25 Lemon Recipes (dinners & desserts)

1. Lemon pasta

We start this list of lemon recipes with creamy lemon pasta with fresh lemon zest and juice.

The lemon’s tangy acidity enhances the overall taste and adds a delightful balance that is perfect with al dente spaghetti and fresh parsley.

2. Lemon tofu

The zesty tanginess of lemon also elevates many sauces with a refreshing flavor. The citrus creates a harmonious balance between richness and acidity in this lemon tofu.

Pan-fried lemon tofu is a 20–minute weeknight dinner idea that can replace chicken as a meatless meal.

3. Vegan lemon bars

How can you use lemon in desserts? In multiple tasty manners, for example, with these vegan lemon bars.

These bars encapsulate the essence of a refreshing citrus indulgence while catering to a vegan lifestyle, making them a luscious and elegant treat for all.

4. Easy lemon muffins

These lemon muffins are cute, delicious, and ready in 30 minutes.

Serve them for breakfast or brunch as a snack, and add a streusel topping or a cream cheese topping. Since we don’t put eggs in the batter, the recipe is easy to make vegan and can also be made dairy–free.

5. Lemon tart

Make a crowd-pleasing tart with this easy vegan lemon tart recipe with creamy lemon curd.

You can expect a decisive lemon flavor and aroma, a flakey crust, and a velvety smooth filling.

6. Vegan lemon cake

This light pillow-soft lemon cake is served with rich, tangy vegan cream cheese and lemon frosting.

It’s excellent all-year round as an easy and tasty dessert for weekends, birthdays, and special occasions.

7. Vanilla lemon custard

We pair lemon zest with rich vanilla and plant milk for a velvety, creamy vegan custard.

The zesty citrus notes elevate the creamy sweetness of vanilla, adding a refreshing twist to every spoonful. It’s excellent in pastries and cakes (apple cake) and delicious.

8. Creamy lemon pasta

Here is another weeknight meal to add to your lemon cooking repertoire.

The creaminess of ricotta, the zestiness of lemon, and the chewiness of good pasta cooked al dente will brighten your dinner and make everyone happy.

9. Lemon donuts

You need a combination of lemon zest and lemon extract for these quick and easy cake donuts.

You can use both in the batter and for the topping – get ready for a 30–minute breakfast and sweet treat.

10. Lemon curd

Vegan lemon curd is a creamy, tangy, and easy-to-make recipe with five simple ingredients, ready in 5 minutes.

Use it with lemon bars, lemon tart, and pastries for a delicious and refreshing finish.

11. Lemon pound cake

You’ll need fresh lemons to infuse the batter with a fragrant and zesty aroma. We use grated zest and fresh lemon juice for this vegan pound cake for maximum lemon flavor.

You won’t believe how tasty and easy it is; this pound cake is our family’s favorite recipe in texture and flavor.

12. Lemon blueberry cake

The lemon blueberry cake should taste like lemon and blueberries, so we use lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.

The pairing of juicy blueberries and zesty lemon creates a harmonious flavor mix in every bite of the cake.

13. Air fryer asparagus

Air–fried asparagus is quickly elevated by a drizzle of zesty lemon vinaigrette that underlines its bright, tangy flavors.

You can enjoy these crispy greens as a starter or vegetable side dish during spring and early summer when asparagus is in season.

14. Lemon blueberry pound cake

This blueberry and lemon pound cake is soft, moist, and packed with lemon flavor and many blueberries.

Top it with our finger-licking good lemon glaze to make it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

15. Watermelon salad

Finely chopped lemon peel, only the yellow part, adds a beautiful citrusy flavor that is irresistible in this watermelon salad recipe.

Watermelon salad is sweet, tangy, juicy, crisp, vibrant, and refreshing. It’s the perfect salad for hot summer days.

16. Zucchini pasta

Make this 20–minute lemon-infused pasta with grated zucchini and your favorite pasta.

Then add fresh herbs, lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and a dollop of creamy Greek or non-dairy yogurt for an easy meatless meal.

17. Vegan butter chicken

If you want to try an Indian–inspired dish with zesty lemon yogurt sauce, this tofu butter “chicken” is a great choice.

The tofu is marinated in yogurt, spices, and lemon juice, which makes it a tender and tasty vegetarian protein source.

18. Sauteed zucchini

Lemon is a perfect flavor partner with zucchini.

When the zucchini is sautèed to your liking, add some finely chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. You can serve this pan-fried veggie favorite on pasta, tofu, and focaccia.

19. Avocado salad

Lemons are perfect with avocados due to their tanginess; they enhance avocados’ rich, buttery nature.

This dynamic duo pairs with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper in a creamy avocado salad. The lemon juice also helps your avocado salad stay fresh and tasty for longer.

20. Tahini sauce

Tahini sauce is a favorite drizzle-on-everything sauce. It has a mild nutty, lemony flavor and adds an irresistible tang and creaminess to any dish.

For an authentic Mediterranean meal, serve it with whole roasted cauliflower, falafel, or hummus.

21. Braised artichokes

Lemon juice is a flavor enhancer for many veggies, whether roasted, sautèed, steamed, or air fried.

Combined with braised artichokes, the lemon makes the artichokes buttery tender and incredibly tasty. Their flavor is complemented by fresh parsley, mint, garlic, and lemon, a delicious Italian side dish idea.

22. Couscous salad

Fresh lemon juice is a tasty addition to grains, salads, and dressings.

Try it in this 10-minute couscous dish, where we make an aromatic lemon and cumin dressing to make a wonderful Mediterranean–inspired couscous salad.

23. Pasta al Limone

Pasta al limone is a creamy lemon pasta recipe popular in Italy, and this recipe is from Nico’s family cookbook.

His grandma used to make this dish with delicious ripe lemons from the Amalfi coast or Sorrento in the Campania region in Italy, mixing the fragrant lemon zest with fresh ricotta from the local farm.

24. Creamy kale pasta

Grated lemon zest, ideally from an organic lemon, adds a pleasant zesty flavor to this kale pasta recipe.

Al dente rigatoni pasta and leafy greens pair well with our velvety, creamy lemon ricotta sauce.

25. Cauliflower pasta

We end this list of lemon recipes with an easy lemon–infused pasta: roasted cauliflower pasta.

Our tip: add some parmesan or dairy-free cheese for extra umami and creaminess, parsley, lemon zest, and toasted pine nuts. It’s a restaurant–worthy pasta with healthy vegetables and elegant flavors.

How to store these lemon recipes

• Make ahead: these are not optimal recipes to make ahead. They are best right after they are cooked.
• Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. For cakes: store at room temperature, best if covered in a cake dome or wrapped in foil or plastic for up to 4 – 5 days.
• Reheat: warm it in a pan with olive oil, adding water if necessary. The microwave also works.
• Freezer: savory dishes on this list are not suitable for freezing.
  For cakes: freeze them for up to 3 months. To do so, let them cool down completely, slice them, and wrap each in plastic for easy portioning and quick thawing.