I’ve become slightly obsessed with simple, homemade compound butter in the last couple of years. They’re simple to prepare, super versatile, and elevate almost any dish (both in flavor and with visual “sophistication”). So any time I have a party/group to cater to, you know I’m getting compound butter involved, like roasted garlic butter, avocado butter, cinnamon butter, or this lemon butter recipe! Lemon compound butter is vibrant, zingy, and fresh – perfect for spring and summer dishes but ready to elevate your meals all year long! As it is, I love using a squeeze of lemon juice as a “finishing” ingredient for tons of dishes to add a burst of fresh, bright flavor that helps to elevate any meal to new levels. Now, this lemon butter does that and more, with the fresh zing of the lemon combined with rich and creamy butter. You can enjoy this recipe with as little as 3 ingredients or adjust it to make tons of variations, including lemon dill butter, lemon garlic butter, and lemon herb butter. No matter which you choose to make, this compound butter is a super all-purpose flavor booster. Use it over meat, seafood, potatoes, veggies, mixed into pasta, and even spread over toast!
The Recipe Ingredients
Butter: I use homemade unsalted butter. Use dairy or dairy-free high-quality butter (not margarine).Lemon: you’ll need the lemon juice and fresh lemon zest, so use a fresh lemon! I recommend using an organic, unwaxed lemon. If it’s waxed, you’ll first need to remove the wax.Salt: added to taste.
Optional Add-ins and Variations
Less is more with this simple lemon compound butter. However, there are still several ways you can experiment with additional flavor. My favorite options include:
Black pepper: add to taste for a simple lemon pepper butter. I recommend using fairly large, cracked pieces.Lemon dill butter: this combination pairs wonderfully with all sorts of fish dishes. I recommend adding 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill to begin and increase to taste.Garlic lemon butter: add 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced. Alternatively, you could use roasted garlic (and increase the amount). Garlic lemon butter pairs wonderfully with fresh herbs, too, like chives, parsley, tarragon, dill, etc.Lemon herb butter: aside from dill, several other herbs pair well with lemon. These include parsley, chives, sage, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, oregano. Use one alone or a combination of several.Lemon caper butter: mix in a tablespoon of capers and optionally some dill.Spice: add a pinch of red pepper flakes to add bursts of heat to the lemon compound butter recipe.Honey: if you plan to use it as a spread for muffins and quick breads, a little honey, vegan dandelion “honey”, or maple syrup would be delicious. If adding this, use only a teeny pinch of salt. Mustard: just a spoonful of mustard will add depth to the compound butter. Paprika: regular or smoked paprika added to taste will pair wonderfully with fish and chicken.
You can also mix and match the options above. For example, dill would also pair with cracked black pepper and/or a small amount of minced garlic or garlic powder, etc.
How to Make Lemon Butter?
First, make sure the butter is at room temperature to easily mix with the remaining ingredients. Meanwhile, zest and squeeze the lemon juice. Then, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. You can then either use it immediately or save it for later. Either transfer to an airtight container OR roll into a log. Place in the refrigerator until firm. If your butter is too soft, you can place it in the refrigerator to chill for a short while before rolling in the parchment paper log. Once chilled, slice off pieces of lemon butter as needed and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Meat: you can use a slice of the lemon butter to serve over steak, chicken, and other meats (grilled or baked).Seafood: whether you use the simple lemon butter, lemon dill compound butter, lemon pepper butter, etc., these options pair wonderfully with all sorts of seafood. You could use the lemon butter with salmon, shrimp, white fish, scallops, lobster, etc.Potatoes: stir into cooked new potatoes, add to creamy mashed potatoes, drizzle over smashed potatoes, add a slice to top a simple baked potato, etc.Pasta: use it to make dishes like this Pasta al Limone or toss with homemade gnocchi.Vegetables: drizzle the melted lemon compound butter over roasted, broiled, or steamed veggies of your choice. I particularly like it over greens like broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc. I also love using it to top corn on the cob.Toast: use as a simple spread for toast and other types of bread (like dinner rolls, breakfast muffins, biscuits/scones, etc.). You could also use it to top freshly baked cornbread.Baked goods: yes, this lemon butter even works with sweet goods like a breakfast muffin or quick bread, then drizzled with honey or maple syrup.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Make ahead: I highly recommend preparing the lemon butter a few hours (or overnight) in advance to allow the flavors to meld. Then, just mix, shape, and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it. Store: you can store the compound butter in the refrigerator for up to a week. Aim to use it within 5 days if adding fresh herbs. Freeze: I love to make large batches and store some in the freezer for another time. I recommend pre-slicing the butter OR storing it in an ice-cube tray so it’s pre-portioned and you can grab as much as needed each time from the freezer. You can freeze the lemon butter for up to 3 months.
Adjust the salt amount: if you plan to use this over a wide array of dishes, you could even omit it entirely to avoid overly salty dishes.Don’t add too much lemon juice: or else it will affect the consistency of the butter and won’t be able to be shaped and set into a log.Use softened butter: this will make it easier to mix. However, it’s also crucial that it’s not too soft, or it will be tricky (or impossible) to shape. I recommend removing it from the fridge a short while before starting the recipe.For fluffy whipped butter: use an electric mixer to whip and “fluff” the butter. This is great if you plan to use it immediately.
More Simple Lemon Recipes
Garlic Lemon Pasta (Pasta al Limone)Lemon, Ginger and Cayenne Immunity ShotsHoney Fermented Ginger and LemonLemon Herb Tahini SauceThe Best Homemade LemonadeLemon Garlic Butter SauceLemon Tahini SauceHow to Juice a Lemon (6 Methods)How to Zest Lemon (5 Methods)
If you try this easy lemon compound butter recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
