Use this easy roasted garlic herb butter to finish and add tons of flavor to your meats, pastas, vegetables, herb-roasted chicken, fresh hot dinner rolls, crusty breads or practically anything and everything.
Compound butters can be sweet or savory depending on your personal taste or what you’re planning on using it for. You’ll love how easy it is to use this compound butter to elevate any number of dishes!
What Is Compound Butter?
Compound butter is softened butter creamed (combined) with fresh herbs and spices. Typically, garlic and fresh herbs.
Ingredients Rundown
Ingredients For Roasted Garlic Herb Butter
Garlic heads – You can use fresh heads of garlic or peeled garlic cloves.
Vegetable oil – I opted for extra virgin olive oil, but the choice of oil is entirely up to you.
Salted butter (softened)- You can also use unsalted butter and add some salt to taste. I do not recommend using margarine to make your compound butter. The taste and flavor of real butter is unmatched and so much better, besides margarine is highly processed and contains less nutrtional valvue than butter.
Fresh thyme and Fresh rosemary – I recommend using fresh herbs as they are more flavorful than dried herbs. But of course, also use dried herbs if that’s what you have on hand.
The herbs ratio is flexible and can be customize to your taste or what you have on hand.
*** The full recipe, including all ingredients, measurements, instructions, and recipe video 🎥 is located in the recipe card below.
Recipe FAQ
Substitutions
Can I Use Dry Herbs Instead Of Fresh Herb To Make Garlic Butter?
You sure can. Fresh herbs are more flavorful than dry herbs, but you can use the dry variety in a pinch. It will require some tweaking in doing so. Dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs so that you will need less. That means the ratio of one tablespoon of fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs.
Can I Use Margarine To Make Compound Butter?
I recommend using real butter whenever possible. Margarine is made of vegetable oil and butter is made from fresh cream. The flavor is unmatched. You can also use Ghee as a low-lactose option. Margarine should be your absolute last resort (in my opinion).
Variations
The number of compound butter flavors is only limited by your imagination. They can be sweet or savory whether you want to top a perfectly cooked steak or spread on fluffy pancakes. If you’re looking for a spicy compound butter loaded with Caribbean flavor – you can try my jerk butter compound butter (found in my jerk butter seafood boil recipe).
How To Make Roasted Garlic Without An Oven?
I’m sharing 3 time-saving alternate methods to roasting garlic in the oven. The first is the air fryer:
How To Roast Garlic In The Air Fryer
The air fryer method is so much more convenient than the oven and quicker too. The steps are essentially the same as the oven method outlined in the recipe card, except you’re doing it in the air fryer. Just to recap:
- Cut about a third of the garlic top off, leaving the cloves exposed. Peel off some of the outer skin.
- Place each garlic head in the center of a piece of foil and drizzle with oil.
- If you’re using unsalted butter, you can sprinkle a pinch of salt on each garlic head.
- Wrap up the garlic tightly. The key to roasting is making sure that the garlic is both roasted and steamed at the same time, so the cloves don’t dry out. Crumpling the foil at the top to create a pouch. Close all the foil around the garlic. No garlic should be exposed.
- Place the foil-wrapped garlic heads into the air fryer basket, making sure the foil is not above the max fill line (you don’t want it to be touching the heating element).
- Air fry at 390F for 20-30 minutes. Smaller heads of garlic will take about 20 minutes, while larger heads of garlic will take up to 30 minutes.
- Rinse and dry your fresh herbs.
- Finely chop up your fresh herbs and set them aside.
- Once the roasted garlic is cooled, press on the bottom to push out the softened garlic in the bowl.
- In a bowl combine roasted garlic, with butter until smooth & creamy. You can use a fork or a food processor for an even creamier consistency. The fork will result in a coarser textured compound butter.
- Add fresh herbs and combine.
- Wrap it in parchment paper, wax paper, or cling wrap and roll it into a sausage log. Twist or tie ends to secure it. Place butter in the fridge to chill and harden until ready to use. You can also store it in a French butter dish on the countertop for a few days for soft and spreadable herb butter.
Now, Let’s talk about how to roast your garlic on the stovetop:
How To Roast Garlic On The Stove-Top?
This method works best with loose garlic than the whole garlic head. Peel all the garlic or purchase the pre-peeled garlic at the grocery store.
- In a small saucepan or skillet add 6 tbsp of olive oil. Add your peeled cloves (25 cloves) to the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan.
- On medium heat heat the oil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully the whole time, until it just begins to sizzle around the cloves. Don’t let them sizzle too long or you’ll start to fry the cloves.
- Reduce heat immediately to between low and medium-low. Stir well to coat the garlic cloves in hot oil. Let the garlic cook slowly for 20-30 minutes, stirring and flipping the cloves every few minutes until the cloves are soft, tender, and golden
- Remove cloves from the oil with a slotted spoon. Allow the oil to cool.
- This method will also leave you with a nice garlic-infused olive oil to use for cooking or in salad dressings. Refrigerate the oil until ready to use.
What To Serve Your Garlic Butter on?
Glad you asked, You can add it to practically every and anything. You can use garlic butter as a finisher or add flavor to your meats, pasta, vegetables, herb-roasted chicken, fresh hot dinner rolls, and warm crusty bread for the win.
Got Leftovers?
How To Store Leftover Herb Butter In The Fridge?
Wrap your compound butter in parchment paper, wax paper, or cling wrap and roll it into a sausage log. Twist or tie ends to secure it. Place butter in the fridge to chill and harden until ready to use. You can store your compound butter in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
You can also store it in a French butter dish on your kitchen countertop for a few days for soft and spreadable herb butter.
How To Store Your Herb Butter in a French Butter Dish?
Step 1 – Wash the french butter dish thoroughly and make sure the bell is dry, pour cold water into the base of the dish (the crock) to the waterline.
Step 2 – Press one stick of softened butter (or 1 and 1/3 stick) into the bell with the back of a spoon.
Step 3 – Place the bell into the bottom of the crock.
Step 4 – Enjoy your fresh butter.
Tricks & Tips
- Adding a little salt or vinegar to the water is helpful to keep it fresh, This will not affect the taste of the butter.
- Refresh your water every 2-3 days.
- Always keep the crock away from the heat source.
- The crock works best with real butter instead of margarine.
How To Store Leftover Leftover Herb Butter In The Freezer?
Wrap the compound butter tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Butter picks up odors easily, so the foil will protect it from developing off-flavors from the other foods in your freezer.
How Long Does Leftover Herb Butter Last In The Freezer?
Properly stored, it will maintain the best quality for up to six months in the freezer at home.
Kraving More?
Check out my other super easy DIY Pantry Essential Recipes or explore The Recipe Index for even MORE KRAVE-WORTHY EATS.
Easy Roasted Garlic Herb Butter
Use this easy roasted garlic herb butter to finish meats, vegetables, as an ingredient for herb-roasted chicken, or fresh hot dinner rolls, or crusty bread.
4
servings10
minutes35
minutes314.52
kcal20
minutes1
hour5
minutes*keeps your device screen on
Gather Your Ingredients
2 medium 2 garlic heads (or 1 large or 20-24 peeled individual garlic cloves)
2 teaspoons 2 vegetable oil
1 stick 1 salted butter, (room temperature) *You can also use unsalted butter.
3-4 sprigs 3-4 fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 sprigs 2 fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut about a third of the garlic top off, leaving the cloves exposed. Peel off some of the outer skin. Place each garlic head onto a piece of foil, baking tray, or muffin tin.
- Drizzle olive oil over the exposed areas and wrap in the foil and place onto a baking tray. The key to roasting the garlic in the oven is making sure that the garlic is both roasted and steamed at the same time, so the cloves don’t dry out.
- Roast for 30-35 minutes or until soft inside, aromatic, and caramelized on the outside. When ready, take it out from the oven and let it cool completely.
- Rinse and dry your fresh herbs.
- Finely chop up your fresh herbs and set them aside.
- Once the roasted garlic is cooled, press on the bottom to push out the softened garlic in the bowl.
- In a bowl combine roasted garlic, with butter until smooth & creamy. You can use a fork or a food processor for an even creamier consistency. The fork will result in a coarser textured compound butter.
- Add fresh herbs and combine.
- Wrap it in parchment paper, wax paper, or cling wrap and roll it into a sausage log. Twist or tie ends to secure it. Place butter in the fridge to chill and harden until ready to use. You can also store it in a French butter dish on the countertop for a few days for soft and spreadable herb butter.
Recipe Video
Kerri’s Recipe Tips
- You can use a fork or a food processor to combine the ingredients. The food processor will result in a creamier consistency and the fork will result in a coarser texture.
- You can add salt (to taste) if you used unsalted butter.
- Use fresh herbs. Fresh herbs are more flavorful than dry herbs, but you can use the dry variety in a pinch. It will require some tweaking in doing so. Dried herbs are often more potent and concentrated than fresh herbs so you will need less. That means the ratio of one tablespoon of fresh herbs to one teaspoon of dried herbs.
- Use real butter. I recommend using real butter whenever possible. Margarine is made of vegetable oil and butter is made from fresh cream. The flavor is unmatched. You can also use Ghee as a low-lactose option. Margarine should be your absolute last resort (in my opinion).
- I ALWAYS recommend reading through the recipe in full a couple of times before starting. That way you know exactly what to expect and you can prep accordingly.
- Gather all your ingredients before cooking. This way you don’t forget to add an ingredient or two. Believe me, It has happened so many times so I use “mise en place” to save my sanity and the recipe.
- For your convenience, you can automatically generate a shopping list of all the ingredients + save the recipe (below scroll ￬).
Key Equipment/Products Used
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
Buy Now →
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
Calories314.52
- Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
- Total Fat
28g
44%
- Sodium 192.07mg 9%
- Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
- Total Carbohydrate
20.08g
7%
- Sugars 0.08g
- Protein 4.09g 9%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
kerriannskravings.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. For more information read our Nutritional Disclaimer.
