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Elegant and Easy Creamy Saffron Pasta Recipe
This creamy saffron pasta is a bowl of technicolor decadence, straight out of a fine dining restaurant. Rich and creamy with the wonderful floral, musky, earthy, semi-sweet taste of saffron. Undeniably delicious and almost impossible to describe saffron is a taste like no other and here, paired with cream and wine it makes the perfect sauce for flat pappardelle noddles.
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
12 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 813 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 15 oz pappardelle - see note 1
- 1 shallot
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- generous pinch of saffron - see note 2
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil, salt it generously and add the pappardelle.
- Meanwhile, peel and chop the shallot.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes until they start to soften. about 2 minutes.
- Turn the heat up and add the wine, let it bubble and evaporate until it has reduced by at least half.
- Turn the heat down to medium then add the cream.
- Use a pestle and mortar to grind some of the saffron together with ¼ teaspoon salt. Add this to the cream mixture along with the remaining threads. (see note 3)
- Allow the sauce to simmer until slightly thickened and the saffron color has permeated the cream.
- Remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and transfer it to the skillet with the sauce.
- Add the ¼ cup of the cooking water and the chopped parsley and toss to coat.
- Taste the sauce and season with more salt and black pepper as required.
- Serve immediately.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- The thick Pappardelle ribbons allow the sauce to really cling, but if you can't find pappardelle then a thick cut tagliatelle or fettuccine will work. Avoid tubular shapes like penne or rigatoni, if you want a small shape then something flat like a farfalle or a spiral Ricciolini.
- We know saffron is expensive but it is the main flavor to this sauce, there is really no substituting it here, so be generous and enjoy your special dinner.
- Grinding the saffron helps to release the flavor and color. But keeping some of the threads whole gives a wonderful look to the finished dish, as you get flecks of saffron threads on the pasta.
Nutrition Information
Calories
813kcal
(41%)
Carbohydrates
79g
(26%)
Protein
17g
(34%)
Fat
46g
(71%)
Saturated Fat
27g
(135%)
Cholesterol
234mg
(78%)
Sodium
424mg
(18%)
Potassium
361mg
(10%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
1645IU
(33%)
Vitamin C
1.1mg
(1%)
Calcium
98mg
(10%)
Iron
2.1mg
(12%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 813
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 813kcal | 41% |
| Carbohydrates | 79g | 26% |
| Protein | 17g | 34% |
| Fat | 46g | 71% |
| Saturated Fat | 27g | 135% |
| Cholesterol | 234mg | 78% |
| Sodium | 424mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 361mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1645IU | 33% |
| Vitamin C | 1.1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 98mg | 10% |
| Iron | 2.1mg | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.