Garlic Herb Butter (Easy Compound Butter Recipe)

If there is one foolproof way to elevate any meal, from your favorite steak to steamed vegetables, it’s this garlic herb butter recipe. Compound butter is creamy, rich and buttery, and it infuses everything from meats to veggies to a basic baked potato or warm slice of bread with so much richness. Fresh garlic and herbs add tons of flavor and this simple recipe will take your meals to restaurant-quality status in just minutes. 

​When I hear the words compound butter, I’m immediately all in. Who wants regular butter when garlic butter loaded with herbs is an option?!

This easy garlic butter recipe is a great way to add extra flavor to a variety of mains and side dishes, like our Sheet Pan Root Vegetables, Roasted Baby Potatoes, and Sous Vide Flat Iron Steak.

The options are nearly endless though, and once you try our herb butter with garlic, you’ll be inspired to slather it onto all kinds of items (think toasted bagels, dinner rolls and homemade sourdough)!

It’s so good on top of a steak like filet mignon steak and is equally tasty on salmon or pasta dishes. You can also use this easy recipe to make your own homemade garlic bread (it’ll go great with any of the yeast bread recipes in our artisan bread roundup).

Why This Compound Butter Recipe Works

Softened butter is the base for this easy garlic herb compound butter. Instead of dried herbs, we’re opting for fresh herbs to give the butter the best flavor. It’s also a great way to use an excess of garden herbs before they go bad.

Simple ingredients, a few minutes of active prep time, and its versatility, are just a few features that make this garlic butter with herbs a true winner!

Why you’ll love it:

• It’s quick and easy to make, with just four ingredients required!
• Garlic herb butter is easy to change up based on the herbs you have on hand and the flavor profile you wish to create. 
• It can be used with so many other recipes and is the best way to add delicious buttery, garlic-y flavor to nearly anything!
• It stores easily in your fridge or freezer and is a wonderful make-ahead recipe that only takes a few minutes to make. 

Simple Ingredients for Garlic Herbed Butter

Homemade compound garlic butter only requires a handful of ingredients and a few common kitchen tools.

It’s helpful to have a garlic press and parchment paper on hand, but they’re not required. While we prefer wrapping the garlic herb butter in parchment paper, you can also use wax paper or a piece of plastic wrap. 

Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need for garlic herbed butter:

• Softened butter. ​You can use salted or unsalted butter. If you use unsalted butter, you may want to add a bit more salt to the mixture. 
• Garlic cloves. ​Grate or mince the garlic for a rich, garlic flavor that makes this extra savory and delicious! If you want to add extra garlic, measure with your heart. 🙂
• Fresh rosemary. ​Finely chopped and mixed into the butter, fresh rosemary adds a subtle woodsy, minty, peppery flavor that can’t be beat!
• Fresh thyme. Thyme adds flavor notes that are earthy, savory and a bit floral in taste. See the recipe notes section for other chopped herbs you can use in this compound butter. 

How to Make Garlic and Herb Butter

Before you begin, it’s important that your butter is softened to room temperature. Mixing add-ins into cold butter is just plain difficult, and softened butter not only makes the process easier, but it also allows you to shape and mold the compound butter into a log.

It really doesn’t matter if you have salted butter or unsalted. Use what you have on hand. Salt enhances the flavor and you may want to add a pinch more salt either way. 

Here’s a look at the process but be sure to view the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page to check out the details and ingredient amounts.

Place all of the ingredients in a small dish. Blend together until the mixture is well combined and smooth. 

Transfer the compound butter mixture to a sheet of parchment.

Gently shape it into a log, using the sides of the parchment to help you mold it. Roll it in the parchment, label it and refrigerate.

To use the garlicky herb butter, unwrap it and slice off as much as you need. Re wrap the remaining log and store again.

That’s it! The process couldn’t be easier. 

Pro Tips for the Best Garlic Butter with Herbs

• Use a good quality butter for the best tasting garlic herb butter!
• Other chopped fresh herbs you can use include oregano, fresh parsley, chives, basil, cilantro or sage. 
• For a smoother garlic flavor, you can use roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic. Roasted garlic has a sweeter, milder flavor while fresh garlic has a pungent, spicy flavor. 
• Store the compound herb butter in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

How to Use Garlic Herb Compound Butter

Once you’ve whipped up a batch of this flavorful garlic and herb butter, the possibilities are practically endless. You can use it to elevate both side dishes and main dishes, making it a kitchen essential you’ll reach for time and again. Imagine slathering it on roasted turkey, warm bread, or melting a dollop over a sizzling steak. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy it is to add it to recipes like these:

• Make-ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Reverse Sear Cowboy Steak
• Roasted Cauliflower Steak
• Broiled Lobster Tails
• Baked Whole Salmon
• Whole Wheat Einkorn Bread
• Roasted Romanesco
• Garlic Butter Steak Bites
• Buttery Cornbread

More Recipes You Will Love:

• Miso Compound Butter
• Black Truffle Butter Recipe
• Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
• Granola Butter Recipe