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These herb butter recipes are easy, versatile, and delicious. I’m sharing 5 simple recipes that are perfect for slathering on no-knead sourdough bread and preserving your homegrown herbs. Only 10 minutes hands-on time!
Recipe Overview: Herb Butter Recipes
- Ready In: 2 hours, 10 minutes (only 10 minutes of hands-on time)
- Serves: 1/2 cup per recipe
- Calories: 104 kcal (approximately)
- Main Ingredients: Butter, fresh herbs, salt
- Dietary Notes: Gluten-free
- Why You’ll Love It: Homemade herb butter because it's quick to make, customizable with whatever herbs you have on hand, and instantly elevates everything from fresh bread to roasted vegetables. Plus, it is a simple way to preserve your garden-fresh herbs!
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One of my favorite times of year is early and mid-spring when my herb garden makes her annual comeback. Herbs are the springtime star because they are always my first harvest of the season.
One of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy fresh or even freeze-dried herbs is in buttery goodness slathered on homemade sourdough bread. I also love herb butter on pasta or toasted fresh-milled dinner rolls.
(Pssst. Yes, if you haven’t already, this is your sign to start a backyard herb garden!)
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick: Making homemade herb butter takes only 10 minutes of hands-on time.
Easy: With just a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps, making herb butter is easy. No fancy equipment needed!
Fresh Flavor: Herb butter adds a burst of fresh flavor to
Food Preservation: Adding herbs to butter is an easy way to preserve them! For longer storage, you can also learn how to freeze dry herbs.
Versatile: Homemade herb butter elevates just about every meal. I love it on simple sheetpan meals or toasted sourdough brioche rolls with Instant Pot spaghetti.
Key Ingredients
Butter: I like to use unsalted butter because I can control the seasoning.
Herbs: The printable recipe card has herb suggestions for 5 butter recipes for bread. I used herbs such as thyme, oregano, parsley, and chives. But you can use your favorites!
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
How To Make Homemade Herb Butter
Step 1: Make sure your butter is room temperature. If not, set it on the counter for a few hours.
Step 2: Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl.
Step 3: Stir thoroughly to combine. This is easier if the butter is room temperature.
Step 4: Mound the butter onto the center of a piece of parchment paper. Smooth into a log shape, then roll it up in the parchment paper and twist the ends closed.
Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving (this allows the flavors to combine).
NOTE: If you don’t have parchment paper, a piece of plastic wrap will work for rolling your butter.
Tips for Success
- Cold butter makes mixing herbs a hassle. Let it soften before you start.
- Salted butter works, but homemade compound butter is best when you season it yourself. It lets you adjust the flavor and let the herbs shine.
- Homemade herb butter keeps for up to a year in the freezer. Just slice off a chunk when you need it and let it soften.
- I've shared five recipes in this post, but feel free to get creative with what you have on hand or in the garden!
Serving Suggestions
Bread: This makes the best butter for bread: sourdough bread, French bread, baguettes, sourdough sandwich bread, sourdough toast…all of the above, please!
Veggies: Sauteeing often gets too hot and burns the herbs. So once your veggies are ready, dot them with homemade herb butter.
Steak: One of my favorite ways to serve steak is with a pat of herb butter.
Pasta: Add a little compound butter and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Or use it when you make homemade béchamel.
Potatoes: Mashed, fried, scalloped, or sweet-potatoes are always better with herb butter. I especially love it on freeze-dried mashed potatoes!
Sheet Pan Meals: On YouTube, I have a simple chicken and veggie sheet pan meal with an herb butter pan sauce. It’s one of our family’s favorite dinners!
Storing
- Herb butter will last in the fridge for up to a month and in the freezer for up to a year.
- I like to place the parchment-wrapped butter log in a ziplock bag or freezer-safe container.
Herb Butter Recipes FAQs
Yes! Compound butter is butter mixed with other ingredients like herbs, spices, honey, etc.
Yes, but the flavor will be slightly different. When herbs are dried, they are slowly cooked at a very low temperature, which alters their flavor. As such, herb butter made with dried herbs will taste different but will still be delicious.
You can use any herbs you heart desires. Most importantly, you should use the herbs you enjoy eating and growing.
You can also add other flavors, such as fresh garlic, lemon zest, and pepper. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
More Condiment Recipes
If you tried these herb butter recipes or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks, y’all!
Herb Butter Recipe for Bread (5 Variations)
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup chopped herbs, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, and chives are good options
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Basil Butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Chive Butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sage Butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup sage, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Italian Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup chopped herbs, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram (a scant teaspoon of each)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make sure your butter is room temperature. If not, set it on the counter for a few hours.
- Add all of the ingredients for the selected recipe to a small bowl (see recipe options above).1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup chopped herbs, 2-3 garlic cloves, Salt and pepper to taste
- Stir thoroughly to combine. This is easier if the butter is room temperature.
- Mound the butter onto the center of a piece of parchment paper. Smooth into a log shape, then roll it up in the parchment paper and twist the ends closed.
- Chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving (this allows the flavors to combine).
Notes
- You can customize these recipes with any combination of herbs. The general ratio is 1/2 cup of butter (equivalent to 1 stick of butter) and 1/4 cup of herbs.
- Cold butter makes mixing herbs a hassle. Let it soften before you start.
- Homemade herb butter keeps for up to a year in the freezer. Just slice off a chunk when you need it and let it soften.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.
I can’t wait to make this recipe again this year with our spring and summer harvests!