Creamy Saffron Pasta

A close-up of creamy Tagliarini with Saffron Cream Sauce, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, served on a white plate with a fork.

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4.90 from 19 votes

This luxurious creamy pasta and sauce is a decadent dish that you can serve up on a weeknight, or at a dinner party.

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Creamy Saffron Pasta, Saffron Cream Sauce, saffron pasta

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 964

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter
2 clove garlic minced
1 Pinch saffron threads
1 pint heavy cream
½ teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest un-waxed lemon
1 pound dried pasta
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
fresh parsley chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Soak the threads of saffron in 1 tablespoon of hot water for 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes.
Add the cream, mix in the saffron mixture, and increase the heat to medium-high.
Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just undercooked.
Remove ½ cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and transfer to the skillet with the sauce and finish cooking the pasta in the sauce adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Add a splash of pasta water to thin the sauce as needed.
Taste for seasoning and add salt & pepper to taste.
Serve topped with more cheese & parsley.

Video

Notes

Erren’s Top Tips

Steep the Saffron Like Tea
Don’t rush the saffron soak. Steeping it in hot (not boiling) water for 8–10 minutes helps unlock both its signature golden color and that warm, slightly floral flavor. Think of it like making tea—you’re coaxing out the good stuff.

Don’t Skip the Pasta Water
That cloudy, salty water you usually toss? It’s liquid gold. Stirring it into the sauce helps loosen things up and gives the cream something to cling to. Add it slowly until the sauce is smooth and glossy.

Zest Before You Juice
It’s way easier to zest your lemon before cutting it open. A microplane gives the best fine texture, and it distributes more evenly through the sauce.

Undercook Your Pasta (On Purpose)
Cook your pasta just a minute shy of al dente. It’ll finish cooking in the sauce and soak up more flavor that way.

Use Real Parmesan
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano melts smoother and tastes so much better than the pre-shredded kind. The saltiness adds balance to the rich sauce.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Storing Leftovers:
Let the pasta cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of cream or milk to loosen up the sauce—otherwise, it can get a little thick and sticky.

Freezing Tips:
While the cream-based sauce can be frozen, it may separate slightly when thawed. If you’re planning ahead, cook the sauce and pasta separately, freeze them individually, and combine fresh when reheating. Let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge, then gently warm it on the stove with a bit of cream to bring it back together.

Reheating Tip:
Low and slow wins. Warm it gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of pasta water, milk, or cream, stirring until smooth. The microwave works too, but stir every 30 seconds and add liquid to keep things creamy.

Nutrition