Red Meat Allergy Friendly Eggless Lemon Curd
Bright, tangy, and silky smooth, this lemon curd is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more special — whether you're spreading it on toast, swirling it into yogurt, or spooning it straight from the jar. The magic here comes from cornstarch rather than eggs, which means the curd sets up beautifully without any animal proteins that could be a concern for those navigating certain meat or protein sensitivities. Fresh lemon juice and zest do the heavy lifting on flavor, delivering that sharp citrus punch balanced by butter and sugar in every glossy spoonful. Whisking constantly as the mixture heats is the key step — it transforms from a cloudy, thin liquid into a thick, translucent curd that coats the back of a spoon with satisfying richness. Straining the finished curd gives it that perfectly smooth, restaurant-quality texture you'd expect from a far more complicated recipe. It firms up even more as it chills, so a little patience in the fridge pays off with a luscious, scoopable result that keeps well and tastes like sunshine.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3–4 lemons)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan until evenly combined. Add the water and lemon juice and whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved with no lumps remaining.
- 2
Set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns from cloudy to translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Once it begins to bubble, continue whisking for 1 full minute — the curd should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and hold a clear line when a finger is drawn through.
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