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As home cooks, having a few versatile, flavorful sauce recipes up our sleeves is a lifesaver, especially when we need to pull together dinner fast. This Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce is one I reach for to transform simple dishes into restaurant-worthy meals in under 10 minutes. Made with just a handful of everyday ingredients, this sauce’s simplicity is only matched by its versatility. Use it to enhance everything from pasta and vegetables to meat, fish, and seafood — the possibilities are almost endless.
What I love about this vibrant, fragrant sauce is that it comes together with just six simple ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen. Inspired by classic Italian and French sauces, it starts with sautéing garlic in a rich blend of butter and olive oil to create a savory base. The fresh lemon juice and zest set it apart, bringing brightness and a Mediterranean flair. The aroma alone will have you hooked! Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a pop of color, and in minutes, you’ve got a sauce that can turn the most basic meal into something memorable.
“The most perfect sauce!!!
marian
So quick, easy and versatile and most of all, delicious!”
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce Ingredients
- Butter: Because butter is essential to this recipe, I use richer-tasting European-style butter, which has a higher fat and lower water content than American-style butter.
- Olive Oil: Since olive oil is half the sauce base here, you’ll want to use use a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
- Fresh Garlic: Choose firm, fresh heads with large cloves and smooth skin for the best flavor.
- Lemon: Opt for plump, glossy lemons, as you’ll use both the juice and the zest.
- Parsley: Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is ideal; dried parsley won’t deliver the same freshness.
- Kosher Salt: You can use fine sea salt, but you’ll need to reduce the amount.
6 Recipe Tips
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh garlic, lemon juice, and parsley make all the difference. Avoid pre-minced garlic or bottled lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Control the heat: Sauté the garlic over medium to medium-low heat. You want it fragrant and softened, not browned or burnt. I like to stay close by and stir to prevent overcooking.
- Zest before juicing: It’s much easier to zest the lemon before cutting it for juice. Only zest the yellow part, as the white pith underneath is bitter.
- Adjust to taste: This sauce is forgiving! Add more lemon juice for brightness or a pinch more salt to enhance flavors. I always taste as I go and adjust to match the dish.
- Make it ahead: The sauce can be made a few hours in advance. Store at room temperature and reheat gently before serving. Avoid overheating, as it can affect the consistency.
- Double up: This recipe doubles easily if you’re cooking for a crowd or want leftovers. Just scale up the ingredients, and you’ll have more sauce ready to go.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, this sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. When you’re ready to use it again, gently reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Be careful not to overheat it, as the sauce may separate or lose its creamy texture. If the sauce thickens too much during reheating, you can whisk in a teaspoon of water or broth to bring it back to your desired consistency.
Though seafood is a natural pairing for this lemon garlic butter sauce, it’s equally at home with a variety of dishes. Drizzle it over grilled vegetables, spoon it over chicken or steak, or toss it with pasta for a quick dinner. Whether you’re dressing up a casual weeknight meal or adding the finishing touch to a special occasion, this sauce brings that extra something. It’s the kind of recipe worth knowing by heart — simple, flavorful, and always reliable.
More Lemon Garlic Recipes You’ll Love
How to make Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir garlic in sizzling butter and olive oil until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and zest and fresh parsley. Season to taste with salt and serve.
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 large lemon juice and zest
- 1 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat butter and olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat until sizzling. Add minced garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice, and parsley. Season with salt to taste and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The most perfect sauce!!!
So quick, easy and versatile and most of all, delicious!
Thank you Marissa!
aww…my pleasure, Marian. Thanks so much for your kind comment.
I’ve added to my bi-weekly rotation of meals. I use it with pasta and veg. of choice. Amazing! I’ll have to add shrimp to my pasta, too.
Thanks so much!
Easy, quick and delicious!
Made my favourite baked crumbed salmon with side salad . We spooned this dressing over golden crumbed salmon and it raised the flavour to the next level . Please make this , you won’t be disappointed. 5stars . Thank you .
aww…thanks so much, Steve. I’m so glad you enjoyed this!
Lovely on salmon or any fish. Also great on pasta or rice. Can’t wait to try it on linguine with clams.
So glad you’re enjoying the sauce, Peter!
You would think this simple sauce would be very flavorful, but its not.
Don’t know where I went wrong, but it’s flavorless.
Hi Donna. I’m sorry to hear that this wasn’t what you were hoping for.
Hey Donna,
Did you use big cloves of garlic? Mine weren’t all that big so I used eight cloves to make up for size. Adding salt is also crucial to bump up the flavour.
Can i use a pinch of sugar if i use salted butter..or no need
Hi Denise! No need to add sugar with salted butter.
Can I use basil instead of Italian parsley in garlic buttery lemon sauce
Hi Linda! Sure!
So easy, and came out delicious! I put it over a seafood pasta.
Hi Victoria! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe. Perfect pairing with your seafood pasta!
Delicious as is.
I tried this…Added 4 Tablespoons of heavy cream at the end, and poured it over cooked cubed potatoes, cooked carrots, and sliced fresh scallions. Mixed, then added a sprinkling of fresh flat leaf parsley on top. Delicious too.
Sounds delicious, Ohliver!
Made it today was delicious stirred on noodles with lemon sole for myself and chicken for my husband a side of mange tout so quick and easy
Sounds wonderful, Chris! So glad you and your husband enjoyed this.
Is nutrition for entire amout-assumimg so as it doesn’t mention a quantity-possibly clarify in recipe. Sounds good, thinking to try it. Thanks!
Hi June. The recipe serves about 6 people, so the nutrition information represents 1/6 of the recipe.
Fantastic. Based on the liquid ingredients — 6Tbsp butter, 4Tbsp oil, and juice from large lemon (roughly 2Tbsp, the yield comes to about 12 Tbsp, which means 2 Tbsp of sauce per serving. (I measured because I’m dieting and gotta be mindful of my portions. I could easily eat the entire batch with some crusty French bread. Ah….only in my dreams.)
I’m with you, Kate! So glad you enjoyed this.
Poured this on mahi mahi, easy and delicious! I still have some left over-Can it be frozen for later use?
So glad you enjoyed this, Gina! Yes, you can absolutely freeze it for use later. For convenient portions, I like to freeze it in an ice cube tray and transfer to a freezer safe container once frozen.
Hello, great recipe! Do you think I can make it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator? If so how long do you think it will last before it goes bad?
Hi Jojo! You can make this up to 5 days in advance – just store in the refrigerator in an airtight container before reheating.
Such a delicious versatile sauce Marissa! I love sauces like this. Only a few ingredients, yet so much fresh flavor!
Thank you, Mary Ann. It’s such a great back-pocket sauce – I keep finding new ways to enjoy it!
Beautiful and aromatic sauce – perfect for so many summer dishes! I love using the same combination (But with thyme or rosemary instead of parsley) for pasta sauces!
Thanks, Ben! Those herbs are a great way to riff on this recipe.