Summer herb butter is a delicious way to capture the season’s essence and bring fresh garden flavor to your meals. Made with soft, creamy butter and a mix of fragrant herbs like basil, chives, parsley, and thyme, it’s perfect for spreading on warm bread, melting over grilled vegetables, or finishing a juicy steak. This simple recipe adds a burst of color and flavor to everything it touches, making it a must-have staple in any summer kitchen.

Summer Herb Butter Recipe

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to use herbs, Easy Herb Salt Recipe and The Best Herbal Bedtime Tea will help you on your culinary journey. 

Summer herb butter isn’t just tasty – it’s also incredibly versatile. You can prepare a batch in advance and keep it in the fridge or freezer, ready to enhance last-minute meals or elevate a casual picnic spread.

Roll the butter into a log, slice it into medallions, or spoon it into ramekins for a rustic presentation. It’s a beautiful way to showcase homegrown herbs or use leftover bunches from the market before they wilt.

You can make several small batches of compound butter with different herb combinations and set out a butter-tasting board for guests – it’s a simple touch that feels thoughtful and luxurious.

This butter pairs perfectly with grilled foods, from corn on the cob to seared shrimp skewers. Stir it into hot pasta or steamed potatoes for instant sauce, or slather it onto burgers and let it melt into the bun.

Compound butter is simple to make and is an easy way to capture the fresh flavor of summer. This recipe will not only add flavor to your meals, but you can also make extra logs for your friends and family.

I found this recipe for Summer Herb Butter in The New Essentials of French Cooking. I didn’t change a thing.

What is Compound Butter?  

Compound butter is a fancy name for butter mixed with seasonings, fruits, herbs, or even edible flowers. You make blended butter by chopping up the flavorings and adding them to room-temperature butter that you can form into a log.

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Ingredients

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter (1 stick)

1 tablespoon minced shallots or 1 garlic clove grated

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or thyme

1 tablespoon minced chives or parsley

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1) In a bowl, combine the butter with shallots or garlic, fresh herbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then mash until well blended.

2) Transfer the butter onto a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap, shape it into a log, and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

Tips

• It would be best to use real butter for this recipe for the best results.
• Try different herb combinations every time you make this recipe to find your favorite combination.
• This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use extra garden herbs. Freeze your butter for a taste of summer during the winter.

Storage

Store herb butter tightly wrapped in parchment or plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze it for up to three months – just slice off what you need without thawing the whole log.

Variations for Making Herbed Butter

• You can add lime, orange, or lemon zest can be added to the fresh herb butter mixture.
• You can also add lime or orange juice to the log of butter.
• To add a little spice, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.
• Try different flavor combinations and add your favorite spices.

Uses for Compound Butter

Herb butter is a delicious way to add flavor to your favorite vegetable and meat dishes. This basic herb butter recipe makes a tasty topping for steak, turkey, salmon, baked potato, foil packets of meat and veggies topped with herb butter, garlic bread, dinner rolls, and fresh vegetables.

Compound Butter Toolbox

• The homemade herb butter could be put in a small Mason jars with a small knife tied to the jar with a ribbon.
• You can pair herbed butter with a book on flavored butters and butter molds for the perfect gift.

Let me know in the comments if you tried the recipe and what you thought.

Don’t forget to join the Creating a Cozy Life Group.You’re not going to believe how amazing it is!

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More Compound Butter Recipes You’ll Love!  

• Whipped Key Lime Butter
• Whipped Chocolate Butter
• The Best Compound Butter Recipes

Printable Recipe Card for Herb Butter Logs