Try out my delicious homemade garlic butter recipe! It is so easy to make at home and there are so many way to cook with it! Just think of the classic garlic bread, buttery garlic spaghetti, or sliced as a creamy topping for a juicy pan seared steak for instance.
Well who doesn’t like garlic butter!
I do often meet people who don’t like garlic.
Which always amazed me.
Is it because they just don’t like the taste of it? Is garlic too strong? Or are people too afraid to have a bad breath afterwards?
And I get it.
Best Homemade Garlic Butter Recipe
Just a couple of days ago I was waiting for my turn at the cash register at my local supermarket.
And the person right behind me had this awful garlic breath. No joke. I mean it was suffocating. One of the worst run ins with garlic breath people ever.
It was around lunchtime and I had just picked a lovely meal for lunch.
But I can guarantee you that after standing in line at the cash register in front of that person, my appetite was seriously gone for like an hour.
Garlic Breath
All this to say that garlic is absolutely fine.
If you use it in a moderate way of course. And preferably a little less even if you plan to use it raw in a meal.
Because you are not alone on this planet.
Don’t get me wrong here. I don’t mind the smell of garlic. However sometimes some people seem to just eat garlic all day long by the looks of it.
Same goes for raw onion by the way. I don’t like it if I can smell what someone has had for dinner the day before.
Raw Garlic
Can you think of a couple of things where you add raw garlic to?
Sure, this garlic butter recipe of course.
And what about a fresh basil pesto?
The same goes for basil pesto. Make sure that the other ingredients are in perfect balance with the garlic. If you add too much raw garlic, your pesto will be too strong and unpleasant.
Do you take out that inside sprout when you use raw garlic?
It is called the germ and supposedly it is said that it contains the strongest flavor.
Inside Germ
Do you believe that?
Especially when it is green, then that means that the garlic that you are using is old and it might leave a bitter aftertaste.
So yes, I do remove it if I need to use raw garlic.
Easy Homemade Garlic Butter Recipe
You sure have your own favorite garlic butter recipe, am I right?
So what exactly do you put into your favorite butter recipe?
My version contains a little bit of freshly chopped herbs. I like to pair that raw garlic with fresh parsley chopped finely. It is actually a garlic herb butter. I also add fresh tarragon at times. I love fresh tarragon.
Delicious.
If you like anchovies, then also try my anchovy butter! It looks very similar but that anchovy taste will blow you right off your socks.
Compound Butter
Do you often make compound butter at home?
I like compound butter because you can make so many version of it!
Lots of ingredients are perfect to make into a butter. How about these very surprising ideas? Sun dried tomatoes (I tasted this tomato butter in Malta once, delicious), porcini, anchovies, blue cheese, cilantro, red chili, miso.
And so on.
Homemade Truffle Butter
Do you like truffle butter?
Then you should also check out this post about truffle compound butter that I wrote a couple of months ago. And it is not just about truffle butter or this garlic butter recipe below. I assembled a bunch of compound butter ideas and dinner recipes from other food bloggers!
You would be surprised by how many types of butter you can make!
And there are not only savory compound butters, but also a few sweet ones!
So how can you serve this garlic butter best?
Uses For Garlic Butter
I like to spread some of that lush garlic butter on a piece of hot toast or grilled bread.
You can make a batch of garlic bread as well! Or how about slicing the butter up and place it on top of a juicy steak?
This garlic butter recipe also tastes great in combination with fish and seafood. Garlic butter shrimp are absolutely delicious! It is a very popular dish in Spain that goes by the name of gambas al ajillo.
Do you need more inspiration?
Well then you should also keep scrolling down to check out the 2 other recipes below on this page! My garlic butter noodles… and how about some garlic butter popcorn!
Enjoy!
Best 20 Minute Garlic Butter Recipe
- 2 oz unsalted butter of good-quality (55 g)
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- a handful fresh parsley chopped
- pepper
- salt
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Chop the unsalted butter up into small cubes and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Let the butter rest there at room temperature for a good 30 minutes or more just until the butter is super soft and extremely smooth.
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Once the diced butter is soft, add the garlic paste to it. You can add half now and the other half or more to taste later if you’re not sure how strong you want your garlic butter to be right now.
