The Best Homemade Garlic Butter
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There’s simply no going back once you try this homemade garlic butter. It combines the rich, bold flavor of roasted garlic and the silky smoothness of perfectly whipped butter, creating a lush, velvety spread that’s packed with just the right amount of garlicky goodness. It’s perfect for slathering on bread, tossing with pasta, drizzling over veggies, or adding a flavor boost to your favorite dishes.
Garlic bread is one of my absolute favorite snacks, a staple in my charcuterie table at gatherings, and a go-to when I’m entertaining. It only makes sense that I have garlic butter on hand or I can whip it fresh whenever I need it. After a lot of experimenting, I found the perfect 5-ingredient recipe that’s as simple to make as it is delicious.
Plus, there are so many ways to enjoy it beyond garlic bread, from mixing it into pasta sauce for a quick weeknight meal to melting over steak for a romantic date night at home. Trust me, it will become your new kitchen essential and once you try it, you’ll start looking for excuses to use it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unbelievably easy: Just 10 minutes of prep and a few pantry staples, and you’ve got restaurant-quality garlic butter at home.
- Absolutely delicious: Enjoy bold (but not overpowering) garlic goodness and velvety butter together in this crave-worthy, effortlessly spreadable treat!
- Budget-friendly: Skip expensive store-bought versions and make your own at home with simple, affordable ingredients.
- Homemade goodness: No preservatives, no artificial flavors – just pure, fresh, buttery goodness made exactly how you like it.
- All-around flavor booster: Transform plain rice, boring veggies, or simple proteins into something special in seconds. You can even melt it and use as a dip for seafood!
- Great for meal prep: Make a big batch, portion it out, and freeze for easy access whenever you need a flavor boost.
How to Make Garlic Butter
This is the only garlic butter recipe you’ll ever need! Made with just garlic, olive oil, butter, parsley, and salt, it’s the easiest yet tastiest homemade version you’ll ever taste.
I recommend popping the garlic in the oven – roasting is completely worth the effort for an incredible depth of flavor you can’t get any other way! Once that’s done, just mix, chill, and serve!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Garlic: The star of the show! I roast mine for the best flavor, but you can also use fresh. If you want a less intense garlic flavor, sauté minced garlic in butter or olive oil for a few minutes before mixing it in.
- Olive oil: Makes the garlic butter more spreadable and keeps it from hardening too much when chilled.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter since we will be adding salt separately.
- Parsley: Adds a pop of freshness that balances out the richness of the butter and garlic. The little flecks of green also add visual appeal to the spread!
- Salt
Step-By-Step Instructions
There’s something so rewarding about making your own butter garlic at home. Not only does it fill your kitchen with the amazing smell of roasted garlic, but the result is an insanely good, velvety spread that you can put on everything.
Now, you’re only 4 steps away from enjoying this treat. Follow the instructions below to make the best homemade garlic butter there is!
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Cut the top tips of each head of garlic. Bush olive oil evenly over all surfaces and wrap in parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Step 2: Roast
Arrange the packets on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes until you can comfortably handle the wrapper. Open and continue cooling completely or until you can squeeze the roasted garlic out from the skins.
Step 3: Mix
Squeeze all the garlic into a food processor. Add the butter, parsley, and salt and mix well to combine. You can mash the garlic into the butter by hand or blend with an electric mixer.
Step 4: Chill
Scrape the butter onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and shape it into a log. Twist the ends to secure and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
Substitutions
- Garlic: If fresh garlic isn’t available, you can use garlic powder (½ teaspoon per clove) for a milder, more even flavor. However, I really recommend waiting to get fresh!
- Olive oil: Substitute with avocado oil or melted ghee. If you want a neutral oil, light olive oil or vegetable oil works too.
- Parsley: No parsley? Use fresh chives, cilantro, or basil instead.
Expert Tips
- Soften, don’t melt: Room-temperature butter blends better and stays creamy, while melted butter can separate and become greasy.
- Use a food processor for an ultra-smooth spread: For the fluffiest, most evenly mixed garlic butter, blend it in a food processor instead of mixing by hand.
- Skip the chill time: This garlic butter can be served immediately after combining all the ingredients. While the chilled presentation is more traditional for compound butter, chilling makes garlic butter a little more elegant and can help with portion control, if that is important to you.
- Let the flavors meld: If not chilling, let the butter sit for at least 30 minutes before using – it allows the garlic and herbs to infuse into the butter fully.
- Brighten with a lemon: A little lemon juice brightens up the flavor and balances the richness, especially if using this butter for seafood.
- Experiment with herbs and seasonings: This recipe is endlessly customizable! Add thyme, rosemary, or oregano for a fresh touch, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, or stir in grated parmesan or a dash of Worcestershire sauce for added flavor.
How to Store This Recipe
Scoop garlic butter onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and shape it into a log, seal tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also transfer the mixture into an airtight container and store in the fridge for the same amount of time.
What to Serve with Garlic Butter
You’ll never run out of delicious ways to use garlic butter! Here are some must-tries:
- Garlic bread: Spread it on crusty bread and toast for the best garlic bread ever.
- Grilled steak: Melt over a hot, juicy steak for an instant flavor boost. I only use cheap cuts of meat for grilling to make an affordable yet delicious dish!
- Pasta: Toss with spaghetti, fettuccine, or gnocchi for a simple, buttery sauce.
- Rice or quinoa: Stir it in to your favorite rice dish for an easy, flavorful upgrade.
- Mashed potatoes: Mix it in with your mashed potatoes for extra creamy, garlicky goodness.
- Eggs: Use it to cook scrambled eggs or drizzle over poached eggs.
- Dipping sauce: Perfect for shrimp, lobster, scallops, grilled fish, or crab legs. It’s also delicious served alongside steamed artichokes, dinner rolls, or warm naan.
- Charcuterie spread: Serve as part of a charcuterie spread alongside bread, jams, and other dips and spreads.
More Easy Condiments To Try
Easy Garlic Butter Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 heads garlic
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons parsley minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Cut the top tips of each head of garlic. Bush olive oil evenly over all surfaces and wrap in parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Arrange the packets on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes until you can comfortably handle the wrapper. Open and continue cooling completely or until you can squeeze the roasted garlic out from the skins.
- Squeeze all the garlic into a food processor. Add the butter, parsley, and salt and mix well to combine. You can mash the garlic into the butter by hand or blend with an electric mixer.
- Scrape the butter onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and shape it into a log. Twist the ends to secure and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Room-temperature butter blends better and stays creamy, while melted butter can separate and become greasy.
- For the fluffiest, most evenly mixed garlic butter, blend it in a food processor instead of mixing by hand.
- This garlic butter can be served immediately after combining all the ingredients. While the chilled presentation is more traditional for compound butter, chilling makes garlic butter a little more elegant and can help with portion control.
- If not chilling, let the butter sit for at least 30 minutes before using – it allows the garlic and herbs to infuse into the butter fully.
- A little lemon juice brightens up the flavor and balances the richness, especially if using this butter for seafood.
- Add your favorite herbs, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, or stir in grated parmesan or a dash of Worcestershire sauce for added flavor.
