A sauce that only takes 5 minutes and only has 5 ingredients? This easy Garlic Butter Sauce recipe is the ultimate in fast-but-tasty cooking and goes with everything - the perfect melted garlic butter sauce for steak, fish, chicken or vegetables.
It also makes a great dipping sauce for seafood such as shrimp (prawns). Let's be honest, what doesn't go well with melted butter and garlic?
Table of Contents
Why you will love this garlic butter sauce
- it only takes 5 minutes
- it only has 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- it goes with just about anything
What you need to make this garlic butter sauce
- unsalted butter - I like to use unsalted butter in this recipe so that I can better control the amount of salt in the finished sauce.
- garlic cloves - fresh garlic cloves with the "core" or "germ" removed are the way to go here. By removing the centre core of the clove you will get a more mellow garlic flavour.
- dry white wine - no need to use the expensive stuff here, keep that for drinking
- parsley
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
How to make garlic butter sauce
- Melt a small amount of the butter in a pan, then add garlic and fry.
- Add white wine and allow to simmer.
- Add remaining butter along with parsley and heat to melt.
- Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Top tips
- Watch the garlic carefully when you fry it, it can burn very quickly and will taste bitter.
- This melted butter sauce freezes really well. Just freeze in small portions and pop it in (still frozen is OK) the microwave or into a pan on the stove to reheat.
Variations and serving suggestions
- Substitute other herbs for the parsley. Basil, oregano or thyme would all be good in this recipe.
- Garlic butter noodles - just stir this sauce through some pasta like spaghetti or spoon over some cooked ravioli.
- Great to drizzle over cooked vegetables.
- This buttery, garlicky sauce is great to serve with just about any protein like beef, chicken, lamb or fish.
- It also makes a great dipping sauce for shrimp (prawns), lobster or bread.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Cafe De Paris Butter - a savoury combination of garlic, herbs, mustard and lemon. A compound butter that turns into a gorgeous sauce once it hits your hot steak.
Double Mustard and Garlic Sauce - this no-cook melted butter sauce has two kinds of mustard plus garlic and chives.
Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce - a quick and easy creamy sauce using dijon mustard, rosemary. garlic and bacon.
Whipped Butter - Learn how to make your own restaurant style whipped butter at home with my super easy 2 ingredient recipe, plus my do's and don'ts!
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Garlic Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 4 fresh garlic cloves core removed and crushed
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice to taste
- ½ teaspoon fine salt to taste
- fresh black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt 1 - 2 tablespoon of the butter in a pan over medium heat, then add garlic (4 cloves - cores removed and crushed) and fry for 30 seconds.
- Add dry white wine (60ml) and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add remaining butter to the pan along with the finely chopped parsley (1 tbsp) and heat to melt.
- Finally, add lemon juice (½ teaspoon - to taste) and salt (½ teaspoon - to taste) and pepper.
Notes
- Watch the garlic carefully when you fry it, it can burn very quickly and will taste bitter.
- This garlic butter sauce freezes really well. Just freeze in small portions and pop it in (still frozen is OK) the microwave or into a pan on the stove to reheat.
Greetings from Tennessee, USA..
This looks promising, but I haven't made it yet..
If I just want the liquid part – the flavored butter without solids – I assume I could strain out most of the garlic and parsley bits out through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Is that right? Do you have any idea how long I should let things steep before this filtering, and at what temperature?
Hi Bob! Yes, you could certainly strain out the bits - I would leave them in the warm butter for a few minutes before tasting then straining off when you are happy with the taste. I would then just reheat the butter when you want to serve it, it won't take long! L x
this was exactly what I needed to help me make an easy butter sauce - thank you for an easy to follow recipe 🙂
My pleasure Jan!
Simple yet so delicious, this sauce is so good on everything - we served with some steak, and will make it again next with with some grilled shrimp!
Hi Alex! Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This garlic butter sauce was soooooo tasty! I would have never thought of adding white wine, but it worked so well!!
That's great Pete!
I love making a huge batch of this and freezing for a time-saver. Perfect recipe.
Thanks so much Megan, glad you enjoyed it!
So easy, loved this sauce. thanks for sharing.
Pleasure Kevin!