Lemon paste is a versatile ingredient that can add bright, citrusy flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. Made from lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt, lemon paste has a consistency similar to molasses or honey. It provides intense lemon flavor without adding extra liquid to recipes.
Lemon paste is useful for many applications, including:
- Cakes, cookies, scones, and other baked goods
- Frostings, glazes, fillings
- Yogurt, ice cream, custards, curds
- Salads, dressings, marinades
- Seafood dishes
- Cocktails and lemonade
With its sweet-tart lemon burst, lemon paste can transform the flavor of everything from pound cake to salad dressing.
Baking with Lemon Paste
Lemon paste is ideal for infusing cakes, cookies, breads, and more with bright citrus flavor. It blends smoothly into batters and frostings without thinning them out.
Cakes and Cupcakes
Stir lemon paste into cake batters for moist lemon cake layers perfect for filling and frosting. Yellow cake, white cake, or even chocolate cake all pair beautifully with lemon.
Try lemon paste in:
- Lemon cake: Add 2-3 tablespoons lemon paste to yellow or white cake batter. Fill and frost with lemon buttercream or lemon curd.
- Lemon cupcakes: Swirl lemon paste into vanilla or chocolate cupcake batter before baking. Top with lemon cream cheese frosting.
- Lemon pound cake: Mix 2-3 tablespoons lemon paste into pound cake batter and drizzle glaze made with additional lemon paste over the baked cake.
Key Takeaway: Lemon paste adds moisture and bright lemon flavor to cakes and cupcakes without thinning the batter.
Cookies
Bake lemon paste into sugar cookies, shortbread, sandwich cookies, and more. The paste dissolves into doughs evenly while providing a delicious lemon kick.
Stir lemon paste into:
- Sugar cookies: Add 1-2 tablespoons lemon paste into the dough or brush baked cookies with lemon glaze.
- Shortbread: Mix in 1-2 tablespoons lemon paste for tasty lemon shortbread.
- Sandwich cookies: Make lemon cream cheese, curd, or buttercream filling enhanced with lemon paste.
Key Takeaway: Mix lemon paste into cookie dough or use it in fillings for lemon sandwich cookies.
Scones and Muffins
Lemon paste gives scones a double dose of lemon taste from the dough itself and a sweet glaze on top. The paste also makes muffins extra moist without altering their texture.
Incorporate lemon paste into:
- Lemon scones: Mix 1-2 tablespoons into scone dough, then drizzle lemon glaze over baked scones.
- Lemon blueberry muffins: Add 1-2 tablespoons lemon paste into the batter before baking.
- Lemon poppy seed muffins: Swirl lemon paste directly into plain muffin batter along with the poppy seeds.
Key Takeaway: Use lemon paste in scone dough, muffin batter, or sweet glazes for double lemon flavor.
Frostings, Glazes and Fillings
Lemon paste shines in creamy buttercreams, fruit curds, sweet glazes, and other dessert fillings. Blend it smoothly into frostings or warm it gently to thin the paste for brushing onto cakes and pastries.
Stir lemon paste into:
- Buttercream frosting: Blend a few tablespoons into vanilla, chocolate, or cream cheese frosting.
- Lemon curd: Whisk warm lemon paste into lemon curd for tarts or cake fillings.
- Glazes: Heat lemon paste with powdered sugar and milk or cream to drizzle over cakes, scones, and more.
Key Takeaway: Lemon paste adds bright flavor to frostings, glazes, fillings and more without thinning them out.
Cooking Savory Dishes with Lemon Paste
Beyond sweets, lemon paste also excels at seasoning roasted meats, seafood, salads, yogurt dips, and more. Use it anywhere you want intense lemon flavor without extra liquid.
Main Dishes
Balance rich meats like salmon, chicken, and lamb with bright lemon paste. Blend it into marinades, stir it into pan sauces, or mix it with olive oil for quick roasted salmon.
Brush or stir lemon paste into:
- Baked salmon: Coat salmon fillets with a mixture of lemon paste and olive oil before roasting.
- Chicken or lamb kebabs: Blend lemon paste into the marinade.
- Pan sauces: Deglaze the pan with white wine, chicken broth, or water after searing meat or fish. Then stir in 1-2 teaspoons lemon paste and let reduce into a sauce.
