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    Home » Garden To Table

    Basil Butter

    Published: Aug 5, 2020 · Modified: Jul 20, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
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    This summer, use fresh garden basil and blossoms to make basil butter! This garlic herb compound butter is easy to make and can be frozen for later.

    Basil Butter on a Serving Tray

    It’s August now, and there’s a change in the air.

    The hot, humid summer nights are, quite suddenly, vanishing, and the mornings feel crisp and cool.

    Fall is coming.

    I’m partly excited for cooler weather, but another (louder) voice in my head is reminding me to continue harvesting my summer garden. My delicate herbs (like basil) are running out of time.

    Are you working to preserve your basil too?

    For short-term preserving, try making lemon basil granita and basil simple syrup (for basil lemonade!).

    For long-term preserving, I’ve been making basil vinegar, dairy-free basil pesto, and this garlic scape butter.

    Basil butter is an easy, delicious way to preserve summer basil, and can be frozen to use all winter long.

    Have you used basil in every recipe you can think of but still have more? You can also freeze basil for later.

    What is Compound Butter?

    Compound butter is made by softening butter and mixing it with flavoring.

    It’s a great way to preserve herbs and herb blossoms.

    Sometimes, it’s best to cook whatever you’re adding to the butter. With chive butter, cooking the chives first help bring out extra flavor, and mushroom butter tastes bests when you brown the diced mushrooms first.

    Sometimes, however, you can simply add raw ingredients to the butter and mix it all together. I like this method best because it’s easiest.

    Happily, basil butter can be made using the easy, no-cook method.

    How to Soften Butter

    Before you can make get started, you’ll need to fully soften your butter.

    The best way to soften butter is to simply leave it out at room temperature for an hour or two. Or longer.

    I usually set mine butter out on the counter the night before I plan to use it.

    How to Prepare the Butter

    Start by beating the butter.

    Use a rubber spatula and beat it back and forth in a bowl until it’s soft and malleable.

    Beat Softened Butter with a Rubber Spatula
    Beat Softened Butter with a Rubber Spatula

    How to Slice the Basil

    Normally, I tear my basil into pieces instead of cutting it.

    For basil butter, however, I like to use more uniformly sized pieces. This is just a personal preference, do whichever you prefer.

    The easiest way to slice basil without bruising the leaves is to use a cutting technique called chiffonade.

    Stack a few basil leaves together, roll them up tightly, and cut perpendicularly down the roll. Repeat until you’ve got about a cup of basil slivers.

    Thinly Slice Basil
    Thinly Slice Basil

    How to Make Basil Butter

    Next, add powdered garlic, a little salt, and the basil to the butter.

    Use the rubber spatula and begin to fold the basil into the butter.

    Add Garlic Powder + Basil to the Butter
    Add Garlic Powder + Basil to the Butter
    Beat the Basil Into the Butter
    Beat the Basil Into the Butter

    Continue folding the basil into the butter until the mixture looks evenly mixed and all of the basil is covered in butter.

    Mix Until The Basil is Incorporated
    Mix Until The Basil is Incorporated

    At this point, you have options.

    If you’re serving right away, form the butter into a ball or log.

    Form Butter Into a Ball or Log
    Form Butter Into a Ball or Log

    If, on the other hand, you’re preserving lots of basil and hoping to use this basil butter all winter long, here’s what to do.

    You can roll the butter into a log, wrap it in parchment paper, and slice off pieces of butter as needed.

    My preferred method is to scoop the butter into silicone molds (like a silicone ice cube tray), freeze the butter, and then pop the butter out of the molds. I store the pre-portioned butter cubes in freezer bags.

    For Freezing, Put Butter in Silicone Molds
    For Freezing, Put Butter in Silicone Molds

    How to Use Basil Butter

    I use herb butter in all the things.

    This basil butter is especially delicious in scrambled eggs or omelettes (like this masala omelette or this mushroom omelette).

    It’s also a wonderful in a butter-based pan sauce after pan-searing fish. I like it on this pan-seared halibut and fish meunière.

    And of course, it would be amazing smeared onto some rosemary dutch oven bread.

    However you use it, this herb butter will give you the taste of summer all year long!

    Basil Butter on a Serving Tray
    Basil Butter on a Serving Tray
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 5 votes

    Basil Butter

    This summer, use fresh garden basil and blossoms to make basil butter! This garlic herb compound butter is easy to make and can be frozen for later.
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time5 mins
    Butter Softening + Cooling Time2 hrs
    Total Time2 hrs 5 mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 103kcal
    Freezer Friendly?

    Yes

    Will It Keep?

    5 Days (Fridge), 6 Months (Freezer)

    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • ½ pound unsalted butter, divided (2 sticks)
    • 1 cup basil, thinly sliced Or tear basil into small pieces
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions

    • Fully soften the butter by leaving it at room temperature for 30-60 minutes (or overnight) before proceeding.
      If using basil blossoms, dip the blossoms in a bowl of water to clean, and then set on a towel to dry.
      Use a rubber spatula to beat the butter until it's fully malleable.
      Beat Softened Butter with a Rubber Spatula
    • Add the basil, garlic, and salt to the butter. Beat the butter with the spatula to mix with the herbs. Continue until the herbs seem well-distributed and all of the basil is coated in butter.
      Mix Until The Basil is Incorporated
    • To serve the same day:
      Pour butter into a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Note that butter will harden again in the fridge, so if you want it to be spreadable, take out of the fridge a few minutes before serving.
      Refrigerate leftovers and use within 5 days.
      Form Butter Into a Ball or Log
    • To store for later:
      Freeze in a log: Chill butter until it's cool enough to form, and then roll it into a log. Use parchment paper or a rubber spatula to help you form the log. Wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and store in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 6 months. When you're ready to use the butter, simply slice off the amount you want to use and put the rest back in the freezer.
      Freeze in portions: Scoop butter into portioned molds (like a silicone ice cube tray), and freeze until hardened. Pop the butter out of the molds, transfer to an airtight bag, and use the butter within 6 months. 
      For Freezing, Put Butter in Silicone Molds

    Notes

    Avoid wrapping the butter in wax paper, which (in my experience) tends to stick to the butter (especially when softening the whole log).
    Nutrition information assumes 1 tablespoon of butter per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 103kcal (5%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 12g (18%) | Saturated Fat: 7g (44%) | Cholesterol: 30mg (10%) | Sodium: 74mg (3%) | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 433IU (9%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 6mg (1%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
    « Lemon Basil Granita
    Broiled Halibut with Lemon Sauce »

    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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