This Roasted Garlic Butter is a total meal enhancer! This flavorful and indulgent butter can make almost anything taste a LOT better! Sweet and savory roasted garlic combined with rich and creamy butter, and aromatic herbs are the perfect combination. Try it on vegetables, meat, crusty bread, seafood, and more! It comes together so easily with just a few ingredients!
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This roasted garlic compound butter is an easy way to turn a simple meal into restaurant quality. While it looks fancy, all you need is a little time to roast the garlic in the oven. Turn any meal from bland to something truly delicious with this easy recipe!
If you love roasted garlic, you'll definitely love our cherry tomato confit!
Want to try more elevated butter recipes? Try our fan-favorite cowboy butter dipping sauce, this sweet strawberry butter, or our whipped honey butter!
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❤️Why we love this recipe
- Made with simple ingredients. All you need are some easy-to-acquire ingredients to make this recipe. If you don't have everything you need on hand, they can easily be found at any grocery store.
- Easy recipe. We know this recipe may seem intimidating because it takes every dish to the next level. However, it's easy for anyone to master, especially with the help of our step-by-step photos, tips, and tricks! You don't need any special equipment, just a few minutes of simple prep, and a little patience while the garlic roasts in the oven. This recipe comes together in a few simple steps.
- Adds flavor and depth to dishes. Whether it's used as a spread, or as a finishing touch, this roasted garlic butter adds depth and richness to dishes. The flavor is complex and rich - it's good enough for gourmet dining!
🧈Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter if possible. This will ensure that you have complete control over the salt level. You'll also want to be sure to leave it out at room temperature to soften so you can easily combine it with the rest of the ingredients. If you only have salted butter, just add less salt later on. You may also enjoy making your own homemade butter with our helpful guide!
- Garlic. Fresh garlic only here, and you whole the whole garlic heads for roasting!
- Fresh herbs. These are optional, but they really add a ton of great flavor to the butter. We used a mixture of fresh parsley, chives, thyme, and rosemary.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions
Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.
- Season to taste. Add as much or as little smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper as you'd like.
- No unsalted butter. If you don't have unsalted butter, you can use salted butter instead. Keep in mind that the amount of salt you add will need to decrease if you use salted butter.
- No fresh herbs. If you don't have any fresh herbs, you can use dried instead. Please keep in mind that you'll only need to use about ⅓ of the amount of dried herbs in place of fresh herbs. Dried herbs have a much more potent flavor than fresh.
✨Variations
- Try other dried seasonings. Try adding in a bit of Italian seasoning, onion powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, or some cayenne pepper for extra flavor. If this sounds tasty to you, try our cowboy butter dipping sauce that has tons of herbs and spices!
- Extra garlic. Are you a real garlic lover? Try adding in some grated raw garlic to ramp up the garlic flavor! Just be aware you won't need much, a little bit goes a long way! Another option would be to add some extra garlic powder, and/or garlic salt for an even more intense garlic flavor.
- Lemony. If you love lemon, try adding some fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to the mix.
- Add some Mediterranean flavors. You can add some sun-dried tomatoes and basil to add some color, warmth, and Mediterre
- Add oil for a smoother consistency. Adding in a few teaspoons of oil will make the butter even more spreadable. Olive oil works great, but flavored oils will give the mixture another layer of flavor! Try truffle oil, or chili oil to add even more great flavor.
- Add sweetness. Add honey or maple syrup to give the butter mixture a touch of sweetness that complements the caramelized garlic flavor.
- Add cheese. Parmesan and roasted garlic go together really well, and if you'd like, we're sure freshly grated parmesan cheese would make an awesome addition.
- Vegan version. All you need to do is swap regular butter for dairy-free butter to make it vegan.
🔪Prep work
- Soften butter at room temperature by bringing it out of the fridge and setting it on the counter for about an hour or so.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Chop the fresh herbs finely.
- Slice the top of the garlic with a paring knife, so the cloves are exposed.
- Measure the rest of the ingredients.
📋Instructions
Place each bulb of garlic on a piece of foil. Add a drizzle of olive oil on top of each of the bulbs. (Image 1)
Wrap the whole heads of garlic tightly with foil. Place them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish.
Roast the garlic for about 40 minutes. You'll know the garlic is done if it appears soft and lightly caramelized. (Image 2)
Be careful when opening the aluminum foil, as it will be very hot. If the garlic isn't done, wrap it back up and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden.
After letting the garlic cool for at least 20 minutes, remove the roasted garlic cloves by gently squeezing the bulb from the root end until each individual clove is squeezed out. Discard the outer skin and place the cloves in a bowl.
In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, chopped parsley, chives, thyme, and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Image 3)
Use a spatula, a food processor, or a hand mixer on low speed to blend the ingredients thoroughly. (Image 4)
✨Pro Tip: Once the butter is mixed, feel free to use it right away. It makes for a great spread on bread when it's a soft texture!
