Easy Herb Butter to Make and Use Now and Later
We are nearing the close to growing season, and my herb garden is bursting with fresh herbs. Today I am going to share with you recipes for easy herb butter to make and use now and later. Once you try it, I know you’ll be hooked.
Fresh herb butter, also known as compound butter, is a great way to use some of those fragrant, fresh herbs growing in the garden. But it is also an easy way to skip a step later and plan ahead in the kitchen.
Why would you even want to make herb butter?
If you love good food like I do, you are going to want to try this. Let me explain. Obviously, who doesn’t like and use butter? Yes, you use butter all the time! And fresh herbs added to anything is always a ‘top ten things to love’. But making herb butter in advance provides a shortcut in the kitchen later!
How many times have you purchased one of those plastic clam shell pods of fresh herbs from the grocery store, only to have most of it go bad before you can finish using it? Now you can have fresh herbs anytime, and not be wasting any of that herby deliciousness. Let’s dive in…
How long does homemade herb butter last?
Once herb butter is put together in your favorite combinations, it will last for several months in the refrigerator. Store and use it like you would a normal stick of butter. If you get on a roll and make lots, you can store it in the freezer.
Do you have to use fresh herbs to make herb butter?
You do not have to use fresh herbs to make herb butter, but if you are growing fresh herbs and have an over abundance, it is a great way to use fresh herbs. If you ever use some and even have just a bit of leftover herbs after making a meal, add them into some softened butter to have herb butter for next time.
Herbed butter can be made with dried herbs, or a variety of spices to pack tons of flavor into a dish down the road.
Can you freeze herb butter?
Yes, you can. Once I wrap the log of butter in parchment or a piece of wax paper, I store those in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag. Make sure you mark your herbed butter with whatever flavors you have used for easy identification later.
Should I use salted or unsalted butter for herb butter?
You can use either, but I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt that I use. You will only want to use real butter, not margarine. When I am ready to make some fresh herb butter, I usually head to Costco and buy a 3-pound pack of real butter and make several combination of herbs at once.
Easy homemade herb butter recipes
Making herb butter is one of my favorite ways to use up fresh herbs. There are so many different combinations that can be made. You can begin by making the combination of flavors that you know you will use. This fall, I am making herbed butters based on what I have available in my garden. I will share with you some single herbs, along with simple combinations and how they can enhance certain dishes.
SIMPLE HERB BUTTER
- rosemary butter – amazing to top on a perfectly cooked steak or eggs
- basil butter – fresh basil butter is good on just about anything
- sage butter – butter up your biscuits with this one
- parsley butter – use on green beans, corn on the cob, or just about any vegetable
- thyme butter – love this for a baked potato, skin of a chicken, and more
- mint butter – add to anything that needs a bit of brightness
- dill butter – so good with potatoes, seafood, and more
The easiest way to make a lot of herb butter at once is to chop all of your available herbs at once and place into piles. When you are ready to mix certain combos, they will all be ready to go.
COMBOS TO TRY
- lemon and thyme – I love this combo with seafood or rice
- basil and parsley – this is the base for my amazing garlic bread recipe which I will share with you soon
- rosemary, basil, and thyme – love this combo with eggs, chicken, and much more
- dill and chives – try with eggs or vegetables
- mint and sage – pairs great with lamb chops or pork
How to make your own herb butter
Begin by using room temperature butter. This will require some planning ahead, so the butter can sit out and soften. I do not recommend softening it in the microwave, as the butter melts unevenly and you want the body of your butter somewhat stable. I usually just leave mine on the counter overnight.
Chop up a single herb and place into a pile. Continue with the other fresh herbs you wish to use and create a “picking board or plate” where you can easily choose herbs to place in a variety of combinations.
When making herb butter, I generally use one whole stick of butter for each of my herbal butters so I can make a variety of flavors all at once. I use s small bowl for each flavor that I create. I also find that using a fork to smash the butter mixture and incorporate the fresh herbs works very well.
You will find, sky’s the limit once you begin concocting and pairing different flavors. Add kosher salt and pepper to your liking, or go without if you want more control within a recipe you will use the butter in later.
