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    Home » Recipes » Spices & Condiments

    Roasted Garlic and Herb Compound Butter

    Published: Sep 10, 2020 · Modified: Jan 18, 2023 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 780 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article.

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    Roasted Garlic & Herb Compound Butter by The Toasty Kitchen
    Roasted Garlic & Herb Compound Butter by The Toasty Kitchen
    Roasted Garlic & Herb Compound Butter by The Toasty Kitchen

    Roasted garlic and herb compound butter is a blend of butter with roasted garlic and fresh herbs. Compound butter is great for topping steaks, baked potatoes, spreading onto dinner rolls, and more.

    A round log of compound butter filled with herbs and garlic.

    What exactly is compound butter? Compound butter is a combination of butter with other added flavors like herbs and spices. It is used to enhance the flavors of a prepared dish, just like how you'd use a sauce or condiment.

    This compound butter is enhanced with roasted garlic cloves and fresh herbs, like parsley, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Customize your compound butter with any fresh herbs you have on hand for a unique flavor.

    This roasted garlic and herb compound butter is perfect for topping a steak just before serving. You can also spread compound butter onto dinner rolls or bread, mashed or baked potatoes, or steamed veggies.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Ingredients on a counter top.

    Unsalted butter and salt can be substituted with salted butter. You can also omit the salt entirely if you do not want to add additional salt to your prepared dishes.

    Any fresh herbs you have on hand can be used in this recipe. I used a combination of parsley, thyme, and rosemary in my compound butter. Oregano, chives, or basil would also be great choices. I suggest choosing two or three for a well rounded flavor.

    One head of garlic will be needed for this recipe. This may seem like a lot, but roasting garlic mellows the flavor, making it a lot less harsh than raw garlic. It's also much easier to digest and has a lovely caramelized flavor.

    Adding butter, roasted garlic, and herbs to a food processor to make a compound butter.

    Roasting garlic

    If you've never roasted a head of garlic before, it's surprisingly simple to do. First, you'll want to peel off any excess layers of paper from the outside of the garlic.

    Next, slice about ¼ inch of the top off (the wide, root side), to expose the individual garlic cloves.

    Make a little bowl of foil to set the head of garlic in, which will help hold the garlic cloves together and upright. Drizzle the top with olive oil, then cover completely with foil.

    Your garlic is done roasting when it is soft throughout (test by piercing through with a fork) and has a browned, caramelized color. This usually takes about 40 to 50 minutes in a 400 degree oven, but you can roast your garlic for even longer for a more caramelized flavor.

    Compound butter melting on top of a baked potato.

    Ways to use compound butter

    There are many ways to use your roasted garlic butter. Simply add to the top of a prepared dish to instantly add flavor. Here are a few of my favorites:

    • Steak
    • Chicken
    • Pasta
    • Mashed potatoes
    • Baked potatoes
    • Corn on the cob
    • Bread or dinner rolls
    • Steamed vegetables
    • Scrambled eggs

    This roasted garlic butter is also excellent for making a homemade garlic bread. Spread onto thick sliced Italian bread and toast until golden.

    A round log of compound butter filled with herbs and garlic.
    Print Recipe
    4.72 from 14 reviews

    Roasted Garlic and Herb Compound Butter

    Roasted garlic and herb compound butter is a blend of butter with roasted garlic and fresh herbs. Compound butter is great for topping steaks, baked potatoes, spreading onto dinner rolls, and more.
    Prep Time5 minutes
    Cook Time40 minutes
    Total Time45 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 112kcal
    Author: Heather

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter
    • 1 head garlic
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, rosemary, thyme, or chives
    • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional

    Instructions

    • Remove butter from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature on counter top. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Remove excess papers from outside of garlic head. Slice off ¼" from the top of the head of garlic (the wide/root end) to expose cloves. Discard top portion. Make a little bowl of foil to set the head of garlic in, which will help hold the garlic cloves together and upright. Drizzle the top with olive oil, then cover completely with foil. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until garlic is soft throughout and lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool before handling.
    • In a food processor, add butter, fresh herbs, salt, and roasted garlic cloves (discarding any papers). Blend until ingredients are evenly incorporated.
    • Spoon butter onto a sheet of wax paper, parchment, or plastic wrap, form into a log, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until chilled. Slice and serve as needed, storing leftovers in the refrigerator.

    Equipment Recommendations

    • Cuisinart 9-Cup Food Processor
    • Measuring Spoons

    Notes

    • Compound butter will keep for 1-2 weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator, or for up to 6 months in the freezer.
    • Unsalted butter and salt can be substituted with salted butter. Salt can be omitted entirely if desired.
    • Any fresh herbs can be used in this recipe. Parsley and thyme pair well with just about any savory dish. Rosemary - pairs well with pork. Basil - pairs well with fish and chicken. Chives - pairs well with potatoes, chicken, and beef.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 1heaping tablespoon | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 439IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course: Seasonings
    Cuisine: American

    More recipes

    • Italian Seasoning
    • Cajun Seasoning
    • Everyday Seasoning
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    More Spices and Condiments Recipes

    • Whipped Honey Butter
    • Basil Aioli
    • Spicy Aioli
    • Pineapple Pico de Gallo

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    1. Jose

      July 20, 2022 at 10:43 am

      Are you sure you mean chop the top of the root/wide end?
      Wouldn't that make the bulb fall apart?

      Reply
      • Heather

        July 20, 2022 at 10:47 am

        Yes, this is correct. You do this to expose all of the garlic cloves to be roasted in the oven. You'll want to use the foil to make a little 'bowl' to hold the garlic upright and together.

        Reply
    2. Ruth

      July 01, 2022 at 2:55 pm

      I haven’t made this yet, but it appears to be exactly what I was looking for. One question: Since I don’t have a food processor, would a whisk or blender work? (I’m not used to making things myself).
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Heather

        July 01, 2022 at 3:00 pm

        Hi Ruth, a blender would work. Or to make without any equipment, finely mince your roasted garlic (once it has cooled) as well as your herbs, then stir into the softened butter with a spoon.

        Reply

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    Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

    Hi, I'm Heather of The Toasty Kitchen. I love cooking with real, unfussy ingredients, and I want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

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