Best Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe – Enjoy this decadently buttery, rich, and flavorful garlic herb sauce with steak, seafood, and pasta, or as a fabulous dipping sauce for bread and snacks!

Top down view of white ramekin of butter sauce, with two breadsticks on the white plate next to the ramekin

Why We Love This Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe

Want to add some pizzazz to the table? There’s nothing easier to make than Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce… But while it is practically effortless to prepare in less than 5 minutes, this versatile sauce is so delicious on SO many things!

From elegant steaks to low country crab boils, breadsticks, pizza, and everything in between, melted butter sauce belongs with nearly any savory dish.

Today we’re going to show you how to make the easiest garlic butter sauce with optional add-ins to spice it up!

Grilled sirloin steak on a plate, with garlic herb butter sauce poured on top.

5 Ingredients You Need

  • Butter – unsalted
  • Fresh Garlic – minced
  • Parsley – fresh and chopped
  • Salt and Black Pepper – to taste

Keep reading for some of our favorite ideas for optional melted butter add-ins!

Hand dipping cooked shrimp in a white ramekin of melted garlic butter.

How to Make Garlic Butter Sauce

Set a small skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and minced garlic.

Once the butter starts to melt, move the garlic around the pan to sauté. Keep stirring the garlic and butter so that neither burns.

Salt and pepper the sauce liberally and continue to cook the garlic for just 1 to 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and stir in fresh parsley.

Get the Complete (Printable) Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

This fabulously easy garlic butter sauce recipe is great to customize to your tastes! Try any of these optional delicious add-ins:

  • Fresh lemon zest
  • Garlic powder for double garlic flavor
  • Crushed red pepper flakes to add a kick of spicy heat
  • Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning for an herby flavor
  • Lemon pepper
  • Italian seasoning
  • Fresh herbs like chopped basil or mint

If you want a melted butter sauce or compound butter with some serious giddy’up, consider trying our easy Cowboy Butter recipe!

White ramekin of butter sauce with two breadsticks on the white plate next to the ramekin.

Serving Suggestions

Serve garlic butter sauce with main dishes like steak (try our Bavette or Porterhouse steak recipes), pork chops, chicken, and roasted vegetables. And it’s scrumptious with seafood recipes like roasted shrimp and crab legs!

Use it as a dipping sauce with warm Homemade Breadsticks or low-carb Cloud Bread. Pour it right on top of pizza slices and/or use it to dip the crusts. The sauce is also delicious for brushing onto fresh made Homemade Naan, Unleavened Bread, or any baked breads…

Ok honestly, you might have to stop yourself from dipping every single savory food into this buttery goodness!

Grilled sirloin steak on a plate, with garlic herb butter sauce poured on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does garlic sauce taste so good?

Rich butter infused with aromatic garlic and vibrant parsley… What’s not to love?! This sauce hits all of the best savory notes, and compliments dishes without overpowering them.

How do you thicken garlic butter sauce?

In this simple recipe, we don’t use any thickening agents; however, the sauce will begin to naturally thicken as the butter cools down and starts to solidify.

How long does homemade garlic butter sauce last?

Let the garlic butter dipping sauce cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

How do you reheat butter sauce?

You want to reheat the sauce slowly on low heat. Microwave on low power in short 5-second bursts. Stir between bursts. Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop on low heat, stirring frequently.

Hand dipping half of a breadstick into a white ramekin of butter sauce, with 1 other breadstick on the white plate next to the ramekin.

Looking for More Classic Condiment Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:

Top down view of white ramekin of butter sauce, with two breadsticks on the white plate next to the ramekin
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Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe + Video

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 4 minutes
Enjoy this decadently buttery, rich, and flavorful herb and garlic butter sauce with steak, seafood, and pasta, or as a fabulous dipping sauce for bread and snacks!
Servings: 4 servings (.5 cup total)

Video

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Set a small skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the butter and minced garlic. Once the butter starts to melt, move the garlic around the pan to sauté.
  • Salt and pepper the sauce liberally and continue to cook the garlic for 1 to 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and stir in fresh parsley. Serve warm.

Notes

Let the garlic butter dipping sauce cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat the sauce slowly on low heat: Microwave on low power in short 5-second bursts. Stir between bursts. Alternatively, you can reheat on the stovetop on low heat, stirring frequently.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tb, Calories: 208kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 0.4g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 183mg, Potassium: 19mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.05g, Vitamin A: 711IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 12mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
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