This 3-ingredient lemon compound butter is super quick and simple to prepare and can be served over meat, seafood, potatoes, and veggies for a delicious multi-purpose flavor booster.
Make sure the butter is at room temperature to easily mix with the remaining ingredients.
Meanwhile, zest and squeeze the lemon juice.
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
You can then either use it immediately or save it for later. Either transfer to an airtight container OR roll into a log.To do the latter, transfer the butter onto a large piece of parchment paper or beeswax wrap (or plastic wrap, though it will be harder to shape) into a log shape. Then, fold the paper over the butter, rolling it gently to form a log shape. Then, tightly twist the ends of the parchment paper or wrap, like a sweetie wrapper/Christmas cracker, and place in the refrigerator until firm.If your butter is too soft, you can place it in the refrigerator to chill for a short while before rolling in the parchment paper log.
Once chilled, slice off pieces of lemon butter as needed and enjoy!
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Make ahead: I highly recommend preparing the lemon butter a few hours (or overnight) in advance to allow the flavors to meld. Then, just mix, shape, and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.Store: you can store the compound butter in the refrigerator for up to a week. Aim to use it within 5 days if adding fresh herbs.Freeze: I love to make large batches and store some in the freezer for another time. I recommend pre-slicing the butter OR storing it in an ice-cube tray so it’s pre-portioned and you can grab as much as needed each time from the freezer. You can freeze the lemon butter for up to 3 months.
Notes
How to remove the wax from a lemon? Allow the lemon/s to soak in hot water for 10 minutes, quickly scrub with a vegetable brush, and then do a final rinse.
Adjust the salt amount: if you plan to use this over a wide array of dishes, you could even omit it entirely to avoid overly salty dishes.
Don't add too much lemon juice: or else it will affect the consistency of the butter and won’t be able to be shaped and set into a log.
Use softened butter: this will make it easier to mix. However, it's also crucial that it’s not too soft, or it will be tricky (or impossible) to shape. I recommend removing it from the fridge a short while before starting the recipe.
For fluffy whipped butter: use an electric mixer to whip and "fluff" the butter. This is great if you plan to use it immediately.
Optional Add-ins and Variations:Less is more with this simple lemon compound butter. However, there are still several ways you can experiment with additional flavor. My favorite options include:
Black pepper: add to taste. I recommend using fairly large, cracked pieces.
Lemon dill butter: this combination pairs wonderfully with all sorts of fish dishes. I recommend adding 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill to begin and increase to taste.
Garlic lemon butter: add 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced. Alternatively, you could use roasted garlic (and increase the amount). Garlic lemon butter pairs wonderfully with fresh herbs, too, like chives, parsley, tarragon, dill, etc.
Lemon herb butter: aside from dill, several other herbs pair well with lemon. These include parsley, chives, sage, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, oregano. Use one alone or a combination of several.
Lemon caper butter: mix in a tablespoon of capers and optionally some dill.
Spice: add a pinch of chili flakes to add bursts of heat.
Honey: if you plan to use it as a spread for muffins and quick breads, a little honey, vegan dandelion honey, or maple syrup would be delicious. If adding this, use only a teeny pinch of salt.
Mustard: just a spoonful of mustard will add depth to the compound butter.
Paprika: regular or smoked paprika added to taste will pair wonderfully with fish and chicken.
You can also mix and match the options above. For example, dill would also pair with cracked black pepper and/or a small amount of minced garlic or garlic powder, etc.Check the blog post for more tips and serving suggestions!