A compound butter with pressed garlic, parsley and chives, perfect for melting over grilled meat, fish or vegetables.
Freshly pressed garlic immediately fills the bowl with its aroma, while the soft butter and herbs hint at the pat that will melt over food hot off the grill. This compound butter comes together in a few simple steps, with no cooking, and is naturally low in carbs, at 0.3 g of net carbs per serving. Allow time for the butter to soften, then chill it, ideally overnight, so the flavors can develop. This recipe is part of my collection of keto sauces and dips.
What is garlic and herb butter?
The name says it all: butter, garlic and herbs. A block of butter at room temperature, taken out about an hour beforehand, is combined with six finely pressed garlic cloves, parsley, chives and a generous pinch of salt. Everything is worked together with a fork, without cooking, until smooth, with the seasonings evenly distributed and no clumps.
Butter provides a rich base: it holds the aromas and releases them when heated. Garlic delivers the dominant flavor, bold and distinct, parsley adds freshness, and chives contribute a milder onion note. At room temperature, the texture stays soft without becoming liquid; when chilled, it firms up, then melts quickly over grilled meat, fish or vegetables. Each serving contains 181 calories and 0.3 g of net carbs.
A place in French cooking
Garlic and herb butter belongs to the family of compound butters. These cold preparations can be sliced, spread or placed on hot foods to season them at the last moment. French cooking uses them with meat, fish and vegetables, much like the butters served with escargots.
Its appeal is practical: few ingredients, no complicated techniques and bold flavor. At home or in a restaurant, it quickly adds aroma and melting richness, with the parsley and chives balancing the freshness of the herbs against the strength of the garlic.
The main ingredients
The base is a block of butter, ideally from grass-fed cows. Its origin affects the flavor, but texture is what matters most: take it out of the refrigerator ahead of time so it yields to a fork.
The six garlic cloves give it a bold character; pressed as finely as possible, they blend into the butter without leaving chunks. A good garlic press makes a difference with this quantity, distributing the garlic as finely as in Chinese garlic noodles.
One and a half tablespoons of parsley, dried or fresh, add color and freshness; fresh parsley should be washed, dried and finely chopped, while dried parsley offers a more concentrated flavor. Two tablespoons of chives add a milder onion note, similar to chive blossom butter. Salt, either Himalayan pink or Celtic sea salt, enhances the whole mixture, with the choice mainly depending on taste and availability.
Preparation and serving tips
In a small bowl, add the pressed garlic, parsley, chives and salt to the softened butter, mix thoroughly and scrape down the sides to avoid any unseasoned patches. Chilling it, ideally overnight, helps the flavors meld, though the butter can also be served immediately for a more upfront flavor. When using fresh herbs, drying them thoroughly and chopping them finely prevents excess moisture from softening the texture.
For more low-carb ideas, browse all my keto recipes.
Store the butter in the refrigerator in a clean, airtight container, and use a clean utensil to take out portions; for a barbecue, bring out only the amount you plan to serve. At serving time, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes if you want to spread it; on a hot dish, a small pat will melt on its own. It pairs well with grilled meats, such as pork tenderloin, as well as grilled fish and vegetables.
Garlic and Herb Butter
Ingredients
- 1 block butter from grass-fed cows
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1.5 tablespoon dried parsley or fresh
- 2 tablespoons dried chives or fresh
- generous pinch salt Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt
Instructions
- Use butter at room temperature. To do this, take the butter out of the refrigerator a little under an hour beforehand.1 block butter
- Crush the garlic as finely as possible. Mix it into the butter along with the parsley, chives and salt.6 cloves garlic, 1.5 tablespoon dried parsley, 2 tablespoons dried chives, generous pinch salt
- Refrigerate, preferably overnight, so the flavors can fully infuse the butter. But the butter is also delicious served right away.
