Creamy Saffron Pasta

A white plate with saffron pasta topped with saffron petals.

5 from 1 vote

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 587kcal

Author: Petra

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.

Storage

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