JAZZ UP YOUR HERB BUTTER WITH…
- lemon zest
- kosher salt and black pepper
- fresh garlic clove
- red pepper flakes
- sun-dried tomatoes
What should I wrap my herb butter in?
You can wrap your herb butter in a piece of plastic wrap, small wax paper sheets, or a piece of parchment paper. I prefer the parchment paper, as it is easy to write on and I can dress it up if I choose to offer herbed butter as a small gift.
I also like to use some baking twine to secure the edges, but you could also use rubber bands. If you want to make individual herbed butters to serve at a dinner party, you can use a rubber candy mold or designated butter molds to create fancy shapes. I like to keep it simple, so larger logs work best for me, that can then be cut into slices when ready to use.
Shaping the herbed butter
Once your herbed butter is made, grab a piece of whatever you are wrapping it in. I am using unbleached parchment paper. Place the butter in lumps next to each other, and using the paper to help shape it, tighten it into a log shape.
Continue molding and shaping the butter into a log. I like to keep mine a bit rustic, so I don’t completely smash it all tightly together. You want to remove most of the air, but do what works well for you. You can also use a spatula to shape the sides if you want them straight and tight. When you are done, twist the sides and secure them with twine, if desired.
You can also shape it in different ways. Occasionally I will make small patties of butter, especially if I am making a smaller portion if I have had leftover herbs when cooking. Tossing them with some softened butter is the easiest way to use them up and save them for later. So if I am not using an entire stick of butter, a patty style works nice.
How to use herb butter
Use your herb butter in a variety of ways, just as you would regular butter, but this time it will add extra flavor. You can use it as a topping, or simply incorporate into a recipe. But once you get started, you will see how much sense it makes and how time-saving making herb butter in advance can be.
How should I store my herb butter
As discussed, your herbed butter should be stored like you would any other butter, in the refrigerator. For long term storage, place in the freezer for up to 6 months.
If you begin using a log or portion thereof , and want it to be softened for use within a few days, you can leave it out on the counter provided the temps aren’t too hot. Store inside a butter dish for protection. This little milk glass butter dish is the perfect size for half a log shape that will be used within a few days.
Ideas for gifting herb butter
Not only is herb butter great to have and use in your kitchen, but it is an amazing little gift to give away. I mean really, who doesn’t use butter? Well everyone does!
Need a small little gift to welcome a new neighbor or a book club member? How about a little gift of herb butter? You can even pair it with a loaf of french bread. Now that would be a gift I would actually use!
Heading over to a party? It makes a great hostess gift. Wanna thank a friend for picking up your kids from an event? Nothing says ‘thank you’ like sharing the bounty of yumminess! You get the idea. When you have herb butter on hand, it’s a quick and easy way to gift something special to a friend that will actually get used.
A small gift for…
My two personal favorite recipes for homemade herb butter
One of my favorite little morning treats is this amped up herb butter I created. One day, when strolling through Trader Joe’s, I picked up a bag of dried Maine blueberries and thought, what can I make with these?
What I came up with is this specialty butter that you can spread on toast in the morning and put under the broiler or in a toaster oven. I love it on sourdough bread, it is sooooo good. All you do is soften butter, add lemon zest (you can even add a squeeze of lemon juice), chopped fresh mint leaves, and incorporate into a flavorful butter. Then simply fold some dried blueberries into the mixture, form it into a patty shape or log, and wrap. Whenever you want a delicious little treat, just toast up for the most delicious bite ever!
SHOP THE POST
My second favorite of the herb butter logs, is the parsley and basil combo. I use this as a starter to the bestest garlic bread recipe ever! I will be sharing this next week, so you will definitely want to come back for this because this is the best ever, I’m not even kidding. So grab some french bread and get ready!
I hope you will try making herb butter, as it is soooo easy. And once you do it, I know you will be hooked. You will find so many yummy ways to use it, each and every day. Using herb butter to cook eggs in a pan makes such a big difference. Tell me in the comments your favorite way to use herb butter.
If you’d like to get inspired about more stuff for your home and lifestyle, let’s hang out more. Follow along on these platforms. Check back next week for the best garlic bread ever.
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Making it is so fun and easy! Can’t wait to hear about your favorite.
I love herb butter, well pretty much anything with butter!😃 I’m going to have to try some of these combinations!