This recipe will show you how to make Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce in just three quick steps using only lemon, garlic, butter and salt.
My lemon garlic butter sauce recipe is packed with flavour and only takes 5 minutes!
With plenty of bright lemony taste, this rich and delicious sauce is so quick and easy it's a kitchen lifesaver!
Using a similar method to my garlic butter sauce, this is a simple melted butter sauce but this time the lemon juice is more than just seasoning - it's the star!
It's also a versatile sauce that you can use in all sorts of ways.
It makes a great match for meat and seafood, or a buttery lemon pasta sauce. So good on vegetables too!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this lemon garlic butter sauce
- 5 minutes - quick and easy.
- 4 ingredients.
- Gourmet restaurant style sauce at home!
What you need to make lemon garlic butter sauce
- lemon juice - I highly recommend you use fresh lemon juice for this sauce recipe
- butter - I use unsalted butter but salted is ok too, see my Top tips section below
- fresh garlic cloves
- salt
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
How to make lemon garlic butter sauce
- Melt the butter in a pan over low heat.
- Add minced garlic.
- And salt.
- Remove from heat then add lemon juice and serve.
Top tips
- One large lemon usually has enough juice for this sauce.
- Removing the core from the fresh garlic cloves is the best way to go for this kind recipe with a short cook time. It will give you a more mellow garlic taste. Leaving the center core in the cloves gives you a more sharp garlic flavour.
- If you want to see a demonstration of how to remove the core from the garlic cloves, I show you how at the very start of the recipe video which is in the recipe card below.
- It's important that you don't burn the garlic because it becomes bitter.
- Adding the lemon juice once the pan is off the heat helps to keep that bright fresh lemon taste.
- If you don't have unsalted butter that's ok, salted butter is fine just adjust the amount of salt required at the end.
Variations
- If you really want to amp up the lemon taste in this sauce you could add some freshly grated lemon rind as well. Be careful to avoid the white pith just under the yellow skin as this is bitter.
- Add some fresh minced parsley or black pepper.
What to serve it with
- Serve with fish and seafood like salmon or lobster.
- Drizzle over roasted vegetables or steamed asparagus.
- Use as a dipping sauce for bread.
- A great finishing sauce for filled pasta like ravioli.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Garlic Butter Sauce - the ultimate fast and tasty 5 minute sauce made with melted butter, garlic and parsley. This easy sauce goes with everything!
Mustard and Garlic Sauce - a super simple no cook butter sauce with mustard, garlic and chives. Just melt, mix and serve!
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 120 g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (see my notes)
- 2 garlic cloves (cores removed) minced/crushed
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Watch me make this recipe
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a pan over low heat.120 g unsalted butter
- Add minced garlic and salt and continue to cook until garlic is fragrant.2 garlic cloves (cores removed)¼ teaspoon fine salt
- Remove from the heat, then add lemon juice and serve immediately.2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Notes
- There is usually enough juice in one average-sized lemon for this sauce.
- Slicing the garlic clove down the center and removing the core is the way to go for this recipe. It will give you a more mellow garlic taste. Leaving the center core in the cloves gives you a more sharp garlic flavour.
- If you want to see a demonstration of how to remove the core from the garlic cloves, I show you how at the very start of the recipe video which is just above the recipe instructions above.
- It's important that you don't burn the garlic because it becomes bitter.
- Adding the lemon juice once the pan is off the heat helps to keep that bright fresh lemon taste.
- If you don't have unsalted butter that's ok, salted butter is fine just adjust the amount of salt required at the end.
I made this to go with cooked shrimp. Once the butter and garlic were ready, I put in the shrimp, cooked it over medium heat for a few minutes just to reheat. Added the lemon once I took it off the heat. My wife commented that it was as good as she gets at restaurants. This is going to be my go to recipe for an easy sauce with elegant results. Thank you.
That's awesome Mike! So glad you and your wife enjoyed it!
Loved this butter sauce. Flavor was amazing and so easy too. Thanks for the recipe.
My pleasure Dania. Glad you enjoyed it!