This zesty and savory Lemon Cream Sauce pairs well with so many options you can create endless combinations! It’s wonderful with pasta, veggies, chicken, pork, seafood, and fish. It’s quick and easy to make for weeknights, perfect for entertaining, and never fails to impress.
This Lemon Cream Sauce has been a long-time favorite in our house going back over 18 years now. It was one of the first things I made for Tyler when we started dating, and it instantly became one of his top favorites.
Watch How To Make Lemon Cream Sauce
He loves it so much in fact it was part of our wedding dinner menu! The original inspiration for this recipe comes from Giada De Laurentiis. She was the first person I’d seen to combine Herbs de Provence and lemon together into a cream sauce.
I’ve made enough changes to how I make it over the years that I hope it’s not an insult to her original idea. But definitely check out her lemon chicken penne from her Everyday Pasta cookbook sometime!
We prefer a richer sauce with savory depth from garlic and more lemon. It never fails to impress, and everyone always wants the recipe. So, finally, today, I have my version ready to share with you!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Heavy cream – you want heavy whipping cream with 36%-40% milk fat. I don’t recommend half-and-half or milk because they won’t thicken up and can curdle combined with the acid from the lemon.
- Butter – adds depth of flavor to this sauce, but it’s also for sautéing the minced garlic.
- Garlic – fresh garlic is worth the extra effort, and I don’t recommend jarred garlic in this sauce. For easier prep work, try using a garlic press.
- Herbs de Provence – there’s no real substitute for this herb blend, so I do recommend adding it to your spice jar. You can also go to any health food store that has a bulk section and buy a small amount to try it before committing to a jar. Try 2 tsp fresh rosemary or thyme instead of the Herbs de Provence for a different but very good flavor.
- Lemon – both the zest and the juice are used in this sauce. Fresh lemon juice is key in this simple sauce for the best flavor.
- Extras – chopped fresh parsley or basil are both really nice in this sauce. You can also add a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese to whatever you choose to serve this sauce with.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by zesting the lemon. I like to use a microplane grater for super fine zest that basically ‘melts’ into the sauce.
Juice the lemon and set the juice and zest aside.
Step 2: Sauté the garlic in the butter over medium heat until fragrant but not browned about 1 minute.
Next, add the Herbs de Provence to the garlic butter, crumbling the spice between your fingers as you add it to the pan to release more flavor.
Step 3: Then add the lemon zest and heavy cream to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer, (careful not to boil it over) then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened.
Step 4: Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, then add the freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste.
Serve immediately.
Ways to serve this
- Toss this finished sauce together with 1 package of freshly cooked pasta and 1 pound cooked chicken. Thin the sauce as necessary with reserved pasta cooking water so the sauce coats the pasta. Add freshly chopped parsley or basil along with some parmesan if desired.
- Serve this Lemon Cream Sauce with cooked fish fillets (both white-fleshed fish and salmon work great), scallops, shrimp, pork chops, or chicken.
- This creamy lemon sauce is also great for green veggies like Perfect Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Broccoli, or Sautéed Green Beans.
FAQ’s
Add the lemon juice at the end of the cooking time when the cream sauce has been reduced until slightly thickened and it won’t curdle. You also need to use heavy cream with a fat percentage of 36-40%, lower fat dairy like half-and-half and milk usually curdle when you add anything acid. Adding the lemon juice when the sauce is finished also gives you a fresher lemon flavor.
The most common reason a cream sauce breaks and oil separates is that it has been reduced too far, (cooked too long). As the sauce reduces, the liquid evaporates, and at some point, there is not enough liquid left for the fat to stay emulsified in the sauce and it breaks. You can fix this easily by adding a bit more heavy cream, or water if you don’t have cream and whisk over a light simmer until the sauce comes back together.
Storing leftovers
- To store – Place any leftover sauce into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days.
- Make ahead – This sauce is a great make-ahead recipe; just add the fresh lemon juice right before serving for best results. You can make it up to three days in advance just be aware of the leftovers don’t keep as long. Bring it back to a simmer on the stovetop when you’re ready to serve it.
- Reheating – Place any leftovers into a small fry pan or saucepan and heat over medium-low until the sauce is heated. If the sauce breaks at any point, whisk in a touch of cream, water, or chicken broth until it comes back together.
Tips & Tricks
- Fresh lemon zest and lemon juice are very important to the flavor of this sauce, don’t skip the zest or use bottled juice in this case!
- If you simmer the sauce too long, it will break. This means you will see a pool of oil emerge and separate from the sauce. Don’t panic this can be easily fixed! This only happens when there is not enough liquid to keep the fat emulsified in the sauce. If you have any heavy cream on hand, add some to the pan, whisking until the sauce comes back together. If you don’t have heavy cream, add a little water or chicken broth, and whisk until the sauce comes back together.
Dietary Options & Substitutions
- Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan or Vegetarian – I don’t have any dairy-free recommendations for substitutes for this particular sauce. But you can make my Vegan Cashew Cream Sauce instead.
More Sauce Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this Lemon Cream Sauce recipe! If you do get a chance to make it, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Lemon Cream Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 1 tsp Herbs de Provence
- 1 lemon - zested & juiced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp sea salt - or to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper - or to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by zesting the lemon, juice it and set both aside.
- Heat a 10" skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the butter, and when it melts, add the garlic.
- Cook the garlic until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the Herbs de Provence, crumbling it between your fingers as you add it to the pan to release flavor.
- Then add the reserved lemon zest and heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer until the sauce is lightly thickened, about 8 minutes.
- Season the sauce to taste with sea salt and pepper. Then whisk in the reserved lemon juice to taste, we like 2-3 tablespoons.
- Serve immediately.
This is so unbelievably delicious !!!!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, it’s one of our ‘most-made’ recipes in our house!