This simple recipe for olive oil lemon curd is a breeze to whip up, so you can enjoy homemade lemony deliciousness in no time. Use it to dip fresh fruit, top your scone with it or drizzle this lemon curd over your favorite slice of sponge cake.
This post was originally published May 8, 2015. It was been updated with new photos and video, plus more content.
If you didn’t know, I wrote an olive oil cookbook a few years back all about the many different ways you can cook with olive oil. And ever since then, I almost exclusively cook and bake with extra virgin olive oil.
And since then, I have developed many, MANY recipes using this wonderful oil, from gingerbread olive oil cookies to my vanilla cake with olive oil. I even swapped out the butter and created several varieties of olive oil scones.
There really is no limit in what you can create using this wonderful oil.
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Recipe highlights
- Dairy free: By swapping out butter for extra virgin olive oil, the lemon curd is dairy free.
- Simple: The ingredients for lemon curd is very simple and you probably have most of them in your pantry already.
- Texture: Olive oil curd is just as silky and smooth as it’s classic butter version. And no, it doesn’t feel oily at all.
- Flavor: Do you taste the oil? No! This lemon curd tastes creamy and full of lemony zing!
Years ago, I was invited to speak at conference to talk about olive oil and prepared this Olive Oil Lemon Curd as a demo.
And yes, you read that right. You can create a smooth and creamy lemon curd without the butter. The key is to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. Did you now they come in a variety of qualities and flavors? Choose a mild flavored or even a citrus infused olive oil.
Think I’m nuts? Well, the 100 bloggers that tasted my lemon curd loved it. I loved making this so much that I even made an olive oil pumpkin curd and a blood orange curd, too! This is such a great option for those of you who are allergic to dairy or prefer to eat dairy-free.
Ingredients you need
- Extra virgin olive oil: Choose a high quality extra virgin olive oil that has a mild flavor. You can also use a lemon infused olive oil. For added flavor choose an orange or herb infused olive oil. Click here to learn more about how to choose and how to bake with olive oil.
- Lemons: You will use the zest and juice from fresh lemons.
- Eggs: You will only the yolks for this recipe. Save the egg whites for a healthy breakfast or make a meringue or pavlova.
- Pantry staples: Granulated sugar and salt.
Step-by-step directions
- Heat the oil. Using a heavy saucepan gently heat the olive oil. When oil is warm, but not scalding hot, whisk in the sugar until it dissolves.
- Make the curd. Stir in lemon juice, zest and salt. Then whisk in egg yolks until smooth. Keep whisking until curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to boil or your curd will curdle.
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- Chill. Immediately pour lemon curd into a clean jar and cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Recipe tips and FAQs
Now that you have lemon curd, what do you with it?? Well, you can keep it simple and spread it on your favorite scone or a slice of buttered bread.
Lemon curd is also delicious served with fresh fruit like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries or blueberries.
You can also serve it with pound cake or dip a simple vanilla wafer in it for a little touch of sweet.
The key to a creamy and decadent olive oil lemon curd, is to cook it gently over medium to medium low heat. Do not let it boil or the eggs in your curd will curdle. Try saying that ten times fast!
If you cook your lemon curd for too long, it will become more solid when it cools in the refrigerator. Don’t worry. You can still save it. Just reheat it over medium heat and stir in water or more lemon juice until it is a smooth pudding-like consistency.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store your lemon curd in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze lemon curd. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 1 year.
Honestly, olive oil lemon curd tastes just like regular butter made lemon curd. It is creamy, not greasy, and tastes tangy and lemony. You won’t miss the butter!
Curdling occurs when your heat is too high while cooking your lemon curd. It can be prevented by using medium-low heat and stirring with a whisk constantly. Even if you incur a few lumps, pour your curd through a strainer if you want a smooth curd.
Olive Oil Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 3 oz extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 egg yolks
Instructions
- Using a heavy saucepan over medium heat pour in the olive oil. When oil is warm, whisk in sugar.
- Stir in lemon juice, zest and salt.
- Whisk in egg yolks until smooth. Keep whisking until curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to boil or your curd will curdle.
- Immediately pour lemon curd into a clean jar and cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
- Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
My jaw sort of hit the floor when I saw this olive oil lemon curd! So smart, and I bet the flavor is even brighter than when you make it with butter. Magic! Camp Blogaway was always so far away for me. So glad you got to go for so many years!
It really is bright and delicious. And you can add so many different flavor profiles depending on what type of olive oil you use. Camp Blogaway will always hold a special place in my heart. Bummer it is no more, but one day I hope to attend Blog Stamina!
I remember meeting you at Camp B way back when! So glad to have you as a friend!
How lovely for you to have a stimulating but relaxing weekend away in pristine nature. Mother’s Day here today, but shall take time tomorrow to look up all the blogs you have mentioned: always interested to meet new participants in blogosphere 🙂 !
Fun post! I actually did know Canada was a huge exporter of lentils — don’t know how I know that, though. Maybe because all of the pulses I buy at Indian markets seem to be from Canada? I think that must be it, and Googled because I was curious. 🙂
Sounds like so much fun and no , I don’t know what a pulse is (but will once I Google it). I’m not a blogger, but when I used to be involved with a direct sales company, it did me so much good to get away and be with like minded people. It encouraged me to do things outside my comfort zone; I grew from it and so did my goals/achievements. I credit a lot of my success to the information I received at these events. The memories also last forever. I love the lemon curd recipe and since you… Read more »