Compound butter is the easiest condiment to make. You combine soft butter with different ingredients, such as herbs, spices, veggies, fruits, etc. to create a flavor-infused boost to almost every dish that you can think of. Choose the best option for you from these easy 11 compound butter recipes.
Herb butter is my favorite type of compound butter to make. I always have some type of fresh herb and garlic cloves in the fridge. All the recipes here were once (or several times) made and tested by myself. Everybody will find something to their liking and taste!
Do not overlook these recipes; just with the addition of a spoonful of herb butter to the dish, you can turn it into a special meal! Slather it on the toast, any grilled vegetable (especially corn), or baked potato. Herb butter goes perfect with any meat, pasta, or cooked grain dish. Instead of plain butter to make a sandwich use aromatic butter to add spicy, smoky, tangy, or fresh notes!
Before skipping to the part with recipes, I have several key principles that you always should keep in mind while making homemade compound butter:
- The key ingredient to a mouthwatering compound butter is good fresh butter.
- USE SOFT BUTTER. Here is a list of easy and quick ways how to soften butter if you forgot to take it out of the fridge in advance.
- Always use a sharp knife to cut fresh herbs. It helps to keep the aroma in the sliced leaves.
- Always rinse your fresh herbs before adding them to butter. Let the leaves dry after washing or pat them with paper towels.
- To control the amount of salt in butter, better use the unsalted type.
- Compound butter can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, sealed, and for 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
How to make a solid butter log:
- Take wax paper, parchment paper, or several layers of stretch food film.
- Place all the butter on the surface of the plastic wrap or paper.
- Fold one of the sides over the butter and roll it into the shape of a log/tube. Keep the diameter as wide as necessary.
- Seal the ends and place the herb butter into the fridge for 2-3 hours.
- Before serving cut the herb butter log into slices.
Basil Butter Recipe
Learn how to make this tasty basil butter!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 105kcal
Ingredients
- 50 g basil leaves
- 200 g unsalted butter
- Salt to your taste
Instructions
- Soften butter until the necessary consistency.
- Separate basil leaves from the stem, rinse them under cool running water, and slice them into the smallest pieces that you can. Remember, you need to roll the leaves of the basil into the shape of a cigar and cut them carefully in order not to bruise them to keep the flavor inside the slices, and to stain the chopping board.
- Combine butter and basil in a bowl until the ingredients are nicely mixed. You can keep herb butter in the bowl, transfer it to a butter mold or make butter logs.
- Refrigerate butter for at least 3-4 hours (or freeze for an hour) for all the flavor of the herb to incorporate into the butter.
Sun-Dried Tomato Butter Recipe
Learn how to make the tastiest compound butter with sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch of paprika!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 140kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- ½ tsp. paprika
- 2 tbsps. sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- Saltto your taste
Instructions
- Take butter out of the fridge in advance to make it soft.
- Drain sun drained tomatoes and chop them finely.
- Add all the ingredients to the butter and mix them well.
Easy Herb Butter Recipe
Learn how to make a fresh herb butter using three common herbs: dill, cilantro and parsley!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 110kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted/salted butter
- 15 g fresh parsley
- 15 g fresh cilantro
- 15 g fresh dill
- Salt to your taste optional
Instructions
- Soften butter until its consistency is pasty. Add salt if necessary.
- Rinse the herbs, pat them dry, and cut off the stiff stems.
- Chop the mix of green herbs into the smallest pieces and add it to the soft butter.
- Store in a container or a butter mold in the fridge.
Thyme and Ginger Butter Recipe with Chili Pepper
Learn how to make a spicy compound butter with ginger and chili pepper!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 115kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g salted/unsalted butter
- 2 g salt optional
- 30 g fresh ginger
- 1 small chili pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- Freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- You can use a blender to grind all the ingredients or chop them separately.
- Take thyme and separate leaves from the stem. Chop them into small pieces.
- Get rid of the seeds from the chili pepper and cut them into small pieces, too.
