How to serve

As already mentioned, pasta with a ricotta sauce is one those meals that’s best served immediately. So call everyone to the table 5 minutes before it’s ready!

I think it’s a complete balanced meal in itself, so it doesn’t need anything on the side – apart from a cool, crisp glass of white wine if you like!

Got leftovers? You can reheat them gently in a big frying pan or wok, adding a bit more hot water or milk to loosen up the sauce again. Alternatively, you can eat this cold as a farfalle pasta salad. It’s so yummy that way too since the sauce is just made from ricotta!

Farfalle pasta with prosciutto, broccoli and ricotta with fresh basil in a white and blue patterned dish on a marble background and with a pale blue tea towel and the pan of pasta around it.

Recipe FAQs

Why is it called farfalle pasta?

Farfalle pasta gets its name from the Italian word for butterflies because it looks like little fluttering butterfly wings.

What can I substitute for ricotta in a pasta sauce?

If you can’t find ricotta or would rather use something else, cottage cheese makes a great replacement. It has a similar creamy, smooth texture and mild flavor. Greek yogurt would work too, as would cream cheese or even goat cheese or a creamy feta, although these all have a tangier flavor than ricotta.

Can I add additional vegetables?

Of course! Try sautéed mushrooms, peppers, or juicy cherry tomatoes. Simply cook these at the same time as the other vegetables. Or you could stir through some sundried tomatoes at the end.

More quick pasta recipes

  • Easy creamy chorizo pasta (A quick and easy ‘pink sauce pasta’, and once again you don’t need as much cream as you might think.)
  • If you’ve never made a classic Italian carbonara before, you’ll be amazed how quick, easy and delicious it is (the sauce is made with just eggs – no cream!).

Or take a look at all my pasta recipes.

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Closeup of a dish of farfalle pasta with prosciutto, broccoli and ricotta with cutlery in a blue and white dish on a marble background and with half a lemon in the background.
5 from 3 votes

20-minute Farfalle Pasta With Prosciutto, Broccoli And Ricotta

A light and fresh tasting simple farfalle pasta recipe with broccoli, prosciutto, and fresh basil. Made with a very simple lemon ricotta sauce, this is a crowd pleaser, it's perfect for spring or summer (or any time of year), and it's on the table in just 20 minutes. It makes a great midweek family meal, but it's equally as good for easy entertaining!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Servings: 2 (double ingredients for 4)

Ingredients 
 

  • ounces pasta, I like bow tie (farfalle) pasta but any is fine
  • 7 ounces broccoli, washed and chopped into pieces, including the stems (or use any greens: asparagus, snow peas/mange tout, frozen peas…)
  • ounces prosciutto, torn into pieces (this is cured Italian ham; or use good quality ordinary ham)
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 lemon, (zest of all of it, juice of half of it)
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 bunch fresh basil
  • freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • Cook your pasta according to the cooking ingredients.
    4½ ounces pasta
  • Meanwhile, pan fry broccoli in a wok or large frying pan for 3 or 4 minutes until lightly browned and slightly tender. Turn off the heat.
    7 ounces broccoli
  • Drain the pasta and reserve some of the water. Add the pasta to the broccoli in the pan along with the prosciutto, ricotta, the lemon zest and juice, and most of the parmesan and basil. Stir well.
    1 lemon, ½ cup parmesan cheese, ½ cup ricotta cheese, 1 bunch fresh basil
  • Add a little of the cooking water you reserved to loosen up the sauce and grind in some black pepper to taste. Then heat and stir for about 30 seconds or until the pasta has warmed through again.
    freshly ground black pepper
  • Serve immediately. Top with the rest of the parmesan and basil.

Video

Notes

What pasta to use

I like farfalle (bow tie pasta), but no rules here! Great alternatives that are similar to farfalle include fusilli, rotini, or penne. Otherwise, use your favorite, or just what you have 😉

What if I don’t like broccoli?

No worries. Use another quick-cooking green vegetable such as asparagus (this works particularly well if asparagus happens to be in season), frozen peas, chopped courgette/zucchini, green beans, spinach or snow peas/mange tout.
You can also add more vegetables if you like such as peppers, mushrooms or cherry tomatoes.

Can’t I just use ham instead of prosciutto?

Yep! Jamon serrano (Spanish cured meat that’s similar to prosciutto), bacon, pancetta or even smoked salmon are other great alternatives. 

Don’t forget…

When you drain the pasta, pop a jug under the colander to catch some of the starchy cooking water. Adding this to the sauce to loosen it up will make all the difference!

There are more than 2 people in my house!

If you need dinner for 3, 4 or 5 just double the recipe. Any leftovers can be enjoyed the next day (see below). 

Can I reheat the leftovers?

Yes you can, but go easy. Heat gently with a little extra water or milk. The leftovers happen to be quite nice cold, too, so you could transform them into a school or work lunch very easily.

Nutrition

Calories: 581kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 62mg, Sodium: 631mg, Potassium: 660mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1298IU, Vitamin C: 118mg, Calcium: 504mg, Iron: 2mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!

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72 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Another amazing recipe, have shared details with a neighbour’s friend enjoyed so much

    1. Thank you so much, Kathy! And thanks also for passing it on to your neighbour – I love that you liked it enough to do that! 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    Another delicious recipe Helen, yum! Wasn’t my most attractive plate-up😱but it was really tasty! Doubled the recipe and it fed 5 big adults, thanks, will definitely be making again!

    1. Hi Rana! As long as everyone enjoyed it, that’s all that matters 😉 So glad to hear this is a keeper!

  3. This sounds like a great spring dish. I know my husband would especially like it as he enjoys adding a dollop of ricotta cheese to certain pasta dishes.

    1. Hi, Karen! This was the first time I’d made a pasta dish with ricotta cheese, but it certainly won’t be the last. You’re right, it makes for a very spring dish!

  4. Oh here in Florida, we talk about the weather a lot too! And we have days where it can be totally nasty in the morning only to clear up and be beautiful for the rest of the day. But then we also have those days where it’s nice in the morning and then turns into an epic rain/thunderstorm that lasts for the rest of the day and even into the next!

    LOVE this pasta dish, Helen. The lemon, the asparagus, the prosciutto, it’s all great!

    1. This post has turned into a really good education into the weather around the world … love it!
      So glad you enjoyed the pasta, Julie. This one is definitely a keeper!

  5. My uncle and aunt have lived in Sussex for the last 40 years and every conversation/email with them begins with talk about the weather! 🙂
    I think your pictures look marvelous inspite of your lighting woes and this lemony pasta with basil and chive flavorings sounds pretty delish.

    1. Hehe … so you know what I’m talking about then, Shashi! 😉 Thanks for the compliments on the photos. I did try very hard. I know there’s room for improvement, but that’s OK!

  6. The weather can be so fickle! These photos and this pasta turned out so well though – it looks delicious and the photos are gorgeous! Such a great spring pasta dish!

    1. Ha, love it … fickle. That’s definitely a perfect description of the weather here in England. So glad you like the pasta and the photos. 🙂