Want a trick to take any food from meh to spectacular? Try homemade Compound Butter! This French technique for adding rich, savory herbaceous flavor to dishes is most well known for topping steak. But you can use it for any number of things! Try it as a spread for crusty bread, put a pat on salmon, or even melt it into pasta as a makeshift sauce. It’s easy to make in advance and will wow everyone, especially when you’re entertaining! The savory pop of compound butter on a piece of crusty bread is out of this world is perfection.
How to make compound butter
Compound butter is a softened butter that’s mixed with flavorings like herbs, spices, and salt. It’s traditionally part of French cuisine and can be eaten as a sauce or spread for bread, crackers, vegetables, steak, seafood, and more. Compound butter is very simple to make at home: it takes just a few minutes and is easy to make in advance. Here are the basic steps:
Soften the butter. Cut the butter in half lengthwise, then into about 12 pieces total. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes until softened. Mix with seasonings. Place the butter in a bowl. Add the herbs and seasonings, then smash and stir the butter until everything is fully combined.
How to form compound butter into a log
Compound butter is traditionally rolled into a log shape for storage, similar to a stick of butter. While you can store it in a dish, it’s easiest to shape it into a log so you can cut off pieces to use in recipes. Here’s what to do:
Use plastic wrap for shaping. Place the butter on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper, then use the wrap to roll it into a log shape. You may need to do it a few times to get the ideal shape. There’s no right or wrong way to shape it, so shape as desired. Twist the ends and store. Twist the ends closed and refrigerate the compound butter until it’s solid enough to cut (or until serving). To speed up the cooling process, pop it in the freezer for a minutes until solid.
Flavor variations
The compound butter recipe below is our favorite classic flavor: fresh chives, thyme, and garlic powder make an herbaceous, salty and savory spread! But if you’re looking for a few more flavors, we’ve got them! Here are a few fun ideas for making different types of compound butter:
Lemon butter: Mix in 1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest and scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt Basil Parmesan butter: Mix in ¼ cup grated Parmesan, ¼ cup chopped basil, and scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt Smoked paprika butter: Mix in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons chopped chives and scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt Lemon thyme butter: Mix in 1 tablespoon fresh grated lemon zest, 2 tablespoons chopped thyme, and scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt Rosemary butter: Mix in 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary and scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt Honey butter: Add 1 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Storage info
How to store homemade compound butter? While you might normally store butter at room temperature, with the added flavorings it’s best to opt for the refrigerator.
Store compound butter refrigerated for up to 1 month. Store compound butter in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before using.
Ways to use compound butter
There are infinite ways to use compound butter, but our favorite is simple. Use it as a tasty appetizer with a crusty bread. It wows everyone without fail, and feels much fancier than it is! Try adding it to a cheese or charcuterie board for maximum wow factor. Here are a few ways to use compound butter:
Spread on a baguette or crostini as an easy appetizer. Use on steak or salmon. Add a slice to a sizzling piece of steak or baked or grilled salmon for even more flavor. Add to roasted, mashed or baked potatoes. Toss with fingerling potatoes after they’re roasted, swirl into mashed potatoes or dollop onto a baked potato. Add flavor to cooked veggies. Try on Pan Fried Broccoli, Roasted Broccolini, Sauteed Carrots, or Sauteed Green Beans. Use on pasta. Stir compound butter into pasta as a quick sauce.
More with butter
Everything’s better with butter, right? Here are a few more tasty recipes where butter is the star:
Try our Easy Garlic Butter or Garlic Herb Butter Go for Garlic Butter Sauce Pasta Mix up Lemon Butter Sauce Grab a Hot Buttered Rum
This compound butter recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. 5 from 1 review
