Fresh Herb Compound Butter

Herb compound butter is one of those things that sounds fancy but takes 10 minutes and makes everything better. Melt a slice on a hot steak, toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, or drop it on roasted vegetables. It also freezes for up to 3 months, which makes it the perfect thing to make when you’ve bought too many herbs at the market.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3–4 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped — use one kind or a mix:
  • Classic: parsley + chives + thyme
  • Bold: basil + oregano + a little rosemary
  • Bright: dill + parsley + lemon zest
  • Simple: just a lot of chives
• 1–2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated (optional)
• Zest of half a lemon (optional but good)
• ¼ teaspoon flaky salt (or ½ teaspoon fine salt)
• Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

1. Make sure the butter is genuinely soft — if you poke it and your finger goes in easily, it’s ready. Cold butter won’t mix evenly.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash together with a fork until the herbs are evenly distributed throughout.

3. Taste it. Add more salt, lemon, or herbs if needed.

4. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on your counter. Spoon the butter onto the wrap in a rough log shape. Roll the wrap around it and twist the ends to form a cylinder. Refrigerate at least 1 hour until firm, or freeze.

5. To use: unwrap and slice off rounds as needed.

Uses

• On steak or pork chops: Place a pat on top right as they come off the heat
• On bread: Spread at room temperature as-is, or toast the bread first
• On vegetables: Toss hot roasted or grilled vegetables with a tablespoon
• On pasta: Toss cooked pasta with a few slices instead of olive oil
• On corn: Rub over hot corn on the cob (try the dill + lemon version here)
• Scrambled eggs: Drop a small piece in the pan at the end

Storage

Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, wrapped tightly. Freezes for 3 months. Freeze in a log and slice off pieces as needed, or freeze individual rounds on a sheet pan and transfer to a bag.

Where to find the herbs

Fresh herb bunches are one of the best deals at the farmers market — usually $2–3 for a big bunch of parsley, dill, basil, or chives. Most vendors selling vegetables also sell herbs. The Ann Arbor Farmers Market typically has the widest herb selection. Grab multiple varieties and make a mixed-herb butter.