20 Lemon Recipes That Will Put A Pep In Your Step

As lemons drop from the trees around the neighbourhood, there is a sudden abundance of sour-sweet fruit. Luckily, the fruit is versatile and makes a great addition to plenty of meals.

It’s particularly delicious with seafood, balancing out the brininess with fresh citrus notes. That’s shown with flaky salmon, buttery mussels and a flounder centrepiece.

The sourness of a ripe lemon gains exciting complexity in sweet desserts too. Lemon curd makes a delightful partner for breaded goods, while zest brings out a kick in bright and cheerful cakes.

Savoury

Homemade lemon aioli

This simple homemade sauce will be your new favourite addition to dinner party plates or fish and chip parcels.

Kingfish and mussels with a lemon and orange crust

Crispy lemon pepper cauliflower

This crunchy cauliflower is glazed with honey and lemon and served with a sweet chilli sour cream.

Creamy cannellini beans and kale with thyme, lemon and parmesan

Pan-fired shallots and cheesy parmesan bring a rich, lush flavour to this comforting winter dish.

Green falafels with tahini and lemon yoghurt

For an extra crispy falafel, you’ll want to shallow-fry smaller pieces. All that extra texture pairs perfectly with creamy tahini and lemon yoghurt.

Pan-fried flounder with lemon and capers

This impressive centrepiece is pan-fried with seasoned flour before being garnished with fresh and salty toppings.

Spiced carrots with preserved lemon hummus

This homemade hummus draws plenty of its flavour from garlic, tahini and a slice of preserved lemon and is moreish paired with salty, spice-rubbed baked carrots.

Prawn and lemon risotto

Nici Wickes shares this recipe for a hearty and warming bowl of risotto, which retains richness from white wine and vegetable stock.

Spinach, lemon and ricotta tart

The addition of ricotta introduces a super-velvety texture to this vegetarian tart, with lemon zest adding an extra citrus note.

Baked salmon with fennel and lemon pasta

Flaky baked salmon tops a bed of pasta in this luscious recipe, tossed with butter, fennel, almonds lemon zest and juice.

Sweet

Maple-sweetened lemon curd

This vibrant preserve will keep well in the fridge for a week and makes a great topping for pancakes, waffles, and ice cream.

Lemon curd pies

An earthy pastry encases a sweet and creamy curd, sprinkled with poppy seeds for an extra crunch.

Pistachio cake with mascarpone lemon curd

Salty pistachios are folded into the honey-sweetened batter of this rich cake, with ground almonds building on the nutty taste.

Plum and lemon ring cake

Hints of vanilla and a good dollop of creme fraiche complete this dessert.

Lemon almond tart with mulled wine tamarillos

This intricate dessert is so bright and the softened, wine-cooked tamarillos pack a deep flavour.

Polenta and lemon drizzle cake

This gluten-free cake uses mashed potato to create a fluffy, moist cake topped with a lemony drizzle.

Brown sugar and lemon custards with shortbread

These crumbly nibbles pack citrus notes into both the creamy custard and crisp shortbread.

Gooey lemon crunch

Coconut and brown sugar create a caramelised base for a bright, sweet topping.

Vegan lemon tart with oat shortbread and crust

This dessert comes together quickly and utilises soaked cashews for a deeply creamy texture.

Lemon yoghurt cake

This cake recipe revels in a simple approach to citrus, with the punchy lemon flavour delivered through the batter and an uber-sweet syrup.