Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe [easy, no cream, no butter] (2024)

FAQs

Can I use milk instead of cream in pasta bake? ›

Whole milk is an excellent substitute for heavy cream. It adds richness to your pasta sauce without the excess fat. Simply simmer your favourite pasta sauce with whole milk until it thickens to your desired consistency. The result is a velvety and indulgent sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta.

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

One regular-sized lemon contains about 2-3 tablespoons of juice. Since all lemons aren't exactly the same, we like to stay on the side of caution and assume that one lemon contains 2 tablespoons juice. This means, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, you'll need to use about ½ a lemon.

However, the flavor of lemon extract is stronger than lemon juice, so if you don't want to overpower the other flavors in the recipe, opt for a ½ teaspoon of lemon extract for every teaspoon of lemon juice.

Recipe Tips

Soft cheese, such as cream cheese, can be used as alternative too – it's richer than the cream, so 100g/3½oz should be plenty, along with an extra splash of water. If you have any fresh herbs to hand, such as parsley, basil or dill, finely chop and add to the sauce at the same time as the pasta.

But milk won't whip like heavy cream. Can I use milk instead of heavy cream in pasta? Yes. Use whole milk and stir in a flour-butter mixture to thicken and enrich pasta dishes instead of heavy cream.

It's (Almost) Never Okay To Use Store-Bought Citrus Juice

The stuff you squeeze by hand has less time to oxidize and no funny preservatives, which means its flavor is brighter and more pronounced compared to the bitter or muted bottled versions.

Jif Lemon 100ml can be used in recipes that require or recommend the use of lemon juice. Jif Lemon 100ml is a great way of adding low calorie flavour to dishes.

However, if you've ever tasted bottled lemon juice, you'll notice that the flavour is a little off – not bright and lemony like the real stuff. This is because bottled lemon juice usually contains additives and preservatives such as Sodium Metabisulphite (E223) or Potassium Metabisulphite (E224).

Vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and rice vinegar can all be substituted at a ½:1 ratio. If your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, then, sub 1 tablespoon vinegar and replace the rest with water if needed. Usually you won't need to add any extra liquid but it depends on the recipe.

Can you use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice? ›

Apple cider vinegar makes a great substitute for lemon juice, plus it has potential health benefits, like blood sugar and cholesterol control.

Although lemon extract has a long shelf-life, it's essential to check if it has gone bad. Signs include a significant decrease in the strong lemon scent, developing an off smell, changed color or cloudiness in the liquid. Taste can be used as a test too, but do this cautiously, as extract is highly concentrated.

Similarly to half-and-half, milk makes a good heavy cream substitute when it's combined with melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup melted butter for every cup of heavy cream. This mixture is not suitable for whipping. Best for: cooking and baking.

Using dairy is an effective way to thicken and bind, without much hassle.

The simple answer is yes. There will be a difference in richness, which you may experience as both flavor and texture, but the functionality of both in a recipe is fairly similar. The difference in butterfat/milkfat content is what makes half-and-half creamier (and cream richer still).

It sounds unconventional to use milk in a meaty red sauce, but upon further investigation, it makes total sense why Italians swear by it. According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”.