This Creamy Saffron Pasta is the ultimate date night dish ready in under 30 min! Al dente pasta is coated in a luxurious saffron sauce that’s rich, aromatic, and truly one of a kind. Simple to make yet impressive, this recipe turns any meal into a special occasion.
If you want to impress your partner and make them something special for date night without too much effort or time, look no further than this creamy saffron pasta!
I know some people shy away from saffron since it's considered the most expensive spice in the world. But the truth is, a little goes a long way!
Saffron is incredibly aromatic and you only need a teaspoon to make this whole dish, any more than that it will be overpowering.
So, next time you want to make something to wow a loved one, consider buying a small amount of saffron and making this pasta dish, you'll thank me later!
For more unique pasta recipes, check out my Korean Gochujang Pasta, Umami-Packed Miso Pasta, Creamy Kimchi Pasta, and One-Pot Caramelized French Onion Pasta.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Saffron: It's important to use high-quality saffron for the best flavor and aroma. Choose a saffron that has a deep red color and strong aroma. Your saffron should not be light red, if it is, it's most likely dyed and it's fake!
- Butter: I love using butter to saute the garlic, but if you don't have it on hand olive oil can also work.
- White wine: I love adding a little bit of dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc for depth of flavor and acidity. Don't worry, the alcohol evaporates during the cooking process so you won't taste it in the final dish.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
Variations:
- No wine: After making my French onion soup without wine, I've learned that you can usually omit the wine entirely from a recipe and it won't be missed at all. In the case of a pasta dish, you can use a little bit of vegetable broth to deglaze the pan after sauteeing the aromatics.
- No cream: Use vegan cream such as soy or make your own cashew cream by blending raw cashews and water.
- Make it vegan: Use vegan cream, plant-based butter, and dairy-free parmesan cheese.
How To Make Saffron Pasta
Step 1: Grind the saffron using a mortar and pestle and add two ice cubes. Let them melt fully. This is called blooming and is done to enhance the color and aroma of the saffron.
Step 2: To a large pot, melt the butter and saute the garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add white wine to deglaze and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the alcohol evaporates.
Step 3: Add the heavy cream, and bloomed saffron, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Step 4: Add the parmesan cheese little by little, stirring between each sprinkle to avoid clumps.
Step 5: Turn the heat off and add the cooked al dente pasta and lemon juice.
Step 6: Toss to coat well. Give it a taste test and add more salt, black pepper, or lemon juice if needed, to taste. Serve!
👩🏼🍳 Petra's Tips
- Cook the garlic over low heat so it doesn't burn. You're looking only to saute the garlic in the butter briefly, not to toast it. Burnt garlic will affect the flavor of the whole dish and it's a no-no!
- Bloom the saffron first. This is essential for unlocking the saffron's maximum taste, aroma, and color. If you add the saffron directly to the sauce without blooming it first it won't be as flavorful.
- Stir the lemon juice at the end. You want to turn the heat off when you're stirring the lemon juice into the sauce, otherwise you're risking curdling the heavy cream.
- Save some of the pasta water. The secret to a luscious pasta sauce that sticks and coats the pasta is adding a little bit of pasta water. This is done in every Italian restaurant and is the reason why their pasta dishes have that silky, restaurant-quality finish. I use this trick whenever I'm making any type of pasta, including tagliatelle al pesto or Gigi Hadid pasta without vodka.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Saffron brings a beautiful golden hue and a delicate aroma that enhances any pasta dish. The key is to bloom the saffron first by melting it into ice, allowing it to fully release its flavor and color for the best results.
Saffron pasta has a delicate and fragrant flavor with sweet and floral notes from the saffron. It's creamy from the addition of butter and heavy cream, making for a luscious, buttery sauce.
Your saffron should have a deep red color and short orange/yellow tips. It should smell floral, slightly sweet, and not bitter! The best way to make sure your saffron is high quality is to test it in water after purchasing.
To store, let the pasta cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat, add a little bit of milk or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce and either heat in the microwave or the stovetop.
Yes! Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta is delicious served alongside a light side salad like my arugula, spinach, and avocado salad or this Mediterranean orzo salad with feta.
It can also be served after a starter like this 1-pot broccoli pea soup with a side of my simple garlic ciabatta bread.
If you want to bump up the protein, serve it alongside these Italian-style tofu meatballs or my air fryer smoky marinated tempeh.
More Unique Pasta Recipes
If you tried this Creamy Saffron Pasta or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Saffron Pasta
Ingredients
- 250 g pappardelle pasta gluten-free if needed
- 1 teaspoon saffron
- 2 ice cubes or ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoon butter vegan if needed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup cream vegan cream if needed
- 40 g parmesan cheese dairy-free if needed
- ¼ cup pasta water more as needed
- 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
- freshly cracked black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by blooming your saffron. Add it to a mortar pestle and grind it until it turns into a fine powder. Then add two ice cubes and let them fully melt. Alternatively, you can bloom the saffron with ¼ cup of boiling water and let it sit for 10 minutes if you don't have the time, but whenever I do I like to use the ice cube method.1 teaspoon saffron, 2 ice cubes
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to packaging instructions, until al dente. Before draining reserve ½ cup of pasta water.250 g pappardelle pasta
- In the meantime, make the sauce. Melt butter over medium-low heat and add the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until it's fragrant and you can smell it. Add the white wine and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the alcohol evaporates.2 tablespoon butter, 3 cloves garlic, minced, ½ cup white wine
- Add the heavy creamy, bloomed saffron and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, or until the sauce thickens and coat the back of a spoon.½ cup cream, freshly cracked black pepper, salt to taste
- Sprinkle in the parmesan cheese a little bit at a time, stirring in between to prevent clumps.40 g parmesan cheese, ¼ cup pasta water, 1-2 teaspoon lemon juice
- Turn off the heat, add the cooked pasta alongside the pasta water and lemon juice, and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding more salt, black pepper or lemon juice to taste. Serve!
Notes
-
- Cook the garlic over low heat so it doesn't burn. Burnt garlic will affect the flavor of the whole dish and it's a no-no!
-
- Bloom the saffron first. This is essential for unlocking the saffron's maximum taste, aroma, and color. If you add the saffron directly to the sauce without blooming it first it won't be as flavorful.
-
- Stir the lemon juice at the end. You want to turn the heat off when you're stirring the lemon juice into the sauce, otherwise you're risking curdling the heavy cream.
-
- Save some of the pasta water. The secret to a luscious pasta sauce that sticks and coats the pasta is adding a little bit of pasta water. This is done in every Italian restaurant and is the reason why their pasta dishes have that silky, restaurant-quality finish.
- Fridge: To store, let the pasta cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat, add a little bit of milk or vegetable broth to loosen up the sauce and either heat in the microwave or the stovetop. - Freezer: Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Petra says
Perfect for a special ocassion when you want something without the fuss!