Homemade Garlic Butter

Why you should keep fresh garlic butter in your fridge

Homemade garlic butter is an incredibly simple way to elevate your cooking. Since garlic and butter can as ingredients can last for months, this versatile ingredient ensures you’re never without flavor, even when other ingredients are missing. Add it to warm spaghetti along with a handful of arugula or sun-dried tomatoes for a quick and delicious dinner. Spread it on a baguette and bake until golden for the world’s greatest side dish: garlic bread. Use it to enhance roasted veggies or top your meat or seafood. The possibilities are endless!
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO or follow along on YouTube.

What is garlic butter made of?

Here’s what you’ll need to make this restaurant-worthy garlic butter recipe:

• Butter: Start with one stick of salted, softened butter. Using salted butter simplifies the process since it’s already seasoned and has a rich complexity that unsalted butter lacks. If you only have unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt. Aim for a good quality butter, and for a vegan version, use margarine or plant-based butter.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is essential, either grated or minced. I used six cloves, but you can reduce it to four if you prefer. Avoid pre-chopped or dried garlic, as fresh garlic is the star of this recipe.
• Spices: The garlic butter is seasoned with dried parsley, dried chives, sweet paprika and black pepper.

How to use garlic butter

How shouldn’t you use it? This versatile garlic butter recipe pairs well with just about anything!

• Bread: This garlic butter is perfect for making homemade garlic bread.
• Meat: It’s delicious on meat, such as grilled steaks, pork loin or chicken.
• Seafood: Irresistible when blended into seared shrimp or served with fish like salmon or cod.
• Pasta, Rice, and Potatoes: Swirl it through warm pasta, steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or baked potatoes. Whether it’s egg noodles, ramen, rigatoni, ravioli or gnocchi, it works beautifully.
• Vegetables: Enhance roasted or steamed veggies like green beans, broccoli, spinach or carrots. 
• Sauces: Use it as an addition to any sauce for extra flavor.

Personalize your garlic butter

You can add almost anything to your garlic butter, such as:

• Cheese: Parmesan or Pecorino cheese elevates this garlic butter recipe.
• Lemon Juice: Perfect for enhancing the flavor when using with seafood.
• Roasted garlic: You could also swap fresh garlic for mashed roasted garlic.
• Chili Flakes: Adds a spicy kick if desired.
• Herbs: For a different taste, try adding smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, thyme, oregano, sage, tarragon or cilantro.

How to store garlic butter

Transfer the garlic butter to a shallow airtight container, a jar, or roll it into a log using parchment paper and wrap it in plastic. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Can you freeze garlic butter?

Absolutely! You can freeze the whole batch in one container or freeze it by the tablespoon in ice cube trays. It will keep for up to three months, perfect for last-minute dinner emergencies.