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Crispy leaves of sage in brown butter sauce in a skillet.
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Brown Butter Sage Sauce

This brown butter sage sauce is cozy, quick, and wildly flavorful. It’s the kind of simple recipe that makes everything taste fancy. Scroll to the notes for easy ways to change it up.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time9 minutes
Course: Condiments, Sauces
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sage brown butter sauce
Servings: 8 tablespoons
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
  • 8 to 10 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves finely minced (or more to taste)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cut the butter into chunks and add it to a light-colored skillet or saucepan. Smaller pieces melt more evenly, so nothing scorches while you wait.
    Cubes of butter in a stainless steel skillet.
  • Turn the heat to medium and let the butter melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted, it will start to foam, this is the water content evaporating.
    Melted butter in a skillet with foam on top.
  • Add the sage leaves and garlic as the butter begins to foam. Stir them around gently. The sage will crisp up, and the garlic will soften and infuse the butter. Keep an eye on the color of the butter underneath the foam.
    Adding sage leaves to a skillet with hot butter.
  • Watch for golden flecks forming at the bottom of the pan and a toasty, nutty smell, that’s your sign it’s browning. Stir constantly and don’t walk away; it can go from brown to burnt quickly.
    Sage leaves sizzling in hot butter on a skillet.
  • Once the butter is golden brown and the sage is crisp, remove the pan from heat immediately. Pour the sauce into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking, making sure to scrape in all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
    Crisp sage leaves in brown butter sauce in a metal skillet.
  • Season with a pinch of salt and pepper if desired. Optionally, finish with a shower of freshly grated Parmesan right before serving.

Notes

  • Butter: Use unsalted so you’re in control of the saltiness, especially if you’re adding cheese later.
  • Sage crispness: Add the sage early enough that it has time to crisp, but not so early that it burns. If needed, remove it with tongs right after it crisps up and add it back at the end.
  • Parmesan tip: Stir Parmesan in off the heat to avoid clumping or curdling.
  • Serving suggestions: Toss with gnocchi, spoon over butternut squash pasta, swirl into risotto, or use as a drizzle over grilled chicken breasts or fish.

Variations

  • Add shallots: Finely mince and sauté with the garlic. Great with roasted veggies or savory mashed sweet potatoes.
  • Red Pepper Flakes: Stir in a pinch with the garlic for a little heat. 
  • Lemon Brown Butter: Add a pinch of lemon zest during the last minute of cooking, then finish with 1–2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice off the heat.
  • Anchovy Brown Butter: Melt in a filet or two with the butter for deep, savory umami (they dissolve completely).
  • Miso: Whisk in 1–2 teaspoons of miso paste off heat.
  • Toasted Nuts: Add chopped hazelnuts, walnuts, or pine nuts during the last minute of cooking, just before removing the butter from the heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.01mg
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