Lemon Pepper Sauce is a quick and easy classic sauce perfect for wings, pasta, or grilled meat. It tastes delicious with bright lemon flavor and a creamy, silky texture, ready in under 10 minutes.
My son's all-time favorite is lemon pepper sauce pasta, and I love it too. This lemon pepper sauce is not only super easy to make but also light, fresh, and full of flavor.
And it's no wonder that this lemon butter sauce has become a staple in my home.
With just lemon, butter, and black pepper, I can pull together a meal effortlessly during busy weeknight dinners.
You can pour it over wings - fried or baked - toss it with spaghetti or fettuccine, brush it over grilled chicken or baked thighs, or spoon it over tilapia or salmon. It even makes an excellent dipping sauce for seafood.
No matter how you use it, every single time it turns out to be a super delicious, bright, and zesty dish.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
⭐️It's so versatile!
⭐️Super quick and easy to prepare.
⭐️It's one of those recipes that never fails.
Ingredients
- Butter: I used unsalted butter for this recipe. If you're using salted butter, skip adding extra salt later. You can also substitute it with avocado oil or vegan butter to make this recipe vegan-friendly.
- Olive oil: We need it in addition to the butter, as olive oil helps the butter stay smooth and silky. It also prevents this lemon pepper sauce from thickening too much as it cools.
- Lemons: Of course - they're the instant flavor booster here! I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice.
- Black pepper: This sauce is all about freshness, so I highly recommend using freshly cracked black pepper. It truly makes a huge difference!
- Garlic powder: Garlic powder adds just the right flavor and is quick and easy to use. You can also substitute it with freshly minced garlic if you prefer a stronger, more aromatic flavor.
How To Make Lemon Pepper Sauce
- Step 1. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter with olive oil.
- Step 2. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt; simmer gently for 2 minutes.
♨️How To Adjust The Heat Level
- This lemon pepper sauce has a very mild heat, mainly coming from the black pepper.
- If you'd like to make it spicier, simply adjust the amount of ground black pepper to your liking.
- For a little extra kick, you can add crushed red pepper flakes or increase the amount of black pepper.
- It's totally up to how much heat you enjoy - a minor tweak makes a big difference!
The Leftovers
You can refrigerate the sauce for up to five days or freeze it for about three months.
Pro Tips For Best Results
Always cook at low heat.
How To Use
- You can use this as a pasta sauce - it's incredible with spaghetti, fettuccine, or angel hair pasta.
- It's also great brushed over grilled chicken breasts or baked chicken thighs.
- Toss with crispy wings to make your own restaurant-style lemon pepper chicken wings.;
- Spoon it over grilled tilapia or salmon for a bright, buttery finish.
- Use it as a dipping sauce for crab cakes.
- It's delicious drizzled over roasted veggies.
FAQ
Yes, you can, but for the most classic and authentic flavor, I always recommend using fresh lemon juice.
Absolutely! You can prepare the sauce up to two days in advance. Just before serving, gently reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, and whisk again for a smooth texture.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can whisk in a bit of grated Parmesan cheese. Another option is to stir in the cornstarch slurry(mix ½ teaspoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water) while the sauce is simmering.
Always cook it on low heat. High heat can cause the lemon to turn bitter and separate from the butter. Slow and gentle cooking helps preserve that fresh, bright lemon flavor and keeps the sauce silky and smooth.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Pepper Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (See Notes. 1)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest zest of about 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons black pepper freshly cracked(See Notes. 2)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over low heat, add butter and olive oil.
- Once the butter melted, stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
- Let it simmer gently for 2 minutes(don't let it boil as the lemon can turn bitter).
- Use it right away while it's warm.
Notes
- Use unsalted butter; if using salted butter, skip extra salt. Substitute with avocado oil or vegan butter for a dairy-free version.
- To adjust the heat, add more black pepper or toss in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for extra spice.
- For the best flavor, always use fresh lemon juice and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Cook on low heat only - high heat can make the lemon bitter and cause the sauce to separate.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months. Reheat gently, whisking to restore smoothness.
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