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Stir the butter and the garlic paste well into a creamy and smooth paste. Then sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley on top. Also a little pinch of pepper and salt.
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Stir the compound butter well again. Then check the seasoning and add extra pepper, salt or garlic paste to taste if necessary.
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Cover the bowl with some cling film. Put the garlic butter back in the fridge to set (you can roll it tightly in whatever shape you want) and chill it for at least an hour so the flavors can develop. Serve the garlic butter as a toast spread, a topping for steak top or in combination with fish and seafood.
Shrimp, Steak & Salmon
A couple of months ago, this funny thing happened.
People often leave comments on my website here to ask things. Or they write me emails if they have a question. However in one week time I got 3 times more or less the same question.
Do you have a garlic butter herb recipe for salmon?
A little later…
Do you have a garlic butter recipe for shrimp?
And yes, that very same week…
Do you have a garlic butter recipe steak?
Gambas al Ajillo
My garlic butter above is just perfect for all 3 of them!
I do not have a specific shrimp in garlic butter recipe. However I do have a similar recipe, but then with olive oil. Besides you might have heard of it before, it is a classic Spanish treat…
Gambas al ajillo or garlic shrimp!
I even made a version of that dish with chicken wings…
Do you like chicken wings?
Frog Legs
Alright, this one might be a bit controversial maybe.
Although I had expected to get way more negative reactions when I first published and shared it: my French style frog legs in garlic butter recipe!
Have you ever tried or tasted frog legs before?
I can find frozen frog legs in my local supermarket.
So one day I whipped up a lunch of garlic butter frog legs and grilled bread.
Delicious.
Escargot Snails
And since we are talking about a French classic, I bet that you must have heard of another garlic butter dish from France.
Escargots!
Or garlic butter snails.
They are a yummy starter, or an appetizer.
Here in Belgium in the Ardennes people grow snails. Last time the hubs and I were in a city called Dinant, we stopped at the escargot shop to buy fresh stuffed snails with garlic butter.
Hands down the best snails I have ever had.
Crab
And what about a version for crab?
I love crab.
You can use my garlic butter recipe for crab… I do have a recipe on my blog here for stone crab claws with cilantro butter! You should also check that one out. That one also tastes great with lobster tails by the way.
OK so I promised you 2 more recipes with garlic butter!
Here we go.
You will absolutely adore this super creamy garlic butter noodles recipe…
Easy Garlic Butter Noodles Recipe
Al dente noodles soaked in a creamy homemade garlic butter sauce… Are you an absolute sucker for garlic and homemade garlic butter? Then you will just love this pasta dish!
So then, have you ever thought of making garlic butter spaghetti before?
I was making a batch of my lush garlic butter recipe for a steak dinner earlier this week and I ended up with a big portion of that compound butter after that.
So what shall I do with it?
Any ideas?
I am not much of a food waster.
Compound Butter
In fact I can’t throw away anything.
At least if it is not spoiled of course.
So I rearranged my menu for that week and booked the garlic butter in, not quite knowing what to do with it at first. Make some garlic bread maybe? That sounds great but it is not a full meal, just a snack or a side dish.
Think again.
I always have spaghetti in my pantry. How about cooking some pasta and just add the garlic butter to it?
That seemed like a cool idea.
Plain and simple garlic butter noodles for dinner.
Easy Garlic Butter Noodles
Why not!
Gosh, you should see how beautifully the butter melts on top of the hot spaghetti! It is not for the faint of heart I have to add though. I sprinkled a little grated parmesan cheese on top of our plates of garlic butter noodles. That worked out very well!
Next time I think I will serve a little less pasta but then add some pan seared salmon instead.
Pasta, salmon and my garlic butter recipe? That sounds amazing.
Make the garlic butter as flavorful as you like it.
Garlic Paste
So for that be generous with the salt and pepper.
I added 2 teaspoons of garlic paste to it which was enough for me. You can also use raw garlic of course, just mash it up under the blade of your knife. If you feel like adding more or less garlic, no need to follow my garlic butter recipe to a tee of course.
And I would remove the little inside core that sometimes turns a light green. Just so that the garlic butter is not too strong.
Do you love garlic butter? Then you should also check out my heavenly stuffed mushrooms with garlic butter, what a great appetizer that one is!
Enjoy!
