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Easy to make, Flavored Compound Butters enhance the flavor of anything from steak and fish to vegetables, pasta, and rice! Loaded with herbs, garlic, citrus, and spice, homemade butter adds a delicious kick of flavor without a lot of effort.
“The simple things in life are the best things in life,” as the saying goes. I agree with that statement 100%, and I’m adding flavored butter to that list of the best things.
Flavored Compound Butters are one of my favorite ways to add savory goodness to so many of my recipes. It may sound a bit fancy to add herbs and spices to butter, but once you try making compound butter, you’ll wonder what you’ve been waiting for all these years.
Why I Love This Recipe
- With just 5 or 6 common pantry ingredients, I can elevate the flavor of steaks, seafood, grilled veggies, pasta, rice, or cornbread.
- It’s an inexpensive recipe, but it delivers big, restaurant-quality flavors.
- This herb butter only takes about 10 minutes to prepare, so they are the perfect recipe for last-minute entertaining or a quick appetizer.
- I can get super creative with the herbs and flavor combinations. I can make sweet, savory, spicy, or butter that has bright citrus punch. The sky is the limit here!
Ingredients Needed To Make Homemade Compound Butter
Garlic Herb Butter
- Unsalted Butter – softened
- Fresh Parsley – finely chopped
- Fresh Chives – finely chopped
- Garlic Cloves – finely minced
- Salt
- Pepper
Jalapeño Lime Butter
- Unsalted Butter – softened
- Jalapeño Pepper – seeded and minced very finely
- Lime Zest and Juice
- Fresh Cilantro – finely chopped
- Salt
What Equipment Do I Need To Make Compound Butter?
There are tons of different ways to make compound butter. You can use a mixing bowl and a wooden spoon, you could try a hand mixer or a standing mixer, or even a whisk. All of these tools will work splendidly, but honestly, the easiest way is to use a food processor.
When using a food processor, you don’t have to even cut your veggies or herbs. Simply add those first and chop them up, then add in the softened butter to mix it all together.
How To Make Homemade Flavored Butter
- Add chopped herbs, garlic, or other ingredients to softened butter. Blend using a food processor or wooden spoon.
- Grab a piece of plastic wrap that is roughly 12 inches by 12 inches in size. Spoon the herb butter onto the plastic wrap, making sure to keep it in the center. Roll the plastic wrap around the butter, forming a cylindrical shape.
- Twist the ends of the plastic-wrapped butter tightly, then place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Once butter is chilled and solid, serve it and enjoy!
More Flavor Combinations For Compound Butter
For all of these flavor combinations, you can simply use the same measurements and directions as the herb butter listed in this recipe. Substitute the fresh herbs in the Garlic Herb Butter for any of these ingredients…
Savory Butters
- Garlic and Rosemary Herb Butter – Use 1 tablespoon of rosemary and 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
- Garlic and Smoked Paprika Compound Butter – Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon of fresh minced garlic
Sweet Butters
- Honey Cinnamon Butter – Add in 1 tablespoon of honey and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- Maple Bacon Compound Butter – Add in 1 piece of cooked bacon, chopped up, and 1 tablespoon of real pure maple syrup
How To Serve Homemade Herb Butters
There are countless ways to serve this recipe, it’s just about as versatile as a dish can get! You can make it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, and it will add that delicious extra punch of flavor.
I love serving flavor butter slathered onto corn on the cob, steaks, grilled vegetables, pasta, or any kind of seafood.
One of my favorite, more creative ways to serve this herb butter is on a charcuterie board.
If you pick one of the sweet flavor combinations mentioned above, this compound butter is fantastic on top of French toast or pancakes for breakfast, and the savory kinds of butter are tasty on toast.
How To Store This Recipe
This recipe will keep for 5 days if refrigerated, keeping the butter wrapped up in its plastic until you’re ready to serve.
Can Compound Butter Be Frozen
It sure can! Make the recipe according to the directions, wrap the butter tightly in plastic wrap, note the flavor combination, then freeze. It will keep frozen for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Homemade Herb Butters
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- BEST Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Sour Cream Cornbread
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Skillet Green Beans
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter
- 2 sticks Unsalted Butter – softened
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Chives – finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley – finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Garlic – finely minced
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Jalapeño Lime Butter
- 2 sticks Unsalted Butter – softened
- ½ of a Fresh Jalapeño – seeded and finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Cilantro – finely minced
- The juice of ½ a Lime
- The zest of 1 Lime
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat butter until it is softer and creamy. Add in the remaining ingredients for your chosen flavored butter, and then using a fork mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
- Grab a piece of plastic wrap that is roughly 12 inches by 12 inches in size and place it on the counter. Spoon the herb butter onto the plastic wrap, making sure to keep it in the center. Roll the plastic wrap around the butter, forming a cylindrical shape.
- Twist the ends of the plastic wrapped butter tightly, then place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Once butter is chilled and solid, serve it and enjoy!
To Make In A Food Processor
- Add herbs and garlic or other ingredients to the bowl of the processor. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add the butter and pulse until well blended.
Nutrition
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