Garlic Butter Sauce

A great sauce can transform an ordinary dish into a masterpiece, and as home cooks, we can all use a few reliable, easy recipes. This Garlic Butter Sauce is among my top choices when I want to enhance just about any dish! I love this recipe because it comes together in less than 10 minutes using 4 simple, everyday ingredients you likely have on hand. It’s a sauce that’s a worthy staple for your kitchen.

You’ll find that this fragrant, buttery sauce is exceptionally versatile. Drizzle it over mashed potatoes, steamed or grilled vegetables, seared or grilled meats, or serve it as a dipping sauce for seafood. I’ll also brush it onto bread or pizza crust or turn a plain bowl of pasta into a dish within moments. The possibilities are almost endless! 

This is a wonderfully versatile recipe, and delicious, too! Great on pasta, meat, and vegetables. I really appreciate your lovely recipes.

stephanie

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Sauce

• Butter: Because butter is essential to this recipe, I use richer-tasting European-style butter, which has more butterfat and less water than American butter.
• Garlic: Look for plump, fresh garlic cloves with smooth outer skin without discoloring.
• Kosher Salt: I prefer kosher, but you can also use fine sea salt.
• Fresh Parsley: I think flat leaf parsley (also called Italian parsley) works better here than curly parsley because it has a more robust flavor and smoother texture.

Recipe Options

Though this simple garlic butter sauce recipe is delicious as is, there are many ways to embellish it. Here are just a few ideas:

• Stir in fresh herbs like minced rosemary, thyme or chives to make a garlic herb butter sauce. (If you’re a dill lover, try my Garlic Butter Sauce for Seafood.)
• Add fresh lemon juice to make Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce.
• Swirl in a pinch or more of crushed red pepper flakes or freshly ground black pepper for a spicy kick.

How to Store and Reheat

I often double or even triple this recipe so I’ll always have it on hand. It stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and reheats beautifully in a skillet or small pan over low heat. You can also freeze individual portions for up to 3 months (ice cube trays work well for this). When you need a nearly instant sauce, just drop a cube into a pan (no need to thaw) and reheat over low heat!

This Garlic Butter Sauce recipe is in my constant rotation because it’s so versatile, simple and dish-transforming. I love that I can whip this up in no time and use it on so many foods. I’m betting you’ll enjoy finding new ways to use this recipe as much as I do!

How to Serve

• Drizzle over Bacon Wrapped Scallops or Bacon Wrapped Shrimp for added layer of decadence.
• Spoon over Slow Roasted Salmon or Grilled Swordfish
• Toss with your favorite pasta to make Garlic Butter Noodles or with seared steak to make Garlic Butter Steak Bites.
• Drizzle over tender green beans to make Garlic Butter Green Beans.
• Or toss with shrimp and pasta to make Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta.

How to Make Garlic Butter Sauce

Cook and stir minced garlic in sizzling butter until fragrant and tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and serve.