The Absolute Best Garlic Herb Butter EVER
After learning the best way to cook filet mignon in the oven, I knew it was not complete until I had the perfect garlic herb butter to complement it.
And much like the steak recipe, I was surprised to discover how easy it is to make your own at home. You will only need a few simple-to-find ingredients and less than 10 minutes!
Also, since it freezes and refrigerates wonderfully, you will be able to use a tablespoon or two when you want to add a bit of garlicky goodness to your next steak, shrimp, or vegetable dish!
No need to pull out a garlic press or finely chop a bunch of herbs for added flavor. Nope, you’ll already have your restaurant-quality compound butter ready to rock and roll!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Herbs. A combination of fresh parsley, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme are used in this recipe. Mix things up and try oregano, dill with lemon zest, basil, or cilantro and lime zest. Fresh is better than dried herbs, but adjust the amounts if you go that way. Or, give it an extra flavor kick with red pepper flakes! You can also use a blend, like Italian seasoning.
- Butter. Choose a quality stick of butter you love the flavor of. Kerrygold or Plugra are excellent options. Earth Balance sticks are great for a dairy-free or vegan compound butter. Salted is recommended; however, if you are watching your sodium intake or prefer a little more control over the level of salt in your foods, you might want to opt for an unsalted butter. Softened butter is key to this herbed butter, so plan ahead.
- Garlic. Fresh finely minced cloves of garlic give an amazing flavor. Learn how to mince fresh garlic for the best results. You can also try roasting the garlic cloves, if you’d prefer! Garlic powder or garlic salt will not give you the same flavor.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cream the butter.
Make sure the butter has reached room temperature. The softer texture is ideal for mixing. Microwave it for 20-30 seconds if it isn’t to your desired consistency. However, do be careful that the butter does not completely melt!
Place the butter in a medium-sized bowl. Use a fork to mash the butter into a creamy consistency.
Mix in garlic and herbs.
Add the garlic and herbs and stir until everything is well incorporated.
At this point you can use it immediately, or shape it into a log.
Roll into a log.
Place the mixed butter at the end of a 12-inch long sheet of wax paper. A piece of plastic wrap is much harder to work with.
Form the butter into a log approximately 6- to 8-inches long.
Fold the wax paper over the log and begin to roll it, keeping the cylinder shape as you go. Twist the ends of the wax paper so the cylinder is sealed tightly.
Chill in the fridge.
For the log of butter to hold its shape, it must be refrigerated for at least 2 hours. You can also pop it in the freezer and speed this part up to 30-45 minutes.
How to Use Garlic Butter
As mentioned previously, this garlic herb butter was made to top a steak but has SO much potential to bring tons of flavor to many delicious dishes. A few ways you can use up your herb butter include:
- Meat – Top a juicy steak, like Filet Mignon or Air Fryer Steak. Or pile it on Bacon Wrapped Scallops.
- Bread – Slather some garlic spread on to turn a loaf of bread or dinner rolls into the best garlic bread you’ve ever had! Homemade garlic bread is a game changer. Melted and brushed, this homemade garlic butter sauce is a great way to add garlicky flavor to a pizza crust. It can be a great dipping sauce for French bread, too.
- Pasta – Add a touch of lemon zest and juice to make an incredibly easy pasta sauce. It’s also delicious on gnocchi.
- Vegetables – The majority of this recipe was used for making air fryer broccoli and roasted asparagus, but would also be amazing on boiled corn along with some Parmesan cheese or on an air fryer baked potato.
FAQs
Yes, all of the ingredients in garlic butter are naturally low in carbohydrates which results in a low-carb and keto-friendly recipe.
While it is technically safe to leave out at room temperature for a day, the herbed garlic butter will last longer when stored in the refrigerator.
Yes. Avoid giving any garlic to your furry friend, as it is very dangerous for them to consume.
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Homemade Garlic Herb Butter Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature*
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon rosemary fresh, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme fresh, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl cream the butter with a spoon or fork until smooth. Add garlic and herbs. Stir until just mixed. Serve immediately or shape into a log.½ cup butter, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, 2 tablespoons parsley
- Shape into a Log: Tear off a 12-inch long piece of wax paper and place garlic butter towards the end of it. Shape it into what resembles a 6-8-inch long log. Pull the wax paper over the garlic butter and begin to roll it, reinforcing the log shape as you go. Once completely rolled up, twist the ends until tight.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving or up to overnight. Serve with steak, chicken, shrimp, vegetables, or as a spread on bread. Enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- Dairy-free: You can also use Earth Balance’s “butter” sticks in place of the butter.
- Paleo or Whole30: Substitute ghee butter in place of the regular butter to fit your dietary needs.
- Butter: Use a good quality butter for best results. Depending on your taste preference, you can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Temperature: Let the butter come to room temperature first so it is easier to mix.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love this recipe, but i put it into a container instead of the log. I was curious about adding honey to it – would that be disastrous?
Hi Karen! While I haven’t tried adding honey to this recipe, I don’t think it would be disastrous. It just depends on how much you add and how sweet you like it. Let mw know how it goes!
Great for Italian Bread! Very flavorful, and definitely a keeper!!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Connie! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This is yummy! I made this butter and took it to my pastor ! He too loved it, I will definitely keep this in my freezer for myself an my pastor! Thank you for sharing! 😋🩷🤗
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Missy! I’m glad it was a hit. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Can I use dried herbs?
You definitely can, Sonya! Just make sure you reduce by 1/3 of the amount of the fresh herbs used.
What are the yellow flakes? It looks like lemon zest? didn’t see that
in the recipe though.l
This sounds amazing….going to do it!
That’s just the garlic I think you’re seeing! You can also add in some lemon zest too – it would probably be delicoius!
The compound butter was AMAZING on our boneless chicken breast!! I used salted butter. Thank you!!
Yummm!!! So happy you enjoyed it, Sandra! Thanks so much for your comment and rating!
Hi is the butter you use salted or unsalted? 🙂
You can use salted or unsalted butter, Sherry! I always err on the saltier side so I tend to use salted. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
I’m planning to make this butter this week. Do you roast the garlic before crushing it or just crush fresh as-is?
You can make it either way! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
Going to make this tonight to eat with our salmon. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay!! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Addie!