Creamy Saffron Pasta
A super easy saffron cream sauce for pasta. Quick, creamy, and elegant — ready in under 20 minutes! Saffron adds a golden color and a delicate, aromatic flavor to this simple cream and Parmigiano Reggiano sauce. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, but impressive enough for date night or entertaining.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads – finely chopped about a pinch
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion – finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter – divided
- ¼ cup white wine or rosé – a good quality wine you’d actually drink
- 1 cup low-sodium broth – vegetable or chicken
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Sea salt – to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 14 oz pappardelle pasta – fresh or dry
Instructions
Prep the onion and saffron
- Using a sharp knife, finely chop the onion into even pieces. Chop the saffron threads into very small bits and set aside.
Cook the onion
- In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent.
Bloom the saffron
- Stir in the chopped saffron and let it cook for about 1 minute. Pour in the wine, stirring to deglaze the pan. Let it simmer until the alcohol cooks off.
Make the sauce
- Add the broth, a pinch of sea salt, and stir well. Let the mixture simmer gently for 3–4 minutes. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter to enrich the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.
Cook the pasta
- Meanwhile, cook the pappardelle in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
Combine
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the saffron sauce. Add the extra-virgin olive oil. Toss with the grated Parmigiano, adding a splash of reserved pasta water, if needed to help coat the noodles in the sauce.
Serve
- Plate the pasta immediately, finishing with more Parmigiano and freshly cracked black pepper.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Why chop saffron? Saffron threads release their flavor best when broken down. Finely chopping them before adding to the butter and broth ensures every bit infuses into the sauce.
- Wine choice matters: Use a wine you’d actually enjoy drinking — a dry white or a crisp rosé. Avoid “cooking wine,” which is salty and flat.
- The broth: Stick to low-sodium broth so you control the seasoning. You’ll add Parmigiano later, which already brings salty depth.
- Butter timing: Adding butter twice — once at the start for the onions and again at the end — layers richness and silkiness into the sauce.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Chef's trick is to add a little bit of olive oil when you combine the pasta with the cheese, as it helps to make it a little shiny.
- Pasta water trick: A splash of starchy pasta water helps the sauce cling to the noodles, giving you that glossy restaurant-style finish.
Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringpasta or tag #savoringpasta!