Lemon Cream Sauce

A vibrant lemon cream sauce that adds a refreshingly bright burst of citrus and garlic to chicken, veggies, seafood, and pasta dishes.

Why this recipe works

Lemon cream sauce is rich and creamy with a pop of zingy citrus flair. Plus, this dreamboat of a sauce comes together in around 20 minutes. So whatever vehicle you decide to serve it with – from chicken to roasted vegetables, shrimp, pasta, or salmon… you already know it’s going to be the center of attention.

Seriously, a drizzle or douse of lemon cream sauce adds a heck of a lot of flavor to an otherwise plain dish. One of my favorite ways to serve it is tossed with pasta and chicken or as a dipper for salmon bites. Swoon. Anyways, let’s get it started, shall we?

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

GARLIC – We’re using jarred minced garlic, but you can easily substitute with 3-4 cloves of fresh minced garlic instead.

LEMON – To yield 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice you’ll need about 2 1/2 lemons, so it’s safe to say you’ll want to grab 3 lemons for this recipe. Don’t throw them away after juicing because we’re using the zest as well! I would highly suggest fresh lemon for this recipe as opposed to bottled juice.

CREAM – Heavy whipping cream creates the base for this rich, creamy sauce. You can substitute with half and half for a slightly thinner sauce.

PARMESAN – You’ll want finely grated parmesan, whether that be from the bottled or shredded yourself. Finely grated parmesan will melt easier when incorporated over heat.

How to Make Lemon Cream Sauce

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add minced garlic and saute for one minute.
3. Sprinkle in flour and stir, cook for 30-45 seconds.
4. Whisk in lemon juice and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking occasionally.
5. Whisk in parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
6. Turn heat to low and simmer until thickened.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

As mentioned above, lemon cream sauce is super versatile. You can serve it over pasta and chicken as shown or simply drizzle it over salmon, asparagus, broccoli, roasted potatoes, or shrimp to name a few.

More Related Recipes

• Salmon Sauce
• Rosemary Cream Sauce
• Garlic Butter Sauce
• Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

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Lemon Cream Sauce

Lemon cream sauce is rich and creamy with a pop of zingy citrus flair. Plus, this dreamboat of a sauce comes together in around 20 minutes.

5 from 1 vote

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Condiments

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 servings (3 cups total)

20 minutes mins

Calories: 355

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 Tablespoons butter
• ▢ 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup lemon juice
• ▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢ ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons lemon zest

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Large heavy bottomed skillet
• ▢
  Whisk

Before You Begin

• We’re using jarred minced garlic, but you can easily substitute with 3-4 cloves of fresh minced garlic instead.
• To yield 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice you’ll need about 2 1/2 lemons, so it’s safe to say you’ll want to grab 3 lemons for this recipe
• Heavy whipping cream creates the base for this rich, creamy sauce. You can substitute with half and half for a slightly thinner sauce.
• You’ll want finely grated parmesan, whether that be from the bottled or shredded yourself. Finely grated parmesan will melt easier when incorporated over heat.

Instructions

• Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat.
  3 Tablespoons butter
• Add minced garlic and saute one minute.
  1 1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• Sprinkle in flour and stir, cook for 30-45 seconds.
  2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• Whisk in lemon juice and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil, whisking occasionally.
  1/2 cup lemon juice, 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Whisk in parmesan cheese and lemon zest.
  1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
• Turn heat to low and simmer until thickened.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Cooled lemon cream sauce can be stored in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat the sauce gently over low heat on the stovetop. I would not recommend freezing this sauce due to the dairy content.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (1/2 cup) | Calories: 355cal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 140mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1380IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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