- Press a garlic clove and grate ginger.
- Combine all these ingredients with the butter. Add freshly ground black pepper and saltif you are using unsalted butter.
- Mix well until butter becomes smooth.
- Refrigeratefor 3 hours before serving.
Mint Butter Recipe
Easy to follow recipe for mint compound butter condiment!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 135kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 50 g fresh apple mint
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- a pinch of sugar
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 tsp. honey
- Freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- You will need a mixer for this butter and a blender.
- Add salt to the lemon juice and stir until it dissolves.
- Blend mint leaves together with the sugar. You can also use pestle and mortar for thepurpose; simply do not forget to slices mint leaves beforehand.
- Combine soft butter with all the ingredients and whisk until you get a smooth mixture.
- Should be stored in the fridge.
Wild Garlic Butter Recipe
Try this compound butter recipe with wild garlic!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 115kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g butter (unsalted/salted)
- 50 g wild garlic
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. curry powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- Rinse wild garlic leaves under running water and pat them with paper towels.
- Cut them the way you cut basil leaves. First, arrange all the leaves one above the other, roll them into the cigar shape, and cut them into thin slices.
- Combine pressed garlic, softened butter, all the spices, and salt (if you have unsalted butter). Mix them well.
- Store in fridge before further use.
Lemon Herb Butter Recipe
Learn how to make this tangy and fresh condiment with a mix of herbs, butter and lemon zest!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 108kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 20 g chives
- 15 g fresh parsley
- 15 g fresh dill
- 10 g fresh tarragon
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
Instructions
- Soften butter at room temperature so that it will be easy to mix all the ingredients.
- Slice chives carefully that the greens will preserve flavor. Chop parsley, tarragon, and dill into the smallest pieces you can.
- Add all the herbs and the lemon zest to the butter and mix.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Garlic and Dill Compound Butter Recipe
See how you can make herb butter with fresh dill and garlic!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 105kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 50 g fresh dill
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- Rinse dill and pat it with paper towels until dry.
- Cut off the stems and chop the herb into the smallest pieces.
- In a bowl, combine softened butter, salt, pepper, chopped dill, and pressed garlic cloves.
- Keep this herb butter for at least 3 hours in the fridge before serving.
Cilantro and Chili Butter Recipe
Easy herb butter with aromatic cilantro and spicy chili pepper!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 115kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 1 small chili pepper
- 30 g fresh cilantro
- Salt to your taste
Instructions
- Soften butter until it becomes pasty.
- Chop fresh cilantro leaves (without stems) into the smallest pieces.
- Cut the chili pepper in half, get rid of the seeds, and cut into small pieces. Youcan also use a blender to shred chili and cilantro leaves.
- Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate until it is time to serve.
Tarragon and Chervil Butter Recipe
Learn how to make compound butter with chevril and tarragon herbs!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 105kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g salted/unsalted butter
- 15 g fresh tarragon
- 15 g fresh chervil
- 15 g fresh dill
- 15 g fresh parsley
- Saltand black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- Rinse all the fresh herbs under running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Separate leaves from stems.
- Put all the leaves from herbs into a blender cup. Grind them until the desiredconsistency.
- Add butter to the cup and blend again. The mixture becomes smoother if you addbutter gradually.
- Freeze the herb butter log for 25 minutes and then transfer it to the fridge.
Thyme and Mustard Butter Recipe
Learn how to make this mustardy compound butter with sweey and earthy notes.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 160kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp. whole-grain mustard
- 20 g thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. honey
- Coarse sea salt to your taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Instructions
- Take butter out of the fridge in advance.
- Grind thyme leaves together with garlic cloves with the help of mortar and pestle.
- Combine soft butter with all the other ingredients to make a smooth mixture.
- Make sure to store it in the fridge before serving.
I hope that you found a recipe that you liked. If you have any questions left, please, leave them in the comment section below and I get back to you as soon as possible! If you’ve tried any of these recipes, make sure to come back and rate the post!
