How to Make Herb Butter – Using Fresh Herbs

Herb butter or compound butter as it’s also called, is an easy way to use fresh herbs and add instant flavor to your favorite foods.

herb butter in dish
Fresh herbs and spices blended with butter for instant flavor.

Read more: Garden to Table: Everyday Cooking with Herbs, Ricotta Herb Spread, Homemade Chimichurri Sauce.

It tastes amazing melted on top of a baked potato, fresh asparagus, fish, meat, pasta, gnocchi, bread or anything off the grill. In fact, fancy restaurants often finish off their beautifully done steaks with a pat of herb butter. And now you can do it at home.

herb butter on asparagus
Fresh asparagus with herb butter.

Herb Butter Recipe

herb butter
Print Recipe
4.80 from 5 votes

Herb Butter

A quick and easy way to use fresh herbs and add incredible flavor to seafood, fish bread, pasta, veggies or meat. Create your favorite herb and spice combination.
Prep : 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 8 Tablespoons
Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup softened butter (must be soft!)
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped herbs chives, garlic chives, basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, dill, etc
  • 1 colve garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Optional Add ins hot pepper, Parmesan, lemon zest, bacon, olives, etc.

Instructions

  • Plan your favorite combination. Use one or more herbs. If desired, add one or more add in.
  • In small bowl, mix all ingredients until well blended. Butter must be soft.
  • Use right away, keep in fridge for 5 days.
  • To freeze, transfer to an 8×8”piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use paper to form butter into a log shape 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. Twist ends of paper to seal. Freeze.
  • To use, slice or grate off as much as needed. For easier cutting, let roll sit on counter for 1 hour. Refreeze remaining butter.

Video

Notes

Try these flavor combinations:
Parmesan cheese, parsley and chives
Rosemary and black olives (patted as dry as possible)
Cilantro, hot pepper flakes and lime zest
Dill and lemon zest
Rosemary and garlic
Garlic chives and black pepper
Lemon thyme, parsley and garlic
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 244mg | Fiber: 0.04g | Sugar: 0.01g | Iron: 0.04mg
Course: savoury
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut, compound butter, herb butter, herbs, savoury herbs, seasoning
herb butter with gnocchi and asparagus in fry pan
That pat of herb butter includes chives, garlic chives, pepper and garlic powder and it’s delicious in pan fried gnocchi and asparagus.
garlic bread with herb butter
Garlic bread with herb butter – so good!

Which Herbs and Spices to Use?

There aren’t any hard and fast rules about which herbs and spices to use. It’s all about mixing up your favorite flavors. I recommend you think about how you will use your herb butter, your favorite herbs and what’s currently in season and readily available.

basil herb butter on plate with gold butter knife
Crushed/minced garlic with fresh basil.

Don’t limit yourself to one herb. Mix and match several herbs with various spices and flavor additions. For example:

  • Parmesan cheese, parsley and chives
  • Rosemary and black olives (patted as dry as possible)
  • Cilantro, hot pepper flakes and lime zest
  • Dill and lemon zest
  • Rosemary and garlic
  • Garlic chives and black pepper
  • Lemon thyme, parsley and garlic
herb butter
Add your favorite herb and spice combination.

The BEST herbs to use in herb butter:

  • rosemary
  • thyme
  • sage
  • dill        
  • parsley
  • cilantro
  • lemon thyme
  • oregano
  • basil                                        

The BEST boosts to add depth of flavor:

  • cayenne pepper
  • lemon or lime zest
  • Parmesan cheese
  • mustard
  • roasted red pepper
  • bacon bits
  • minced or roasted garlic
  • black pepper
  • hot chili flakes
  • olives
basil herb butter on green and yellow beans
Basil, garlic butter on green beans – Simple yet flavorful!

How Many Herbs to Add?

Again, there are no set rules, follow your taste buds! To get you started, consider the following.

For every 1/4 cup of softened butter add 1 Tablespoon of herbs.

You can make any quantity you want. If you want to make larger batches, use a food processor to whip up the butter. But really, if you have softened butter, mixing it by hand is not difficult at all.

How to Use Herb Butter?

You can use herb butter wherever you would normally use butter, just match the herb & seasoning with what you’re making.  You can also use herb butter in place of sauces or gravies.

For example you can use herb butter on:

  • pasta – stir in butter just before serving (basil & garlic butter with pasta & fresh tomatoes)
  • bread – slice thick slices from a fresh loaf of bread(sourdough, no-knead yeast bread, spread with herb butter and place under broiler for 2-3 minutes – so good
  • veggies – add a dollop to hot veggies right before serving
  • grilled meat – grill meat as always, allow to rest then add a pat of herb butter – steak, pork chops or chicken
  • baked potatoes
  • salmon – grill or bake your salmon then add add a pat of dill and lemon herb butter
  • Insert herb butter under the skin of chicken or turkey as your prepping to bake it in the oven
  • sauteed mushrooms
  • with anything pan fried – like this gnocchi, asparagus and tomato dish I made on a recent camping trip – taking frozen herb butter is genius!
herb butter gnocchi
Herb butter with pan fried gnocchi, asparagus, tomatoes and walnuts.

How to Freeze Herb Butter?

If you’re making a batch of herb butter, consider doubling the recipe so you have extra to put in the freezer. It freezes perfectly, hardly takes any more time and will make you feel like a gourmet chef even on the busiest nights.

herb butter freezing
Use a sheet of plastic wrap to form herb butter into a log. Perfect for freezing.

Note: If you’re making a batch using a full brick or more of butter, I recommend you use your food processor, it’ll whip up the butter in no time.

To freeze:

  • Place your mixed herb butter in a line down the center of a large square sheet of plastic wrap.
  • Wrap the plastic around the butter and form into shape of a log by adjusting the plastic wrap and molding it with your hands. A 1 to 1 1/2 inch (2.5-4 cm) diameter will create nice sized slices for serving later on.
  • Once you have a smooth log you’re happy with, tighten the plastic wrap and tightly twist the ends.
  • Place  in freezer bag or container and freeze for 6 months.

Watch: Getty’s Herb Playlist on Youtube

Do you have a favorite herb combo or way to use herb butter? I’d love to hear your feedback.

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