This lemon garlic cream sauce recipe comes together with only 8-ingredients! It’s delicious with pasta or as a base for many other dishes.

If you love quick sauces, try our 3-Ingredient Alfredo Sauce.

lemon cream sauce in a pan

Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

Lemony garlic cream sauce with half and half, fresh lemon, garlic, parmesan, and parsley could not be any easier to make.

It comes together in a cinch and tastes so creamy and fresh! You’ll love it tossed with any pasta of choice but it’s also a great sauce for salmon, shrimp, or chicken. For a variation of this sauce, check out our pasta sauce with cream cheese.

lemon garlic cream sauce recipe

Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce Ingredients

  • Butter
  • Garlic
  • All-purpose flour
  • Half and half
  • Lemon juice and zest
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Parsley
ingredients for lemon garlic cream sauce

Can I Use Milk?

You can use 2% or whole milk. Keep in mind though, that the higher the fat content, the richer the sauce will be.

Recipe Variations! Love spicy sauce? Turn this cream sauce into creamy cajun sauce. The contrast of creamy with spicy is always a delicious combo!

How to Make Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

1. Melt butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.

2. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

how to make lemon garlic cream sauce

3. Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute or until lightly golden, while stirring constantly. It will look like a paste. Make sure not to burn the flour.

roux in a skillet

4. Gradually pour in the half and half, stirring as you pour. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to a medium-low and cook until the sauce thickens about 1-2 minutes. If any lumps form, just whisk them out. Properly thickened sauce should coat the back of your spoon.

cream in a skillet

6. Whisk in lemon juice and zest. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley. The cheese should immediately melt into the sauce.

7. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

cream sauce with parmesan in a skillet

Lemon Garlic Pasta Sauce Tips

  • For ultra-smooth sauce, I highly recommend using a microplane for the garlic.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese instead of shredded, as grated incorporates better into the cream mixture. Use a microplane to grate the cheese or a box-grater.
  • Keep an eye on the temperature while cooking and stir frequently so that the garlic and butter-flour mixture doesn’t burn.
  • Finished sauce will thicken quickly upon standing so it is best enjoyed immediately. You can thin out the sauce with little white wine, reserved pasta water, milk, or half and half.

How to use his Creamy Lemon Sauce

Lemon garlic cream sauce recipe is very versatile and can be served with pasta or as a base for many other dishes, such as:

How to Store Lemon Garlic Sauce

This recipe is best served right away while it’s still warm. However, if you have leftovers or want to prepare in advance, you can store the cooled sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Reheat the sauce in a pot over medium-low heat on the stove, stirring frequently. Add an extra splash of half and half or broth as needed to loosen it back up.

I don’t recommend freezing creamy lemon garlic sauce as it tends to separate once thawed!

lemon cream sauce

Video: How to Make Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

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lemon garlic cream sauce

Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 30 reviews
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 10 min
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Simmer
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Lemon garlic cream sauce recipe comes together with only 8-ingredients! It’s delicious with pasta or as a base for many other dishes.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated with a microplane
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half and half (not fat free)
  • Zest 1 lemon, about 1 tsp.
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  • Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant, while stirring constantly.
  2. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute or until lightly golden, stirring constantly. You want to cook off the raw flour taste. Make sure not to burn it.
  3. Gradually add in the half and half, stirring as you pour. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce thickens about 1-2 minutes. If any lumps form, whisk them out. The sauce should easily coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Whisk in lemon juice and zest. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley. The cheese should immediately melt into the sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For a Smoother Sauce: Use a microplane for the garlic and for the Parmesan cheese. Grate the Parmesan yourself, it will taste and melt into the sauce better than the bagged cheese.
  • Serving: This recipe makes 2 cups of sauce, which is enough for 8 ounces of dry pasta. Or use the sauce as a base for other dishes. See post for serving ideas.
  • Leftovers: This sauce will thicken upon standing. You can thin out the sauce with white wine, reserved pasta water, milk, or half and half. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up 5 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 250
  • Sugar: 5.3 g
  • Sodium: 189 mg
  • Fat: 20.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11 g
  • Protein: 7.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 62.4 mg