Cowboy Butter Sauce Recipe (Easy, Flavorful Dipping Sauce!)
Whisk together melted butter with fresh herbs, garlic, shallots, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, and a blend of smoky, spicy seasonings for the most flavorful dipping sauce you'll ever make. This Cowboy Butter Sauce comes together in about 15 minutes and pairs beautifully with steak, chicken, shrimp, lobster, crab legs, grilled vegetables, potatoes, and crusty bread. Serve it warm as a dipping sauce, or let it cool and roll it into a compound butter log to slice over hot proteins. Keeps in the fridge for up to one week and freezes beautifully for up to six months.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 141kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter melted (2 sticks / 8 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely minced
- 1 tablespoon green onions finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest zest of 1 medium lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons shallot finely minced, about 1 medium
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
Make the sauce
- Melt the butter and pour into a medium mixing bowl.1 cup butter
- Add the minced parsley, cilantro, green onions, and thyme. Stir to combine.2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon green onions, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Add the minced garlic, minced shallot, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk everything together until evenly combined.5 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons shallot, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust lemon, heat, and seasonings to your preference.¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Serve
- Serve warm alongside steak, chicken, shrimp, lobster, crab legs, grilled vegetables, potatoes, or bread.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat gently in the microwave in 15-second intervals, or in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. This sauce can also be frozen for up to six months — thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Compound butter method: Use softened (not melted) butter instead. Mix all ingredients together with a spoon or spatula, then scoop the mixture onto plastic wrap. Roll into a log shape, twist the ends, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm. Slice into rounds and place on top of hot steaks, chicken, or seafood to melt.
- Make-ahead: The flavors develop and improve over time, so this is a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Butter: Use salted or unsalted — if using salted, reduce or skip the added kosher salt. If using unsalted, season to taste.
- Fresh vs. dried herbs: Fresh herbs are strongly recommended for the best flavor and color. If using dried, reduce the amount to one-third (1 teaspoon dried for every 1 tablespoon fresh).
- Pairs beautifully with: bavette steak, baked crab legs, and butter poached lobster tails.
Nutrition
Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 216mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 605IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.3mg