What to Do With 30 Amalfi Lemons From Italy

Some gifts are extra special — and a gift of 30 sun-kissed Amalfi lemons from Italy is OUTSTANDING! Their fragrance alone feels like being anywhere along the lemon-grove-studded Italian coastline. 🍋

I need to explain how I ended up with 30 lemons shipped freshly-picked from Amalfi right now during the height of lemon season in Italy. I only meant to order six lemons! Seriously! What I didn’t realize was that when I was filling out the order form, each “lemon” listed was actually for a bundle of five. So six lemons that I thought I had ordered quickly turned into 30 fresh Amalfi lemons arriving at my door. It was entirely my mistake — but you know what they say, “it’s a nice problem to have”.

When something this special lands in your hands — even by a nice accident — the question isn’t what recipe should I make first? But rather, the first question is:

What do you do with 30 Amalfi lemons so none of them go to waste?

It’s true that in an Italian kitchen, abundance is preserved and/or shared.

So in staying true to this ancient philosophy, here’s what I did to turn a huge box of Amalfi lemons into long-lasting pantry basics that stretch far beyond the season, as well as everyday Italian recipes.

First Things First: Preserve the Essence of Lemons – ZEST!!

Before baking, cooking, or gifting, capture and preserve what matters most — the aroma, the oils, the brightness that makes Amalfi lemons unlike any other. And do this IMMEDIATELY!!!

Zesting Comes First!!

My Nonna never reached for a knife before a grater. “The perfume lives in the skin,” she’d say.

Zest every lemon before juicing (It’s like gold dust)! Amalfi lemon zest is sweet, floral, and never harsh. Freeze it in small jars or ice cube trays so you always have a bit of Amalfi sunshine ready to use in sauces, desserts, pasta, and risotto — even months later. This lemon zest is irreplaceable!

👉 You’ll thank yourself all year.

Once zested, juice the lemons and freeze the juice. You can do this in ice cube trays or you can purchase larger cube trays, such as these that I also use to freeze pesto in. They’re GREAT!

Silicone Cube Trays (larger size cubes):

One or two tablespoons of lemon juice per cube turns everyday cooking into something effortless and special, whether you’re finishing a sauce or brightening a dessert.

What Isn’t Juiced and Frozen — Use in Recipes

Starting with PRESERVING lemons for long-term storage

Classic Amalfi Coast Recipes that Preserve Lemons

Some recipes feel almost required when you’re blessed with the quality and flavor (and in this case, the quantity) of lemons like these — not because of tradition alone, but because they capture so much of the cuisine of the Amalfi Coast.

Limoncello

If there were ever lemons meant for limoncello, it would be the gigantic, almost sweet Amalfi lemons from this beautiful region of Italy. Using only the yellow peel, Limoncello preserves the soul of the Amalfi Coast in liquid form. It improves with time, just like the memories tied to it, and makes wonderful, heartfelt gifts, especially since it will be made by your own hands.

Here’s the LIMONCELLO recipe straight from Positano, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast, where I learned how to make limoncello in a cooking class with my mother* in 2012 –> Limoncello (*R.I.P. Mamma, 2015)

You can also preserve lemons by preparing marmalade and/or lemon curd:

Lemon Marmalade

Bright, fragrant, and slightly sweet, Lemon Marmalade is something entirely its own. Spoon it over warm toast, swirl it into a crostata, or serve it alongside cheese on a charcuterie board for an unexpectedly elegant bite. Lemon marmalade can be beautifully infused with ginger, rosemary, or vanilla.

Making jam (‘marmelatta’ in Italian) is an age-old practice across Italy. Marmalade of any flavor is highly prized (I always pack or ship a couple dozen jars to get us through the time between visits to Italy)! Cherry, lemon, and strawberry are our favorites for morning toast and spreading on mid-morning toasted and buttered bagels! Another delicious jam flavor is ‘Frutti di Bosco’ – mixed berries of the forest!

In the regions of Italy with the largest and sweetest lemons, you’ll find the most Lemon Marmalade in shops or in private homes, or offered for breakfast in restaurants to spoon over buttered toast, to drizzle in yogurt, or to swirl and flavor a hot cup of tea. Those lemon-dense regions are Campania (Sorrento and Amalfi) and Sicily.

Lemon Curd

In Italy, lemons have always played a starring role in recipes — however, Lemon “Curd” is a fairly new ingredient at Italian tables. It isn’t a traditional, old-world classic ingredient that Nonna would have used. Rather, it’s a more modern introduction to Italian cooking, largely due to the growing number of British who have been moving to Italy and bringing their tea customs with them. And who doesn’t just love a good British afternoon tea ritual?

Today, plenty of Italian home bakers happily use Lemon Curd as a no-fuss shortcut for adding some bright lemony sunshine flavor to dishes, whether that be spooning some into a buttery citrus crostata, spreading it between soft cake layers, or swirling some into tarts . . . Lemon Curd delivers a desired punch of intense lemon flavor in one silky spoonful. It fits right in with the Italian love of simple sweets, with the irresistible citrus balance of sweet and tangy.

For a basketful of 30 Amalfi lemons that I have, making some Lemon Curd is a practical and delicious way to capture that bright citrus tang and turn it into something that I (and you) can spread, layer, and spoon into dessert after delicious dessert.

Make and Give Simple Lemon Gifts

Lemon Sugar – Made by rubbing zest directly into sugar, it keeps the aroma alive long after the fresh fruit is gone and adds a sweet extra punch of flavor to desserts and baked goods. It’s so easy to make!

Lemon-infused Olive Oil – This is a delicious way to use Amalfi Lemons and add layers of lemon flavor to any dish. It can be used in vinaigrettes to elevate your recipes by simply adding to pasta, or drizzling over grilled fish, chicken, or veggies. Plus, you don’t have to worry about artificial lemon flavors or preservatives often added to store-bought lemon olive oils. Plus it keeps for weeks, ready to add to your cooking at a moment’s notice (just remember to keep it away from heat, such as by your stove, or in the light, both of which spoil olive oil).

Preserved Lemons – These are so easy to make and taste fresher than anything you can buy. They’re great to dice and mix with sautéed vegetables, or to add to butter and lather onto baked or grilled fish. Not only can you use them in so many ways with food, but they’re also just so pretty to have in your kitchen with their vivid yellow color (I have a large bottle on the mantle above my stove)!

Add any of these to jars or bottles and tie a nice bow of twine with a handwritten tag around them. They make very thoughtful handmade gifts!

For a Lemony Aroma in Your Home:

Aromatic Simmer Pots – Simply simmer lemon peels in boiling water on your stove (and add any additional herbs you’d like) to perfume your home with a lovely lemon aroma.

Main Dishes That Include Lemons

In Italy, lemon isn’t saved only for desserts. It’s used in everyday recipes! Here are a few from my recipe box!

Pasta al Limone

Pasta with Artichokes in Lemon Cream Sauce

Grilled Swordfish with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce

Chicken in Creamy Lemon, Parmesan, and Garlic Sauce

Salmon, Peas, and Asparagus in Creamy Lemon Sauce

Desserts that Feature Lemons

Lemons truly shine in classic Italian sweets, where their fragrance carries through every bite:

Lemon Zucchini Bread with Lemon Icing

Limoncello Tiramisu

Mini Lemon Parfaits

Blueberry, Blackberry, and Limoncello Tarts

Lemon Polenta Torta

Lemon Granita