Key Takeaway: Use lemon paste to brighten rich meats like salmon, chicken, and lamb with quick marinades or pan sauces.
Salads and Vegetables
A little lemon paste balances the flavors of bitter greens, hearty grains, starchy potatoes, and roasted vegetables.
Toss lemon paste vinaigrettes with:
- Green salads: Whisk lemon paste into olive oil and vinegar dressing.
- Grain bowls: Mix lemon paste into the cooked grains along with vegetables and protein.
- Warm roasted vegetables: Finish roasted potatoes, carrots, broccoli and more with a drizzle of lemon paste and olive oil.
Key Takeaway: Vibrant lemon paste vinaigrettes pair perfectly with salads, grains, and roasted veggies.
Yogurt, Cheese and Eggs
Stir lemon paste into creamy ingredients like Greek yogurt, cream cheese, and mayonnaise for an instant flavor upgrade. Or use it to brighten egg dishes like frittatas and omelets.
Mix lemon paste into:
- Labneh: Blend lemon paste into strained yogurt cheese for a Mediterranean mezze dip.
- Creamy salad dressings or dips: Whisk a spoonful or two of lemon paste into plain Greek yogurt.
- Deviled eggs: Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon paste to the mashed egg yolk filling before stuffing the whites.
- Frittatas or omelets: Stir a teaspoon or two of lemon paste into the beaten eggs before cooking.
Key Takeaway: Blend lemon paste into Greek yogurt, cream cheese, eggs, and more for instant lemon flavor without the acidity or extra moisture of juice.
Making Drinks with Lemon Paste
A small amount of ultra-concentrated lemon paste packs a flavor punch in cocktails, lemonade, and tea.
Cocktails
A little lemon paste balances sweet and boozy cocktails beautifully. Add it to martinis, margaritas, vodka lemonade, and more in place of fresh lemon juice.
Shake or stir lemon paste into:
- Lemon drop martini: Use lemon paste instead of fresh lemon juice.
- Margaritas: Mix with tequila, orange liqueur and simple syrup.
- Vodka or gin lemonade: Blend lemon paste with vodka or gin and lemon soda.
- Mojitos: Muddle lemon paste with mint leaves, rum and simple syrup.
Key Takeaway: For cocktails, swap small amounts of lemon paste anywhere fresh lemon juice is used.
Lemonade and Iced Tea
Lemon paste dissolves beautifully into cold or hot teas, lemonade, and fruit infused waters. Sweeten beverages to taste after mixing in the paste.
Blend lemon paste into:
- Classic lemonade: Mix with water and sweetener for sweet-tart lemonade.
- Iced tea: Stir lemon paste and sweetener into chilled black or herbal tea.
- Fruit infused waters: Combine sliced citrus fruits and berries with lemon paste in a pitcher of water.
Key Takeaway: Dissolve lemon paste into hot or cold tea, lemonade, and fruit-infused waters for bright lemon flavor.
FAQs
How much lemon paste equals a lemon?
One teaspoon of lemon paste provides about the same amount of acid and flavor as the juice from one lemon. Start with small amounts of paste, tasting as you go since potency can vary between brands.
Does lemon paste need to be refrigerated after opening?
Yes, keep lemon paste refrigerated for optimal freshness and shelf life once opened. The paste keeps for about one year refrigerated.
What is a good lemon paste substitute?
For the bright, concentrated lemon flavor provided by paste, you can substitute:
- Lemon extract or lemon oil combined with fresh lemon zest
- Grated lemon zest plus lemon juice, adding moisture as needed
- Preserved lemons, rinsed to remove excess salt
In a pinch, bottled lemon juice can also work but won't provide the same vibrant lemon quality.
Is lemon paste spicy?
No, lemon paste has no heat or spice on its own. Some recipes combine it with spicy ingredients like harissa or chili peppers, but plain lemon paste is moderately sweet-tart with no spiciness.
Conclusion
With its smooth consistency and concentrated lemon essence, versatile lemon paste makes it easy to add bright flavor to everything from frosting to salad dressing.
Use it bake sweet treats like cakes, cookies, scones and more or season savory seafood, chicken, vegetables, and yogurt dips.