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My Garlic Butter recipe is the key to making any recipe amazing! Make this easy garlicky recipe in one bowl using only 3 ingredients. Garlic herb butter sauce complements bread, vegetables, meat, pizza, and seafood – you are going to want to use this delicious sauce on everything! It’s ready in just 10 minutes!
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Garlic Butter Sauce
Does it really get any better than an easy garlic butter sauce? You will want to add it to EVERYTHING, trust me!
This recipe is so simple but adds a special touch to any meal no matter what protein you’re cooking. The best part about making homemade butter with garlic is that it really is as simple as it sounds.
You can make this easy recipe as either a solid compound butter to top steaks, bread, and more, or use it as a sauce for recipes like pasta or as a dip. It’s the perfect recipe if you’re on a keto meal plan- it’s keto-friendly and makes every meal taste incredible!
I made this garlic butter for my filet mignon. It was truly delicious. No steak sauce needed.
@jequettabess
Garlic Butter Ingredients
- salted butter
- fresh garlic, finely chopped
- parsley, finely chopped
- optional, black pepper
How to Make Garlic Butter
- Let your butter reach room temperature before you get started. When it’s nice and soft, add it to a bowl.
- Chop or press garlic and finely chop parsley. Add them to the bowl with the butter.
- Mix well until combined. That’s it! Perfect homemade garlic butter!
Add it to one of your favorite steak recipes and you will wow your guests!
Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
- If you’re making my garlic butter recipe is a delicious sauce, you will have to melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat for 3 minutes. Or microwave for 30 – 45 seconds.
- Chop or press the garlic and finely chop the parsley. Add them to the melted garlic.
- Mix well until combined.
I love using this delicious garlic butter sauce on my steamed crabs and all seafood recipes.
Garlic Butter Recipe FAQs
I use 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley in this recipe. But in a pinch, I have used dried parsley and it works perfectly. I just add 2 tablespoons of dried parsley and it turns out just as delicious.
It will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge and about 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
You can store garlic herb butter sauce for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, or even freeze it to bring out as needed. Store it in the fridge rolled in plastic wrap as a log, or in an air-tight container or baggie.
Garlic Butter Recipes
Garlic Butter for Bread
This is the best garlic spread for bread! The secret to great a garlic bread recipe is to keep it simple – which is exactly what this recipe is!
- Follow the recipe, but do not melt the spread. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Spread onto your favorite bread (baguette or french bread works great) at room temperature. For cheesy garlic bread, sprinkle ¼ cup of mozzarella or Parmesan cheese on top.
- Place bread on a baking sheet and bake until bread is toasted and lightly brown approximately 5 minutes.
One of my absolute favorite appetizers to make is this Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread.
Garlic Butter Sauce for Pasta
I love using this sauce for pasta. Add it to your favorite pasta, like angel hair, ziti, or linguine, and it will feel like a gourmet meal!
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1tablespoon of salt.
- Add your favorite pasta and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is almost done.
- While the pasta is cooking, place a large pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup of garlic butter and let it melt. Be careful not to overheat and burn it.
- When done cooking, drain the pasta, making sure to reserve ¼ cup of water. Add the pasta to the pan and toss the garlic butter recipe with the pasta and ¼ cup reserved pasta water.
- If desired, top with Parmesan, parsley, and additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately, and enjoy! I love this recipe for linguine pasta!
Garlic Butter Recipe for Steak
This recipe makes the perfect butter garlic steak sauce! Garlic compound butter is a perfect pairing for beef and steak is the best way to enjoy it. Let it melt over a juicy steak… there is nothing as delicious!
Homemade Garlic Butter for Shrimp
There is nothing more delicious than shrimp with garlic butter dipping sauce!
Butter Garlic Sauce for Crabs
Try melting our butter garlic sauce with herbs over seafood for an incredible dinner! I love using this dipping sauce when I make crabs. It is amazing!
