Garlic Herb Butter (Easy Homemade Compound Butter Recipe)

What is Garlic Herb Butter?

Garlic herb butter is a type of compound butter made by mixing softened butter with fresh garlic, herbs, lemon juice, and seasonings. It's commonly used on steak, seafood, vegetables, potatoes, and bread to add rich flavor quickly and easily.

Compound butter can be served soft, rolled into a log and sliced, or frozen for later use.

My simple homemade Garlic Herb Butter is about to become your new secret weapon in the kitchen.

Just a pat transforms anything from a humble baked potato to a sizzling filet mignon or blackened steak into an extraordinary dining experience. Trust me, you’ll never go back once you taste this easy garlic herb compound butter.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

One of the things I love most about this easy garlic herb butter recipe is how flexible it is. I usually make it with rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley from my garden, but almost any combination of fresh herbs works beautifully.

Complete ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below.

• Butter: You need one stick of unsalted butter for this recipe. Make sure you use real butter, not a butter spread. The stick of butter should be room temperature or softened to the point that it is easy to stir but is not melted.
• Fresh chopped herbs: Fresh herbs give this compound butter its bright flavor and beautiful flecks of color. I typically use rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley, but dill, basil, sage, chives, or tarragon also work well, depending on what you're serving it with.
• Garlic cloves: Use a garlic press to finely mince your garlic or grate it with a zester. Roasted garlic would also be delicious in this recipe.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest: A little fresh lemon juice brightens the butter and keeps it from tasting too heavy. If you want a stronger citrus flavor, add a pinch of lemon zest too.
• Kosher salt: If you use salted butter in the recipe, omit the salt or only add a tiny pinch of salt to taste.

Best Herbs for Compound Butter

Different herbs create completely different flavor profiles, which is one reason compound butter is so versatile.

• Rosemary and thyme: perfect for steak, roast beef, and potatoes
• Dill and parsley: delicious with seafood and fish
• Chives and garlic: great on baked potatoes and bread
• Basil and oregano: ideal for Italian-style dishes
• Sage: wonderful with turkey and chicken

Recipe Variations

This is a super versatile and easy recipe. Add whatever herbs and ingredients you love or have on hand. Here are just a few delicious compound butter recipes:

• Lemon pepper butter: Fresh lemon, lemon zest, parsley, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Lemon dill butter: Lemon juice, salt, and fresh dill.
• Garlic and chive butter: Fresh garlic, fresh chives, and salt or garlic salt.
• Tuscan butter: Fresh garlic, chopped sundried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs like basil, thyme, or rosemary.
• Orange butter: Mix butter with orange marmalade and confectioners’ sugar.
• Maple bourbon butter: Mix some maple syrup and bourbon with butter.
• Hot honey butter: Mix in some hot honey to make delicious, sweet, and spicy butter.

Don't be afraid to experiment with combinations based on what you already have growing in your garden or sitting in your refrigerator drawer.

How to make Garlic Herb Butter

1. Place the softened butter in a medium bowl. Add the minced garlic, chopped herbs, lemon juice, and kosher salt.

2. Stir until everything is evenly combined. The butter should be soft enough to mix easily but not melted.

3. Serve immediately as a soft spread, or spoon the butter onto a sheet of parchment paper, wax paper, or plastic wrap.
4. Roll into a log shape about 1½ inches thick, twisting the ends tightly to seal.

5. Refrigerate for at least one hour until firm. Slice into rounds and serve on steak, seafood, vegetables, potatoes, or bread.

I've tested this butter on everything from grilled steaks and seafood to baked potatoes and warm bread, and fresh herbs plus a little lemon juice consistently give the best flavor balance.

Serving Suggestions

Garlic herb butter is one of those simple kitchen staples that instantly makes almost anything taste better. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:

• Top your pan-seared or smoked ribeye steak with a pat of garlic herb butter for an instant restaurant-worthy finish.
• Elevate your seafood game with a dollop on blackened grouper or roasted shrimp. The butter will infuse the seafood with a subtle garlicky aroma and keep it moist and tender.
• Garlic herb butter is a match made in heaven for chicken and turkey. Spread it on cast-iron roast chicken for crispy, flavorful skin, dot it over chicken breasts before baking, or on a smoked turkey for a juicy, herbaceous treat.
• Baked and mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes are a classic canvas for garlic herb butter. Just a pat can transform them from ordinary to extraordinary. 
• Homemade garlic bread reaches a new level of luxury with compound butter instead of regular butter. Also, try it on cornbread, hoe cakes, Irish soda bread, sweet potato biscuits, or a slice of herb and cheese bread.

Best Ways to Use Garlic Herb Butter

• Melt over grilled steak or burgers
• Spread on warm French bread or garlic toast
• Toss with roasted vegetables or corn on the cob
• Add to baked potatoes or mashed potatoes
• Melt over shrimp, fish, lobster, or scallops
• Stir into pasta, rice, or cheese grits
• Use under chicken skin before roasting
• Top grilled chicken or pork chops

How to Store It

Store garlic herb butter tightly wrapped or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For longer storage, freeze the butter log for up to three months. I like to slice it into rounds before freezing so I can grab individual portions whenever I need them.

Recipe FAQs:

Tips to ensure this recipe turns out perfectly

• Use softened butter, not melted butter, for the best texture
• Finely mince or grate the garlic so it blends smoothly
• Pat fresh herbs dry before chopping to avoid watery butter
• Taste before chilling and adjust the salt or lemon juice if needed
• Chill the butter log thoroughly before slicing for clean rounds
• For the prettiest presentation, sprinkle extra herbs on the outside before rolling

Recipes that taste even better with garlic herb butter

Join the Conversation

If you try this Garlic Herb Butter recipe, I'd love to hear how you used it! Did it end up on steak, seafood, warm bread, or mashed potatoes?

Leave a comment and star rating below. Your tips and serving ideas are always helpful to other readers, too.

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