Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Parsley Garlic butter is one of the easiest things to make and has so many uses in cooking.
It's a must on a freshly cooked steak, as a simple sauce, perfect for garlic bread and, slathered under the skin of a chicken breast, makes the most amazing roast chicken!
Added to that, you can make a compound butter to compliment other dishes by easily swapping the herbs and flavours too.
Bon appétit!
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About this recipe
Flavoured butters, also known as compound butters are simply blocks of butter with added flavourings.
The most common savoury flavourings are garlic, lemon and fresh herbs.
They are great because they can be made quickly in advance and also frozen if needed, so that you can have different flavours on hand for different meals.
🥘 Ingredients
I normally buy salted butter, so you may need to adjust the seasoning if your butter isn't salted.
You will also need fresh garlic and parsley. I'm not a fan of dried herbs, as the flavour is totally different. When a recipe is this simple, the ingredients need to be fresh, so raid your herb garden, (or someone else's!), or get some from the supermarket. Most herbs are available now.
At a pinch you could use the fresh frozen herbs, but I've always found them a bit lacklustre compared to fresh.
🔪 Instructions
The process for parsley garlic butter is pretty much the same for all the different herb combinations.
Start with softened butter. It's easier to use a stick of butter in US terms or half a block of butter in UK terms.
Cut it into smaller pieces and put it in a bowl with flaked sea salt, chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and crushed garlic.
Use a fork to mash everything together.
Lay out a piece of cling film on a flat surface.
Scrape the parsley garlic butter together into long shape and place on the film.
Wrap the film around the butter and twist the ends to form a sausage about 12cm long. Roll it on the work surface until the surface is round and smooth.
Put the butter in the refrigerator until firm for about 10 minutes.
The flavoured butter is now ready to use but for extra effect I like to roll the log in some extra chopped parsley.
Keep the butter in a container in the fridge and slice off pieces as you need them.
It's perfect on top of a freshly grilled steak as a simple sauce!
You can also make your own homemade garlic bread. Slather the butter onto slices of baguette or crusty bread and then bake in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Maître d'Hôtel Butter
This is the original French steak butter that goes with everything. Simply replace the garlic with zest of a lemon with the juice of half a lemon.
Tarragon Garlic Lemon Butter
This flavoured butter is perfect spread under the skin on a chicken. The butter really keeps the breast moist and the flavours really get into the meat.
Just swap the parsley for tarragon and add the zest of a lemon plus half the juice.
Dill and Lemon Butter
Swap the parsley for dill (or basil) and add the lemon zest and juice.
This is great with fish cooked in foil in the oven, for a simple dinner.
Sage and Lemon Butter
Add chopped sage leaves instead of parsley and add the lemon zest and juice, for a perfect topping for pork chops.
The possibilities are endless! Try adding chilli flakes, smoked paprika, course ground black pepper, harissa paste or shichimi.
This butter will keep for a day or two in the fridge, but due to the fresh ingredients, I find it is better to put it in the freezer and then just slice off what you need.
Tips
- I tend to store my unopened butter in the fridge, which means it is normally too cold to mash. Cut the butter into rough cubes and microwave on the defrost setting for 10 second increments, making sure that the butter doesn't melt.
More sauce recipes
📋 Recipe
Parsley Garlic Butter with 4 Variations
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoon parsley flat leaf, chopped plus 1 for rolling if required
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flaked
- 125 g butter
Instructions
- Cut the butter into small pieces then put it in a bowl with flaked sea salt, chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, and crushed garlic.
- Use a fork to mash everything together.
- Lay out a piece of cling film on a flat surface.
- Scrape the parsley garlic butter together into long shape and place on the film.
- Wrap the film around the butter and twist the ends to form a sausage about 12cm long.
- Roll it on the work surface until the surface is round and smooth.
- Put the butter in the refrigerator until firm for about 10 minutes.
- Roll the log in an extra tablespoon of chopped parsley if liked.
Notes
This is the original French steak butter that goes with everything. Simply replace the garlic with zest of a lemon with the juice of half a lemon.
Tarragon Garlic Lemon Butter
This flavoured butter is perfect spread under the skin on a chicken. The butter really keeps the breast moist and the flavours really get into the meat.
Just swap the parsley for tarragon and add the zest of a lemon plus half the juice.
Dill and Lemon Butter
Swap the parsley for dill (or basil) and add the lemon zest and juice.
This is great with fish cooked in foil in the oven, for a simple dinner.
Sage and Lemon Butter
Add chopped sage leaves instead of parsley and add the lemon zest and juice, for a perfect topping for pork chops. Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
Beth
This is perfect for big get togethers and look so tasty! My husband is going to love this! Saving this for later and excited to taste this!
Lauren Vavala Harris
I love a good steak butter. This one is so simple, yet adds so much flavor!
Jill
Compound butter is the absolute best for topping grilled steaks. I usually make a small amount at a time. But this presentation is better - rolled in parsley. Thanks!!
Claudia Lamascolo
This was delicious slathered on our steak and fries my husband loved it!
Kristina
My husband and I loved this on our steaks! Can't wait to use it again on something else.