Easy Garlic Butter Noodles Recipe
Garlic butter noodles: al dente spaghetti in a creamy garlic butter sauce...
- 9 oz dry spaghetti (250 g)
- 2 oz unsalted butter (55 g)
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- a handful parmesan cheese grated
- a handful fresh parsley chopped
- pepper
- salt
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1) Dice the unsalted butter up and add it to a mixing bowl. Leave it at room temperature for about 30 minutes until soft and smooth. Then add the garlic paste.
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2) Stir well. Then add the freshly chopped parsley to the butter. Season with a little pinch of pepper and salt.
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3) Stir well again. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary.
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4) Place the butter back into the fridge to chill so the flavors can develop. In the meantime fill a high and large pan with tap water and add a good dash of salt. Place the pan over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the spaghetti to the water.
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5) Cook the spaghetti for 7 to 8 minutes or until al dente. Then drain the cooked spaghetti and add it back to the pan. Then cut the garlic butter up and add it to the warm spaghetti.
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6) Stir and let the butter melt gently. Once the butter is melted, transfer the pasta onto deep plates. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese and a tiny pinch of salt. Serve hot.
Easy Popcorn in Garlic Butter
A portion of leftover homemade garlic butter found its way in this garlic butter popcorn recipe. Now this was a surprising appetizer!
I made a bunch of my delicious homemade garlic butter recipe the other day.
Which means that I had quite some still left in my fridge. So I was kind of forced to start thinking of other recipes to use it in.
And that is how I came up with this lush popcorn in garlic butter recipe!
Garlic Butter
What do you think, doesn’t that sound delicious?!
Now this garlic popcorn is a surprising appetizer I have to say!
Although I don’t really like my picture of it: it looks a bit messy – but the taste is definitely there! It’s hard to snap a picture of popcorn so all I can say is: try this garlic popcorn out for yourself and see how you like it!
Easy Popcorn in Garlic Butter Recipe
I love popcorn.
It is a great TV snack, I like to serve it as a little appetizer nibble.
You got it: I am fond of salted savory popcorn, but I am not such a big fan of the sweet versions. I truly never liked sweet popcorn for some reason actually. That sweet roasted smell just puts me off.
I have always thought that popcorn tasted much better if you make it salty and savory. Take a look at my bacon popcorn for instance!
That one is just adorable…
I have seen versions of savory popcorn with that lush nacho cheese dip drizzled on top. That is also one that I would love to try out next time.
Cheese and popcorn?
I am in.
Kernels vs. Microwave Popcorn
Whenever I can find popcorn kernels, I will definitely use those to make my popcorn.
All you need is a large pot and a little oil to fry them in. Once the kernels start to sizzle, put a lid on the pot and wait until the popping noise has stopped.
But hey, I don’t mind using those microwave popcorn bags. They are easy to use, and it is a clean way of making popcorn. You can find both sweet and savory microwave bags, that is a plus!
A surprising garlicky appetizer snack and always a winner when I thrown a dinner party.
Enjoy!
Easy Popcorn in Garlic Butter Recipe
A portion of leftover homemade garlic butter found its way in this garlic butter popcorn recipe. Now this was a surprising appetizer!
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 oz popcorn kernels (85 g)
- 1 oz unsalted butter (30 g)
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- a handful fresh parsley chopped
- pepper
- salt
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1) Dice the unsalted butter up finely and add it to a medium mixing bowl. Leave it to stand at room temperature for about 30 or more minutes until the butter is extremely soft and smooth. Then add the teaspoon of garlic paste.
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2) Stir well. Now add the freshly chopped parsley to the smooth butter. Season with a little pinch of pepper and salt.
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3) Stir the butter well again into a soft paste. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary.
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4) Place the butter back into the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can develop fully . In the meantime pour the sunflower oil in a high and large pan and add the handful of popcorn kernels to it as well.
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5) Then cover the pan and place it over high heat. After about 2 minutes the corn kernels should start to pop furiously against the lid of the pan. Shake the pan regularly so all the kernels can break open. Once the popping stops, take the pan off the heat and carefully remove the lid. You should have a good amount of freshly made popcorn now. Remove the chilled garlic butter from the fridge and add it to the warm popcorn.
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6) Stir very well until the butter has fully melted. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Pour the popcorn in a clean bowl and serve warm.