Garlic Butter
Soft, creamy Garlic Butter packs a punch of delicious flavor! Learn how to make garlic butter that’s perfect for making garlic bread, spreading on warm dinner rolls, or serving with vegetables.
If you love garlic as much as I do, you are going to want to put this homemade garlic butter on everything! This garlic herb butter is the savory cousin of my favorite sweet and salty Honey Butter. It’s incredibly easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, plus a bowl and spoon to mix everything together.
Homemade spreads and seasonings are some of my favorite recipes to make because they’re easy, and I can adjust the ingredients to my tastes. Besides the butter and garlic, I’ve added fresh parsley and thyme to this garlic butter recipe. You’ll love how the fresh herbs brighten up the flavors in this creamy spread. A pinch or two of salt brings all of the flavors together. With this recipe, you can use more or less garlic, add in your favorite herbs, or even mix in some Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Garlic Butter Ingredients
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make creamy homemade garlic butter. Here is an overview of what you’ll need. Find the full recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to adjust the saltiness of the garlic butter to your tastes. Feel free to use salted butter if that’s what you have on hand and just reduce or omit the added salt.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic brings a punch of garlic flavor. I use 3 medium cloves of fresh garlic. You can adjust the amount to your tastes.
- Fresh Parsley & Thyme: Fresh herbs are an easy way to boost the flavor of just about anything, garlic butter included. I love using parsley and thyme, but other herbs would be delicious as well. Try fresh rosemary, oregano, basil or chives.
- Salt: A pinch or two of salt brings all of the flavors together. Use whatever salt you have on hand: sea salt, coarse Kosher salt or table salt.
Recipe Variations
- Garlic Parmesan Butter: Stir in 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. This variation makes the best garlic bread!
- Roasted Garlic Butter: If the flavor of raw fresh garlic is too pungent for your tastes, you can use a few cloves of mashed Roasted Garlic instead. The mellow roasted garlic flavor is delish!
- Italian Seasoning: If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning in their place.
How to Make Garlic Butter
Making garlic butter couldn’t be easier!
- Soften the butter. Let the butter sit at room temperature until it is very soft. Using softened butter makes it easy to stir in the other ingredients.
- Stir in the minced garlic.
- Add the fresh herbs and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine.
- Taste and add more salt, if needed. Then enjoy!
Ways to Serve Garlic Butter
This homemade garlic butter is really versatile! Here are a few of the many ways that you can use it:
- As a Spread for Bread: Slather on warm Dinner Rolls or Garlic Knots, spread it on slices of crusty bread, or use it to make Garlic Bread.
- With Steak: A pat of garlic butter makes a great steak even better. Try garlic butter with Air Fryer Steak.
- With Vegetables: Spread it on Corn on the Cob, or serve it with Steamed Broccoli, Roasted Green Beans or other steamed vegetables.
- With Potatoes: Garlic butter makes a delicious topping for a Baked Potato or Baked Sweet Potato. Stir it into Mashed Potatoes for an irresistible side dish.
- With Pasta: Elevate a bowl of plain pasta by stirring in a spoonful or two of garlic butter. Sprinkle on Parmesan cheese, and devour!
Storage Tips
Garlic butter is perfect for making ahead. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving so that it is easily spreadable. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, you may wish to freeze individual portions to be used whenever a craving hits. Scoop tablespoon sized balls of garlic butter onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or dish, freeze, and then transfer to an airtight container once frozen.
More Sauce and Spread Recipes
Garlic Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter*, softened to room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, optional
- 1-2 pinches salt, to taste
Instructions
- Place the softened butter in a small bowl. Add the minced garlic and stir to combine. Add the parsley, thyme and salt, to taste. Stir until well combined.
- Spread on bread, serve with steak, corn on the cob, or steamed vegetables, or as desired.
Notes
- If using salted butter, omit the added salt or add just a tiny bit, to taste.
- Feel free to adapt this recipe to use your favorite fresh herbs. Besides the fresh parsley and thyme, try fresh rosemary, oregano, basil or chives.
- To make garlic Parmesan butter, stir in 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can leave them out or substitute 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning in their place.
- Garlic butter may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