To make it into a compound butter, transfer the garlic butter mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper and shape it into a log. Wrap it tightly. (Image 5)
Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or until the butter is firm. (Image 6)
Once the garlic butter is firm, slice it into rounds. (Image 7)
Now, it's time to serve. It goes great with vegetables, bread, seafood, and meat like this cast iron ribeye steak! Enjoy!
✨Tips & tricks
- Use unsalted, high-quality butter. Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content. You'll also want a really great-tasting butter, as this is the main component of flavor in your recipe.
- Use good quality ingredients. Also, be sure to select plump and firm garlic bulbs without any signs of sprouting or spoilage for roasting. Fresh herbs will also make a large impact on the flavor.
- Drizzle the garlic with olive oil before roasting. Don't skip this step! This will enhance the flavor and prevent it from drying out.
- Be patient when roasting garlic and keep a close eye on it. Check the garlic periodically while roasting to avoid burning. It should be soft and golden brown when done. With that said, it will take a while to achieve the nice and golden color, so be patient!
- Let the roasted garlic cool down. Do not handle the roasted garlic in foil right off the oven, it is very hot and will burn your hands. Let it cool down first because it will be easier to squeeze the softened cloves out of their skins.
- Allow the butter to soften at room temperature for even mixing. This makes it easier to incorporate the other ingredients.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. Taste the garlic butter mixture before shaping it, and adjust the salt and pepper according to your liking.
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🍴What to Serve this with
This delicious roasted garlic butter is so versatile and can be enjoyed with a ton of different proteins, veggies, and more!
- Beef. This is a natural pairing. This butter will compliment steak really well. Try it with this cast iron ribeye, this bavette steak, and this air fryer ribeye. You'll also enjoy it on these air fryer short ribs, air fryer steak tips, or this juicy roast beef!
- Seafood. Try it slathered on this baked Chilean sea bass, on salmon, shrimp, with lobster on this steak and lobster dish, crab, and more! You
- Bread. Ramp up this air fryer garlic bread by using this butter as the base! It's also amazing on crusty bread, rolls, and more.
- Vegetables. Take your Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, and more to the next level! Try it on these lemon garlic green beans, or this air fryer zucchini!
💭Frequently Asked Questions
Store it tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Be careful to use it within this time period to avoid botulism from garlic.
Of course! You can always add more or reduce the amount depending on your preference.
More Recipes To Consider
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Garlic Butter
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- plastic wrap or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 2 heads garlic
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the top of the garlic with a paring knife, so the cloves are exposed, and place each bulb on a piece of foil. Add a drizzle of olive oil on top of each of the bulbs (about ½ a tablespoon in total), followed by a sprinkle of salt. Wrap the whole heads of garlic tightly with foil. Place them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish.
- Roast the garlic for about 40 minutes. You'll know the garlic is done if it appears soft and lightly caramelized. Be careful when opening the aluminum foil, as it will be very hot. If the garlic isn't done, wrap it back up and roast for another 5-10 minutes until golden.
- After letting the garlic cool for at least 20 minutes, remove the roasted garlic cloves by gently squeezing the bulb from the root end until each individual clove is squeezed out. Discard the outer skin and place the cloves in a bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 2 sticks of softened butter, the roasted garlic cloves, ¼ - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (to taste), 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon minced chives, 1 tablespoon minced rosemary, and 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme. Use a spatula, a food processor, or a hand mixer on low speed to blend the ingredients thoroughly.
- Season to taste with salt (½- 1 teaspoon) and pepper (about ¼ teaspoon). You can use it as it and spread it on bread, or, you can refrigerate it to make a nice compound butter.
- Optional step: To make it into a compound butter, transfer the garlic butter mixture onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and shape it into a log. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until the butter is firm.
- Once the garlic butter is firm, slice it into rounds and put it on cooked meat, seafood, veggies, bread, and more! Enjoy!
- Store it tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Be careful to use it within this time period to avoid botulism from the garlic.
Save This Recipe! 💌
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Notes
- Use unsalted, high-quality butter. Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content. You'll also want a really great-tasting butter, as this is the main component of flavor in your recipe.
- Use good quality ingredients. Also, be sure to select plump and firm garlic bulbs without any signs of sprouting or spoilage for roasting. Fresh herbs will also make a large impact on the flavor.
- Drizzle the garlic with olive oil before roasting. Don't skip this step! This will enhance the flavor and prevent it from drying out.
- Be patient when roasting garlic and keep a close eye on it. Check the garlic periodically while roasting to avoid burning. It should be soft and golden brown when done. With that said, it will take a while to achieve the nice and golden color, so be patient!
- Let the roasted garlic cool down. Do not handle the roasted garlic in foil right off the oven, it is very hot and will burn your hands. Let it cool down first because it will be easier to squeeze the softened cloves out of their skins.
- Allow the butter to soften at room temperature for even mixing. This makes it easier to incorporate the other ingredients.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. Taste the garlic butter mixture before shaping it, and adjust the salt and pepper according to your liking.
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