Garlic butter sauce is a savory, buttery flavor booster for meats, seafood, and vegetables. This recipe is not only gluten-free and keto-friendly but also quick to make, requiring only four simple ingredients and seasonings you likely already have. This rich and luscious sauce is packed with garlic.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Ready in under 10 minutes.
- Simple Ingredients: Requires only four basic ingredients and seasonings.
- Versatile: Perfect for meats, seafood, vegetables, and more.
- Keto-Friendly: Fits perfectly into a ketogenic diet.
- Flavorful: Rich, garlicky, and buttery.
Ingredients
- Salted Butter: One stick (4 ounces). Using a high-quality, grass-fed butter like Kerrygold can enhance the flavor.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves: Essential for that distinct garlic flavor. Store-bought minced garlic is also an option.
- Lemon Juice: Adds a subtle brightness to balance the savory flavors.
- Fresh Herbs: Optional, but a little fresh parsley, rosemary, or dill adds a new depth of flavor.
Instructions
- Melt the Butter: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Continue heating until it reaches a very low sizzle (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning. Overcooked garlic can become bitter.
- Incorporate Herbs and Lemon Juice: Add the chopped herbs and lemon juice, stirring to mix well.
- Remove from Heat: Take the saucepan off the heat.
- Adjust to Taste: Taste the butter sauce and adjust as needed, adding salt if using unsalted butter, or a bit more lemon juice for brightness.
- Serve: Serve immediately or transfer the garlic butter sauce to a small serving dish.
Tips for Success
- Don't Overcook the Butter: Unless you're aiming for brown butter, avoid overcooking.
- Watch the Garlic: Cook the garlic until lightly browned and fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Thickening the Sauce: For a thicker sauce, whisk in a thickening agent like cornstarch, arrowroot powder, or xanthan gum. A pinch (about ⅛ teaspoon or less) of xanthan gum is effective for a low-carb option.
- Salt Sensitivity: If sensitive to salt, use unsalted butter and add salt to taste at the end.
Flavor Variations
The best part about this simple recipe is that you can use it as a base and create other flavor variations!
- Garlic Parmesan: Add grated Parmesan cheese for a cheesy, savory twist.
- Spicy Garlic Butter: Incorporate red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for heat.
- Herb Infusion: Experiment with different fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, or chives.
Serving Suggestions
- Steak: Melt garlic butter on top of a grilled ribeye steak.
- Seafood: Use as a sauce for grilled salmon or low-carb crab cakes.
- Vegetables: Drizzle over roasted vegetables like asparagus or use as a dip for potato wedges.
- Pasta: Toss with cooked pasta, adding reserved pasta water for an even creamier sauce.
- Bread: Spread on homemade garlic bread.
Storage Instructions
- Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Reheat in the microwave, warming in 10-second increments, stirring afterward.
- Homemade garlic butter can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Always store butter in an airtight container to maintain its quality and prevent the refrigerator from smelling like garlic.
Can You Freeze Garlic Butter?
Yes, you can freeze compound butter for up to 2 months in the freezer. Be sure to place the butter into an airtight container.
Softening Butter
To soften butter for garlic butter, remove it from the refrigerator and place it on the counter. This may take about 30 minutes at room temperature. To soften butter from the freezer may take a couple of hours. You can also microwave it for approximately 5 seconds.
What to Do If the Butter Is Too Soft
If your homemade butter is too soft, it has gotten too warm. Place the butter into the refrigerator or freezer to solidify it.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Softened vs. Melted Butter
The difference between softened butter and melted butter is that melted butter is in a liquid form, and softened butter looks like the butter form but has a soft, creamy texture.
Can You Refrigerate Butter After It Has Been Softened?
Yes, you can refrigerate butter after it has been softened. As long as the butter has not been at room temperature for more than one day, it will be good.
Is Garlic Keto-Friendly?
Yes! The ingredients in garlic butter or garlic herb butter are all ketogenic and low carb.
Is Garlic Butter High in Carbs?
Garlic butter or garlic herb butter is extremely low in carbohydrates. Almost zero net carbs are in garlic butter or garlic herb butter. 1 cup of garlic butter contains 0.1 net carbs, most serving sizes are only 1 tablespoon, so the net carbohydrates would be close to zero net carbs.
Compound Butter
Another name for garlic butter is compound butter. Compound butters are used to flavor many types of dishes, such as vegetables, meats, and breads. Compound butters are made from butter and seasonings.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Other Compound Butter Ideas
- Cinnamon Butter: Combine butter, cinnamon, and sugar or a sugar substitute.
- Honey Butter: Mix butter with honey for a touch of sweetness.
What Kind of Foods Can You Put Compound Butter On?
- Baked potatoes or cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Corn on the cob
Health Benefits of Garlic
Garlic has a lot of healthy benefits, however, it will give you bad breath. The most common side effect of garlic is acid reflux or heartburn.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto