This Easy Lemon Butter Sauce Is the Easiest Way to Upgrade Dinner (2024)

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Laura Rege

Laura Rege

Laura Rege is a recipe developer and food stylist living the mid-coastal lifestyle between Dallas and Brooklyn. Formerly a senior member of the editorial teams at Food & Wine and Martha Stewart Living, Laura now creates and styles recipes for websites like ours and cooking videos! When she's not in the kitchen for work, she is off traveling in the U.S. or abroad searching out the next delicious bite.

published Jan 17, 2022

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This Easy Lemon Butter Sauce Is the Easiest Way to Upgrade Dinner (1)

This 10-minute sauce only calls for 6 ingredients.

Serves4 to 6Makesabout 1 1/2 cupsPrep5 minutesCook10 minutes

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This Easy Lemon Butter Sauce Is the Easiest Way to Upgrade Dinner (2)

With lemon butter sauce in the repertoire, dinner will never be lacking in flavor. It’s the kind of finish that transforms any cooked protein or side into an interesting meal, regardless of how it was prepared. French in origin, the key to the rich, silky texture of this minimal-ingredient, 10-minute sauce is butter, and the key to its irresistible tanginess is lemon.

Shallot and garlic smell incredible cooking up in butter and contribute savory notes. The parsley lends a clean finish while the chicken broth (you can use vegetable instead, if preferred), helps stretch out the sauce so it’s not just melted butter. Last but not least, don’t forget salt and pepper. They balance out the acidity, bringing out all the flavors of each ingredient.

This sauce is also extremely versatile. Stir in Dijon mustard or a touch of Worcestershire sauce for a different flavor profile. Add chopped capers or olives for a briny element. Mix and match fresh chopped leafy green herbs such as tarragon, chives, basil, or cilantro. Or stir in your favorite spices like paprika, dried oregano or Italian seasoning, or ground cumin.

What Is Lemon Butter Sauce Made Of?

Lemon butter sauce is a decadent sauce made from lemon and butter, plus ingredients such as shallot, garlic, chicken stock, and parsley.

How Do You Thicken a Butter Sauce?

The sauce is thickened with the butter that is whisked in at the end of cooking. Make sure to use cold cubed butter. Continuously whisking helps to incorporate the butter into the sauce while it melts, ensuring even distribution as well as emulsification.

What to Serve Lemon Butter Sauce With

You’ve got a great sauce recipe, now how do you put it to use? Lemon butter sauce is delicious spooned over any cooked protein, vegetable, or grain!

  • Serve it over proteins like chicken (we love it over seared chicken cutlets!), salmon, and steak. If you’re cooking protein in a skillet, cook the protein first, then make the sauce in the same skillet to get extra flavor from the browning.
  • Try it over roasted, steamed, or pan-seared vegetables.
  • Toss it with noodles to make lemon butter pasta.
  • Dip steamed artichoke leaves and hearts in it.
  • Drizzle it over warm grain salads or rice.
Comments

Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe

This 10-minute sauce only calls for 6 ingredients.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1

    small shallot

  • 2 cloves

    garlic

  • 2 to 3

    medium lemons

  • 1 small bunch

    fresh parsley

  • 6 tablespoons

    cold unsalted butter, divided

  • 1 cup

    low-sodium chicken broth

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt, plus more as needed

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Dice 1 small shallot (about 1/4 cup). Mince 2 garlic cloves. Juice 2 to 3 lemons until you have 3 tablespoons juice. Pick and finely chop the leaves from 1 small bunch parsley until you have 3 tablespoons. Cut 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter into 6 pieces.

  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until shallot is beginning to soften, 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until both garlic and shallot are light golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes more.

  3. Add the lemon juice then 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil until sauce reduces by half, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. While whisking, add the remaining butter and continue to whisk constantly until all the butter is melted and incorporated.

  4. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

Recipe Notes

Substitutions: You can use other leafy green herbs in place of the parsley, such as basil, cilantro, or tarragon. If using tarragon, reduce the amount and add gradually to taste.

Storage: The sauce is best served immediately to ensure the butter does not separate from the sauce, but you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat gently.

Filed in:

sauce

Gluten-Free

pantry

dairy

quick

stovetop

This Easy Lemon Butter Sauce Is the Easiest Way to Upgrade Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What is lemon butter sauce made of? ›

Lemon butter sauce is a decadent sauce made from lemon and butter, plus ingredients such as shallot, garlic, chicken stock, and parsley.

How do you keep lemon butter sauce from breaking? ›

To help the butter and lemon juice mix, make sure to use a low temperature. Start with heating lemon juice, but maintain a low simmer—high heat will split them apart. Add the cold butter into the juice piece by piece. Once melted, whisk the sauce vigorously to create a stable, smooth, and creamy mixture.

How do you thicken lemon butter sauce without cornstarch? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

How to thicken lemon butter? ›

Some recipes say to use egg yolks or a combination of whole eggs and yolks. This creates a thicker mixture. I personally prefer just using whole eggs like we do in this recipe for lemon butter, as they slightly dilute the tartness of the lemon and makes the mixture smoother.

What makes butter sauce thicker? ›

As we mentioned, flour and cornstarch are the most popular ingredients used to thicken butter sauce for pasta. After you've heated your butter and water combo in your skillet, turn your heat down so nothing scorches as you work in the dry ingredients. Then slowly whisk in your flour or cornstarch.

What is the benefit of lemon sauce? ›

Studies have found that the flavonoids in lemon help lower your blood pressure as well. Additional research showed this effect enhances the heart-healthy benefits of physical activity. Lemons contain a natural compound called hesperidin that may lower blood sugar levels, decreasing your risk of diabetes.

Why did my lemon butter sauce turn blue? ›

The color change is caused by a reaction between enzymes and sulfur-containing amino acids in the garlic (the same enzymes are responsible for garlic's flavor). When these enzymes are activated by mild acid, they produce blue and green pigments.

Why is my lemon butter runny? ›

The curd wasn't cooked long enough to allow the egg to thicken, or not enough butter was added. How to fix it: What is this? To thicken runny lemon curd, put the curd back into your saucepan, place over the lowest possible heat, and stir constantly.

How do you stabilize butter sauce? ›

Serve this butter sauce with fish, chicken, or vegetables. If you're worried about breaking the sauce, use cream to help stabilize it. Add the cream to the reduced wine-vinegar base and reduce the cream until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.

How do chefs thicken a sauce? ›

Make a Butter-and-Flour Paste: Have butter at room temperature and stir and mash an equal amount of flour into it. Whisk a good amount of the paste into your simmering sauce and let it cook for a few minutes, adding more paste if needed until the desired consistency is achieved.

What happens when you mix cornstarch and lemon juice? ›

Much like heat, certain acids like acetic acid (vinegar) or citric acid (lemon juice) can severely hamstring the efficacy of cornstarch: in combination with heat, at sufficient concentrations these acids can break starch molecules down into component sugars.

What else can I use to thicken sauce besides cornstarch? ›

6 Cornstarch Substitutes for All Your Cooking and Baking Needs
  • Potato Starch. Potato starch is the cornstarch substitute favorite of associate food editor Kendra Vaculin. ...
  • Rice Flour. ...
  • All-Purpose Flour. ...
  • Tapioca Flour. ...
  • Arrowroot Powder. ...
  • Xanthan Gum.
Jun 13, 2022

Why did my lemon butter sauce separate? ›

The single most important thing to remember is that you must simmer your lemon and butter mixture over low heat, as higher temperatures encourage separation. A low simmer is all you need to gently cook the juice and butter together without the butter curdling.

Why is my lemon butter grainy? ›

There will be little bits of cooked egg and lemon zest that will make the curd lumpy, if not strained out. Why is my lemon curd grainy? Grainy curd is a sign it's been over-cooked. It can also be a sign that it wasn't covered tightly in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze lemon butter? ›

Lemon butter can be refrigerated in a sterilised jar or container for up to 2 weeks. Freeze lemon butter for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container.

What is butter sauce made of? ›

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in water and bring to a low boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in butter flavoring and serve over hot pasta.

Which of the four basic sauces has three basic ingredients like butter egg yolk and lemon juice? ›

Hollandaise sauce (/hɒlənˈdeɪz/ or /ˈhɒləndeɪz/; French: [ɔlɑ̃dɛz], from French sauce hollandaise meaning “Dutch sauce”) is a mixture of egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice (or a white wine or vinegar reduction).

What sauce to eat with fish and chips? ›

Whereas fish and chips are usually only accompanied by salt and vinegar (Malt vinegar please!) when eaten out of newspaper, when eaten in a Fish and Chip Cafe or Restaurant, you are always served this tartar sauce with your meal, tangy and wonderful with the fish especially and a squeeze of lemon.

What is Indian butter sauce made of? ›

Start your sauce with butter, bay leaf, pureed onion & tomato, and chopped ginger, garlic, and salt. Cook on medium-high flame for 4-5 minutes.

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