Strawberry Sour Cream Pasta (Printable)

Creamy strawberry and sour cream sauce combined with tender pasta offers a bright, fresh flavor balance.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz farfalle or penne pasta
02 - 1 tbsp salt (for boiling water)

→ Strawberry Sauce

03 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
04 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
06 - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
07 - 1/4 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Creamy Component

09 - 3/4 cup sour cream (full-fat preferred)

→ Garnish

10 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
11 - 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (optional)
12 - Extra sliced strawberries (optional)

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and set aside.
02 - Combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until strawberries soften and release juices but retain texture.
03 - Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in sour cream until smooth and uniformly pink. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
04 - Add drained pasta to the saucepan with the strawberry-sour cream sauce. Toss gently to coat, adding reserved pasta water by tablespoon as needed to loosen the sauce.
05 - Divide pasta among plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves, optional toasted pine nuts, and extra strawberries if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in less than 15 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
  • Strawberries and cream might sound dessert like but the balance of salt pepper and lemon makes this surprisingly savory
  • It hits that sweet spot where comfort food meets something fresh and unexpected
02 -
  • Sour cream will curdle if you add it to boiling strawberries so let the fruit cool for a few minutes first
  • The sauce thickens quickly as it sits so dont panic if it looks a little loose in the pan
  • Leftovers reheat better than youd expect though the sauce will lose some of that vibrant pink color
03 -
  • Room temperature sour cream incorporates more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge
  • If the sauce looks broken whisk in a teaspoon of pasta water at a time until it comes back together
Return