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Have you ever enjoyed garlic and herb flavoured butter in a restaurant? It’s so easy to make at home using just 5 ingredients!

Love a bit of garlic with your bread? Try out my Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls or Garlic Bread!

I am a self-proclaimed condiment addict. I have a second refrigerator dedicated solely to sauces, different types of mayo, mustards, etc. I’ve said it many times and I will say it again. Condiments and garnishes are what can elevate any dish from very simple to divine.

Flavoured butter falls in the same category for me. Have you ever been served an exciting bread basket before your meal at a restaurant? I grew up on very good bread, so this part is important to me.

And have you ever had that bread accompanied by flavoured butter? If you are nodding yes to these questions, I have no doubt you will want to repeat that experience at home.

Good quality butter needs no improvement but mediocre butter can been made 100 times better by being infused with a bit of extra flavour.

The recipe I am sharing today is for garlic and herb infused butter but it is just the beginning. The flavour infusions are endless and once you start on this simple recipe, you won’t be able to stop.

herb butter log being wrapped in parchment paper

Flavoured Butter

We are all used to flavoured cream cheese but it’s not common to see flavoured butter (also known as compound butter) in local supermarkets. I am not sure if it’s difficult to produce commercially or there is no demand for it but it is undoubtedly delicious!

Adding a bunch of herbs to a softened block of butter is the first thing that came to my mind in the middle of the summer. However, you can expand your options beyond the usual herb and garlic.

Sun-dried tomato and basil butter sounds good to me. Or how about truffle and parmesan? Wouldn’t that be delicious on pasta? The possibilities are endless. Just pause for a minutes and think of what you’d like to eat and I am sure ideas will flood your mind.

garlic herb butter recipe process images

Recipe Tips and Notes

There is not much to this recipe besides blending the butter with garlic and soft herbs. I used a mix of parsley, dill and green onions simply because I nearly always have then on hand.
However you can use tarragon, chives, oregano, or basil. Pick the herbs you enjoy the most and create your own blend!
I recommend using fresh herbs as they have far more flavour and will infuse with the butter far more effectively than dried herbs. But if dried is all you have, it can also be used, although the flavour will be different.
The process is very simple. Use softened but not runny butter and mix with the chopped herbs and minced garlic. You can simply whip everything together in a bowl or use a blender for a finer texture like I did. Leave it on the counter to come to room temperature before adding flavouring ingredients.
Both salted and unsalted butter can be used. If you use unsalted butter, you may have to add a sprinkling of salt yourself, checking to make sure you are happy with the flavour.
If the taste of raw fresh garlic is too strong for you, roast it first. Roasted garlic tastes more mellow and slightly sweet.

Serving suggestions

The uses for this herb butter are limitless! Are you a fan of grilled cheese sandwiches? Spread this butter on the outside of your bread slices before cooking for more flavour!

What about using your herb butter for frying eggs in the morning or spreading it on bagel or toast? And doesn’t it sound great melted onto corn on the cob? Or how about sautéing cauliflower in garlic butter sauce?

In the summer, you can slather some of this herby goodness on your steak, grilled chicken or baked potato. That extra boost of herbs and garlic will immediately elevate your dish.

But my favourite use is to brush it over my garlic butter dinner rolls. My family will revolt if they aren’t served with a Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey!

Storage

Butter can be stored on the counter for longer than most people think. The secret is the fat content, which is more resistant to bacterial growth and means it can last for a few days, depending on how warm your kitchen is.

But that isn’t true with compound butter, especially when made with raw butter. Store this garlic herb compound butter in a fridge so that it doesn’t go rancid.

If refrigerated, homemade garlic butter can last up to 2 months, or up to 6 months in a freezer. Wrap it up in a piece of plastic wrap and cut off pieces to use when needed. The log shape of the butter will make it easy to slice off a piece when needed.

More delicious condiments

4 from 1 vote

Garlic Herb Butter

By Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Prep: 10

Total: 10

Servings:

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Have you ever enjoyed garlic and herb flavoured butter in a restaurant? It's so easy to make at home using just 5 ingredients!

Ingredients

▢ 250g/8 oz butter, softened, salted or unsalted
▢ 30g/1/2 cup herbs (mix of parsley, dill and green onions)
▢ 1-2 cloves garlic

Instructions

Prepare the herb butter buy mixing together softened unsalted or salted butter, minced garlic and fresh herbs.This could be done in a bowl with a fork or in a food processor for a finer textured butter.
Scrape the herb butter onto a sheet of parchment or waxed paper, roll it up and twist the ends to look like a Christmas cracker. Refrigerate till firm.

Notes

I recommend using fresh herbs as they have far more flavour and will infuse with the butter far more effectively than dried herbs. Dried herbs can be used, but the flavour will be different.

Use softened but not runny butter when mixing with the chopped herbs and minced garlic. Leave it on the counter to come to room temperature before adding flavouring ingredients.

Both salted and unsalted butter can be used. If you use unsalted butter, you may have to add salt yourself, checking to make sure you are happy with the flavour.