How To Make Herbed Butter

Butter is impressive on its own, but it’s heavenly when paired with decadent herbs and fragrant essential oils. My herb butter is an excellent way to wow a crowd without spending much time in the kitchen.

This simple hack makes any dish taste gourmet. You can use this butter to flavor your Thanksgiving turkey as a topping for sweet potatoes or serve it alongside gluten-free rolls. The sky is the limit!

Is Butter Good for You?

For years, diet culture has been promoting margarine over butter, which, considering research, is alarming! Margarine is made of trans fats, which can cause cardiovascular disease and increase your chances of developing diabetes (1). The components of margarine (canola, corn, sunflower, peanuts, and soybeans) are all genetically modified.

Margarine has no health benefits, and you should avoid it at all costs!

Many kinds of butter are made with dairy from cows pumped with hormone-filled feed and antibiotics. Manufacturers will include these chemicals in their animal feed to artificially amp up dairy production. This isn’t humane for animals, and it’s not good for humans either! Studies have proven that people who consume these products are at a higher risk of developing cancer and obesity (2).

To avoid unnecessary fillers, be sure to choose non-GMO and organic butter.

The saying “There is too much of a good thing!” is true in this case, as you should consume butter in moderation. A little here and there goes a long way! Butter tends to get mixed reviews, but overall it’s a great healthy fat for your body.

How to Use Herb Butter

Herb butter is fresh butter infused with aromatic herbs! Some chefs prefer to call it compound butter. Herb butter isn’t meant to cover up the taste of food but rather enhance its flavor.

You’d be surprised at what a few drops of essential oil and a sprig of herbs can do! Many chefs prefer salted butter over unsalted, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Herb butter is the cherry on top of many different types of food. Here are some of our favorite ways to use this butter.

Eggs: Cook your omelets in a pat of herb butter to give them a boost of flavor!

Potatoes: Add a dollop to your potatoes for an instant upgrade.

Fish: For a leisurely dinner, place your favorite fish into a pan and top each filet with a tiny pat of herbed butter. Squeeze fresh lemon over the entire dish, and voila! Instant dinner.

Bread: This recipe is a fantastic topping for gluten-free rolls!

Vegetables: Sautee fresh broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, or peas in a pat of delicious herb butter. What a treat!

Pasta: For a simple lunch, pair gluten-free pasta with herbed butter, additional fresh basil, and a sprinkle of dairy-free mozzarella. Simple, yet delicious!

Healthy Butter Ingredients 101

You’re in for a tasty experience! Most recipes for compound butter include butter and herbs. We enjoy using essential oils in every aspect of our lives and have included them in this recipe.

Butter: As we previously mentioned, the butter you choose matters. Many supermarkets carry grass-fed organic butter that tastes heavenly and is closest to unprocessed. Small health food stores often have connections to local farmers who are more than willing to sell farm-fresh butter. It never hurts to ask!

Herbs: Our family has a strong love for fresh herbs, and we’ve become adept at figuring out which herb best enhances a dish.

For this recipe, we’ve chosen to use basil and dill. Fresh basil can help protect your stomach from ulcers and benefit your immune system (3). Dill is full of d-limonene that can help reduce your risk of cancer (4).

We love keeping our kitchen fully stocked with unique herbs, and the most cost-effective way to do this is to grow them yourself. Herbs are relatively easy to grow and don’t need much to thrive. You’ll have enough herbs to feed a village within a short time!

Essential Oils: Essential oils amp up the flavor of herbed butter, giving your body a boost of health benefits.

• Basil essential oil is a powerful antibacterial that can help heal your body and prevent future illness (5) 
• Dill essential oil is anti-fungal and can help prevent the build-up of candida (6)

Mama Z Pro Tip: When making flavored butter, I recommend that you match the essential oil and herb, so basil with basil essential oil, dill with dill essential oil, and so on.

Safety Disclaimer: Using essential oils in your culinary creations is a great way to introduce them to the entire family. When you include an EO in a recipe, you also need a dispersant. In this recipe, butter ensures the essential oils are evenly distributed. Without them, your mouth could get irritated. Never ingest an EO neat!

Make Herb Butter

This flavorful butter is easy to make! When hosting a dinner, prepare your butter in advance as it takes one hour to become firm.

Step One: Mix the Butter

In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the basil and essential oil. Cover and refrigerate for an hour until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Herb Butter Variations:

Dill Butter Variation

To make a decadent dill butter, follow the recipe above, but substitute the same amount of fresh or dried dill for the basil and use dill essential oil.

Herb Butter Roll: A Fancy Gift!

Herbed butter rolls are a fantastic hostess gift when paired with a gluten-free baguette. If you have extra time, you can bless yourself with an extra fancy condiment! Prepare your herbed butter in advance, grab some parchment paper,  and follow these simple steps.

Step One: Form Your Roll

Spoon your herbed butter mixture onto a large piece of parchment paper. Form the butter into a log using a spatula (or your hands if you’re not afraid of a little mess!). This will look a little distorted but don’t worry. The parchment paper evens everything out!

Step Two: Roll and Shape the Butter

Fold one end of your wax paper entirely over the butter and begin rolling. As you roll, shape the butter a little more until it resembles a smooth log. To keep your butter intact, seal the ends of the paper by tightly twisting. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. To serve, slice into thin pieces. Enjoy!

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