25 Sweet and Savory Lemon Recipes

By Food & Wine
Updated March 19, 2019
PHOTO © ANNA WILLIAMS
From Meyer lemon marmalade to herb-and-lemon poached baby artichokes, here are some fantastic recipes with lemon.
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Lemon-Curd Cakes with Poppy Seeds

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"The lemon–poppy seed combo is classic," says Vinny Dotolo. "When I was a kid, I ate lemon–poppy seed muffins for breakfast and with ice cream for dessert." Now he turns the pairing into lovely cakes: They have a tender cakey layer on the bottom, a luscious curd-like layer on top and poppy-seed crème fraîche to finish the whole thing off.

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Glazed Lemon-Ginger Scones

Credit: Con Poulos
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Aimee Olexy’s lemony, cream-based scones are light, moist and laced with pieces of chewy candied ginger.

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Lemon Confit

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"I add lemon confit to so many dishes—from broiled fish to pork and beans," says Eric Ripert of New York City's Le Bernardin. He blends his lemon confit with butter to add a pleasantly pungent flavor to broiled snapper. Before broiling, he dots some of the lemon butter on the fish, then serves more lemon butter on the side. Lemon confit can be refrigerated for several months, but if you don't want to make your own, jarred Moroccan preserved lemons are a fine substitute.

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Herb-and-Lemon-Poached Baby Artichokes

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William Abitbol sources a special variety of small Provençal artichoke known as artichaut poivrade (also called just poivrade) for this simple dish, but regular baby artichokes are just as delicious here. The artichokes are infused with flavor from their aromatic poaching liquid, a mixture of lemon, herbs and olive oil.

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Lemon-Rosemary Sun Tea

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Willi Galloway steeps lemon and rosemary for this tea. "Herbs are great for balcony gardens," she says.

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Lemon Cream

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The Lemon Cream can be refrigerated overnight. Add the scallions just before serving.

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Pan-Seared Cod with Preserved-Lemon Aioli

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Nonstick skillets are incredibly helpful when preparing lean fish like the cod fillets here, because the flesh sticks to metal so easily. To give the cod a golden crust, Melissa Rubel Jacobson dusts it with finely milled Wondra flour before cooking. The creamy preserved-lemon aioli she serves alongside the fish is also a terrific dipping sauce for roasted potatoes.

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Avgolemono Chicken Soup with Rice

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Avgolemono is a classic sauce of chicken broth, egg yolks and lemon juice; the addition of a bit more chicken broth, rice and shredded chicken turns it into a satisfying soup.

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Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Peaches and Cream

Credit: © Con Poulos
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Bryan Calvert, chef and co-owner of James in Brooklyn, New York, loves the versatility of his supermoist lemon pound cake: He uses it to make everything from French toast to a stuffing for baked apples. In the summer, he grills it until crisp and toasty, then tops it with warm, tender grilled peaches and whipped cream.

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Spicy Lemon-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

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Pair this spicy pork with an aromatically intense, peppery Syrah.

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Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt

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"I never make frozen yogurt as a low-fat replacement for ice cream," says Jeni Britton. Instead, she likes using yogurt to bring out the natural tanginess of fruits like lemons and strawberries.

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Meyer Lemon Marmalade

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Emily Kaiser devised this simple, fail-safe recipe while living in Oakland, California, with two excessively productive Meyer lemon trees. Likely a cross between an orange and a lemon, the Meyer lemon give this sweet-tart marmalade a bright citrus flavor.

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Meyer Lemon Risotto with Basil

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If you can't find any Meyer lemons, use regular (Eureka) lemons.

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Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

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The unfrosted cupcakes can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

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Lemon-and-Fennel-Roasted Lamb with Polenta

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Chris Cosentino serves roasted lamb necks with polenta cooked in a combination of sheep-milk whey and whole milk. At home, marinated boneless leg of lamb is tender and incredibly delicious alongside creamy polenta with mascarpone.

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Chilled Fennel-Grapefruit Velouté with Lemon Olive Oil

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At Sola restaurant in Paris, chef Hiroki Yoshitake cleverly uses grapefruit oil to boost the flavor in his chilled four-ingredient soup. Lemon olive oil is a terrific alternative, and easier to find in the US. The citrus oil is used in two different ways: for sautéing fennel before pureeing it with grapefruit juice, and for garnishing the soup before serving.

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Honey-Lemon Dressing

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The lemon zest gives this foundational dressing its zippy kick.

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Lemon-Rosemary Sun Tea

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Willi Galloway steeps lemon and rosemary for this tea. "Herbs are great for balcony gardens," she says.

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19 of 25

Grilled Shrimp with Oregano and Lemon

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The sauce for this shrimp is a simple version of Italy's salmoriglio, typically made with lemon and herbs in a mortar. The sauce is also delicious spooned over grilled swordfish or any other meaty fish.

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Lemon-Poppy Seed Cake

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This tender lemon cake was inspired by one favored by Manhattan socialites of the'70s.

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Basil-Crusted Leg of Lamb with Lemon Vinaigrette

Credit: PHOTO © STEPHANIE FOLEY
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With its basil–and–pine nut crust and bracing dressing of lemon juice and Dijon mustard, this lamb dish bridges Brazil and Provence.

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Lemon-Pickled Carrots and Beets

Credit: Jennifer Causey
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This golden salad from chef Biju Thomas marinates beets and carrots in fresh lemon and Korean red pepper flakes. The lemon perks up the sweet, earthy vegetables with acidity, while the gochugaru adds just the right amount of sweet heat and color.

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Lemon and Rosemary Granita

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An icy treat for a warm summer evening, this granita gets an unexpected boost from the bold flavor of rosemary. You can put the hot lemon mixture directly into the freezer rather than chilling it first, but the freezing time will be longer.

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Green Beans with Preserved Lemon

Credit: Abby Hocking
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At Thanksgiving, F&W’s Justin Chapple serves these green beans because they can be made the day before and served either chilled or at room temperature.

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Lemon Ripple Cheesecake Bars

Credit: PHOTO © ANNA WILLIAMS
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Elinor Klivans’ creamy, tangy lemon cheesecake bars would definitely count as a success, plus they're portable enough to bring on a picnic.

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