Garlic Butter for Vegetables
- Garlic butter mushrooms There are no words to describe how amazing they are, and they only take 10 minutes to make!
- Garlic Roasted Small Potatoes are a perfect fit for this sauce, too. Give them a try! They are super easy to make and so crispy on the outside.
- Instant Pot Green Beans with garlic butter sauce
- Corn riblets with garlic butter
Garlic Butter Pizza
When melted, this recipe makes the perfect garlic sauce dip for pairing with pizza! One of my favorite game-day appetizers is pizza twists dipped in this delicious garlic sauce. The pizza crust is amazing!
My newest obsession is homemade pizza rolls and pizza monkey bread. Both are super easy to make and are so incredibly delicious!
Garlic Butter Chicken and Turkey
Compound butter for turkey is an absolute must-try. All you have to do is make the compound butter and rub the entire turkey with it. This is the absolute Thanksgiving turkey recipe! You won’t believe how crispy the skin gets and how much flavor it adds!
You are guaranteed to get the juiciest chicken and turkey recipes!
Garlic Butter Burger
Use this spread on your favorite burgers! It turns your ordinary burger into an over-the-top burger experience. My favorite recipe is this easy Air Fryer Burger. You can use this sauce in any burger recipe.
Garlic Butter Potatoes
This recipe is incredible for mashed potatoes. Up your potato game by making garlic butter mashed potatoes with one of our easy mashed potato recipes!
Butter Garlic Salmon
My new favorite way to cook salmon is by adding a dollop of this sauce on top. It is great on grilled salmon, baked salmon, and even sous vide salmon.
Try our Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe and Compound Butter!
📋 Recipe
Garlic Butter Recipe
Equipment
- Bowl
Ingredients
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until well-combined.
- If you are using the recipe as a Butter spread, it will be ready to use. If you are using it as a Garlic Butter Sauce, add to a saucepan and heat on low for 3 minutes or until melted. Serve with everything from garlic butter steak bites to grilled crab legs, and enjoy!
Anita says
I don’t like buying fresh herbs as the rest would get wasted. How much dried parsley would you suggest? Thanks.
Em Beitel says
Hi Anita! Use 2 tsp. dried parsley in place of fresh parsley if you’re following the recipe exactly. If you’re making a different amount, you want to use 1 tsp. of dried per 1 Tbsp. you would use for fresh. Thank you for your question, and enjoy!
Kristin Belle Knudsen says
I only buy unsalted butter, so how much salt should I add per 2 sticks?
Em Beitel says
Hi Kristin! We would use about half a teaspoon of salt. This should be enough salt for 2 sticks of butter.
Thank you for your question and enjoy!
Chris says
How much minced garlic from a jar
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Chris! About 1½ teaspoons. Garlic from a jar tends to lose a little of its flavor, so you may find you need to add more. But, I would start with that amount and mix in more only if you find it necessary. Enjoy!
Jennifer says
Made this to pour on my fried tilapia and white rice, absolutely DELICIOUS!! Thanks for the recipe 👍
Isabel Laessig says
Jennifer, I am so glad to hear it! That sounds delicious! Very glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for leaving a comment!
Geraldine Clark says
I am taking sliders to a church pot luck. I want to add lettuce and tomatoes on turkey and cheese. No need to put in oven, right? What kind of dressing should I use?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Geraldine! You don’t have to bake them if you’d like to serve them cold. I would recommend simply lightly brushing the garlic butter over top. However, you definitely want to heat it up to avoid raw garlic if you’re not baking, so I would recommend cooking the garlic butter to a sauce-like consistency first and making sure the garlic is lightly browned and fragrant. If you’re not sure about dressing, you could bring a few condiments so the other party-goers can choose what they’d like to put on their sliders. If you want to do this yourself ahead of time instead, I’d recommend a mixture of mayo and mustard – it’s so good on turkey! If you do want to bake the sliders, you can use my turkey sliders recipe (link).