This do-it-all garlic herb compound butter is incredibly easy to whip up, can be enjoyed in so many different ways, and is absolutely delicious!

a log of compound garlic and herb butter sliced in 8 pats sitting on a wooden cutting board next to a knife

Let’s talk about this herb butter. Compound herb butter sounds fancy but is really just softened butter mixed with fresh herbs. For this version, we combined grass-fed butter with fresh chives, dill, lemon zest, and a little bit of garlic. Once it is mixed together, you can place it on parchment paper and roll it into a log. Whatever you don’t use on your steak, you can use later on other cuts of meat, in pasta, or for vegetables!

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is, essentially, just butter mixed with a few other ingredients (in this case, garlic and herbs). It’s a really simple way of jazzing up regular ole butter and infusing tons of flavor into any food that you’d typically enjoy butter with.

a large block of softened butter with salt, garlic, and chopped herbs sitting on top of it. All on a marble surface.

Ingredient Notes

Just 4 ingredients bring this compound butter to life – here’s what you’ll need:

Butter – this one is a no-brainer! You’ll need 16 tablespoons of softened butter to start.
Garlic – 3 finely minced garlic cloves will give the compound butter a really delicious hint of garlic.
Lemon Zest (Optional) – 1 teaspoon of lemon zest adds a touch of brightness here, but it’s totally optional, so don’t sweat it if you don’t have a lemon on hand!
Herbs – 2 tablespoons of finely chopped herbs (fresh thyme, parsley, dill, chives, oregano, and rosemary are all great) add TONS of flavor.

How to Make It

Though making something like this may feel a little bit intimidating, the process is super easy (just 3 instructions to be exact!) Here’s how you’ll do it:

a glass bowl with a block of softened butter in it and a microplane grating garlic into the bowl

a spatula laying on top of a glob of compound garlic and herb butter sitting on a sheet of parchment paper

a clear glass bowl with softened butter, herbs, and garlic being mixed together with a spatula. All sitting on a marble surface.

a woman's hands folding parchment paper over a log of compound garlic herb butter. All on a marble surface.

Mix – to start, mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl. This should be really easy to do if your butter is softened!
Roll the butter mixture into a log + seal – once totally mixed, place the compound butter on a sheet of parchment paper and roll it into a log. Then, twist the ends of the parchment paper to seal.
Refrigerate to chill until ready to use.

How to Use Herb Butter

There are a ton of ways to use this herby, buttery concoction! You can use it to…

Finish off a steak – top a perfectly cooked filet mignon with a slice of herb butter for a seriously special main protein!
Season a whole chicken – rub softened herb butter on a whole chicken before baking. This will create a really yummy flavor and help the skin of the chicken to get nice and crispy!
Liven up a sauce or gravy – use this flavorful butter to make a sauce or gravy – it’ll add a little bit of pizazz to the finished product!
Season veggies and grains – use it to season vegetables and grains like pasta and rice!
Brush on grilled meats or veggies – brush melted herb butter on grilled meats or corn on the cob for the perfect finisher.
Spread on bread – serve this butter alongside your favorite dinner rolls!
Put it in a baked potato – swap regular butter for compound butter next time you make a loaded baked potato!

Flavor Variations

Though we absolutely love the recipe as written, you can totally change it up and make it your own! Here are some really great flavor combinations to try:

Add your favorite shredded cheese – what’s not to love about butter and cheese?! Shredded parmesan would be really yummy here.
Add almonds, honey, and cinnamon – make your own honey butter by mixing sliced almonds (or almond extract), honey, and cinnamon into the butter for a deliciously sweet take on this recipe! This would be really delicious on pancakes, waffles, biscuits, or toast!
Add cranberries, orange zest, and maple syrup – for another sweet take, add dried cranberries and orange zest to the butter! This one would also be really great on pancakes or waffles.
Add jalapenos – add minced jalapeno and garlic to your softened butter for a spicier spin! This would be REALLY delicious spread on a piece of cornbread!
Add cilantro and lime zest – this variation would be really yummy on corn on the cob or grilled chicken!

Storage Instructions

Herb butter actually keeps for quite a while, so it’s the perfect thing to keep stocked in the fridge and/or freezer. It’ll last for up to 1 month in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between regular butter and compound butter?

Compound butter is, essentially, jazzed-up regular butter. This one is softened butter mixed with garlic and herbs.

Can you buy herb butter?

A lot of stores do sell herb butter, but let me tell you, homemade herb butter is a million times tastier. If you’ve got the time and ingredients, I definitely recommend making your own!

Favorite Recipes to Use with Herb Butter