Ina Garten garlic & herb butter is the make ahead move for dinner party season, since one log covers steak, roasted vegetables and eggs. It freezes for six months, so breakfast for dinner gets easy and a weeknight steak gets a sauce with no work.
The butter has to be truly soft, because cold butter breaks into chunks and the herbs never spread through it. Roll the log tight in parchment, then chill the full 30 minutes so the slices hold their shape.
Source: Go-To Dinners (2022)
Ina Garten Garlic & Herb Butter
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings15
minutes140
kcalSoft salted butter beaten with garlic, parsley, dill, scallions and lemon, then rolled in parchment and chilled into a firm log you slice as needed.
Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
1/4 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (3 scallions)
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Mix the butter: Place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use a hand mixer. Add the garlic, parsley, dill, scallions, rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix on low speed until combined.
- Roll and chill: Scrape the butter mixture onto one edge of a 12-inch-wide sheet of parchment paper and roll it up into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Twist the ends to seal and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm enough to slice.
FAQs
Can I use unsalted butter instead?
You can, but salted butter is what the recipe is built on, plus the teaspoon of kosher salt. If you go unsalted, taste the mixture and add another half teaspoon or so. Under-salted herb butter tastes flat the second it hits a hot steak.
How long does garlic and herb butter keep?
Wrapped tight in its parchment, the log holds about a week in the fridge. In the freezer it keeps for up to six months, which is why it is worth making a full batch. Slice it straight from frozen, no thawing needed.
Can I make it ahead for a dinner party?
That is the whole point of it. Roll the log a few days early, park it in the fridge, then cut coins right before people sit down. It melts into hot food in seconds, so nothing needs to be done at the last minute.
Do I need a stand mixer?
A paddle attachment is fastest, but a hand mixer does the same job. A fork works too if the butter is properly soft, though the texture comes out chunkier and the herbs will not be as evenly spread.
What goes wrong most often?
Cold butter. Mixing before it comes to room temperature leaves lumps and the herbs sit on top instead of running through it. Wet herbs are the other issue, so dry the parsley and dill well before mincing or the log turns soggy.
