5.0 from 12 votes
Compound Butter 6 Ways
Learn how to make compound butter in a variety of savory flavor combinations to use as a toast-spread, protein-topper, pasta sauce, and beyond. Each flavor makes about 1/2 cup butter, enough for 8 (1-tablespoon) servings.
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
2 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings: 8 servings (1 tbsp each)
Calories: 103 kcal
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
Garlic-Herb butter:
- 1/2 cup butter softened (see note 1)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Shallot-Chive butter:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 shallot minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Basil-Lemon butter:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Red Pepper butter:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup roasted red peppers puréed (see note 3)
Blue Cheese butter:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Mâitre d'Hôtel butter:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- dash white pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add butter and flavorings and stir until uniformly combined. Add to a piece of plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment and roll into a cylinder.
- Twist the ends to close, then chill until firm. Slice to serve on steak, chicken, fish, or vegetables.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Butter: Cold butter usually softens up in 30 minutes or so at room temperature (much longer if you're using sticks that you've frozen). To soften butter in the microwave, cut each stick of butter in half, unwrap, and place on a microwave safe plate. Then cook the butter at 10% power for 1 minute. Gently press on the butter with your finger, and if it's still too firm, cook for another 40 seconds at 10% power.
- Fresh herbs: Dried herbs can work in a pinch, but you can't compete with the bright, verdant flavor that fresh herbs deliver. If you do opt for dried herbs, use one-third as much of the dried variety as I call for of the fresh. (In other words, instead of 2 tablespoons, use 2 teaspoons.)
- Roasted red peppers: Look for these already roasted and jarred, near the pickled or canned foods at your supermarket. For the compound butter recipe, I call for them pureed, which you can do by blitzing the peppers in a food processor or blender until they reach an even consistency.
- Yield: Each compound butter recipe makes about 1/2 cup of butter, or enough for eight 1-tablespoon servings.
- Storage: Store wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
- Make ahead: Compound butter can be made weeks ahead, even one month in advance.
- Freezer: Wrap rolls of compound butter in extra plastic wrap or foil and pack in freezer-safe bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1tbsp
Calories
103kcal
(5%)
Carbohydrates
0.4g
(0%)
Protein
0.2g
(0%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Trans Fat
0.5g
Cholesterol
31mg
(10%)
Sodium
101mg
(4%)
Potassium
11mg
(0%)
Fiber
0.1g
(0%)
Sugar
0.1g
(0%)
Vitamin A
389IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
6mg
(1%)
Iron
0.1mg
(1%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings (1 tbsp each)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 103
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1tbsp | |
| Calories | 103kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 0.4g | 0% |
| Protein | 0.2g | 0% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.4g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 101mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 11mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.1g | 0% |
| Sugar | 0.1g | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 389IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 6mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.