Lemon Basil Butter is an easy-to-make compound butter recipe that requires just three ingredients. It’s a delicious topping for grilled meats and seafood, roasted vegetables, or simply spread onto fresh bread or stirred into hot pasta.
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Compound butter is made when softened butter is mixed with herbs and other seasonings. This Lemon Basil Butter features just three ingredients and can be used with all types of food to add a nice kick of flavor.
After my garden basil grew into a huge bush one year, I was trying to come up with any way possible to use or preserve it all. Having made other compound butters, I knew this would be a great way to use some of it up.
My personal favorite way to use this particular butter is on grilled or roasted chicken and on roasted vegetables like Normandy Blend Vegetables or Roasted Carrots and Parsnips.
Why This Recipe Works
You will love how easy it is to make this butter. It’s as simple as mincing the basil, zesting the lemon and mashing it all together. You don’t even need a food processor or other fancy equipment. Just a bowl and a fork!
This is a very versatile recipe. You can use salted or unsalted butter. Salt, black pepper and minced or powdered garlic all make great additions depending on what types of food you are planning to use the butter on.
Lemon Basil Butter tastes delicious on everything from main dishes like steak, chicken, seafood and pasta to side dishes like roasted vegetables, rice and bread.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter (softened): you can use salted or unsalted
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil (minced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from one large lemon)
Chef’s Tip: depending on what the butter will be used for, you can add salt, black pepper and/or garlic, if desired. If a stronger lemon flavor is desired, you can gradually add lemon juice.
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Set the butter out for about an hour to allow it to come to room temperature and soften.
Mince the basil and zest the lemon.
Create!
Mash the softened butter, minced basil and lemon zest together with a fork until evenly blended.
Present!
You can use the butter immediately while it is soft and spreadable.
If you don’t need the butter right away, or want to form pats of butter for serving, place it onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll it into a log, twisting the ends closed.
Place the log into the refrigerator until set, then slice as needed.
Chef’s Tip: you can use silicone molds, instead of rolling the butter into a log, if you’d like to form the butter into shapes for holidays or special occasions.
Tips and Techniques
- Salted or unsalted butter can be used.
- You can add salt, black pepper and/or minced garlic to the butter. Consider how you will be using the butter. You may not want to add additional salt and pepper if you are using the butter on food that is already well seasoned.
- Use silicone molds, instead of rolling the butter into a log, if you’d like to form the butter into shapes for holidays or special occasions.
- Store compound butter with fresh herbs in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
More Compound Butter Recipes
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Lemon Basil Butter
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil (minced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from one large lemon)
Instructions
- Mash the softened butter, minced basil and lemon zest together with a fork until evenly blended.
- The butter can be used immediately while it is soft and spreadable or placed onto a piece of plastic wrap and rolled into a log, twisting the ends closed. Place the log into the refrigerator until set, then slice as needed.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- Salted or unsalted butter can be used.Â
- You can add salt, black pepper and/or minced garlic to the butter. Consider how you will be using the butter. You may not want to add additional salt and pepper if you are using the butter on food that is already well seasoned.
- Use silicone molds, instead of rolling the butter into a log, if you'd like to form the butter into shapes for holidays or special occasions.
- Store compound butter with fresh herbs in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.
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