The 5-minute sauce that makes everything taste better! This easy Lemon Butter Sauce is bright, buttery, and packed with fresh herbs. No cream or wine needed-perfect for fish, seafood, pasta, and vegetables!
A quick, fresh-herb lemon butter sauce-no cream, no wine reduction, no fuss.
This is the lemon butter sauce I make when dinner needs a little something extra. Bright, buttery, garlicky, and loaded with fresh herbs, it comes together in minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients.
Unlike a classic beurre blanc, this sauce needs no wine reduction or complicated emulsifying. Simply soften the shallot and garlic in butter, add fresh lemon juice, and finish with plenty of herbs. The result is a light, punchy sauce that’s delicious spooned over fish, chicken, vegetables, or pasta-or served warm for dipping artichokes, shrimp, or crab.
I especially love using a mix of fresh herbs here. Parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, basil, or whatever is growing in the garden can completely change the personality of the sauce.
Why you’ll love It
Ready in minutes. No reducing or complicated sauce technique-this simple lemon butter sauce comes together quickly in one small saucepan.
Bright, buttery, and fresh. Lemon balances the richness of the butter, while shallot, garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs give the sauce layers of flavor.
Endlessly versatile. Spoon it over fish, seafood, chicken, pasta, or vegetables, or serve it warm as a dipping sauce.
Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: The rich, silky base of the sauce. Use unsalted butter so you can season it precisely to taste.
- Fresh lemon: Freshly squeezed lemon juice cuts through the richness of the butter and gives the sauce its signature bright, tangy flavor. Taste your lemon first and avoid any that taste unusually bitter.
- Fresh herbs: This is where you can make the sauce your own! Use one herb or a combination of parsley, chives, dill, tarragon, basil, thyme, sorrel, lovage, or mint.
- Shallot and garlic: Gently sautéed in butter, they create a savory aromatic base without overpowering the lemon. Use both or just one in a pinch.
- Salt and black pepper: Bring the buttery, lemony flavors into balance. If using salted butter, season only after tasting..
How to Make Lemon Butter Sauce
1. Melt butter and sauté aromatics. In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in salt, lemon juice, and black pepper.
2. Add fresh herbs. Transfer the sauce to a dish and stir in the fresh minced herbs.
3. Thin the sauce. As it cools, the sauce will thicken. To thin it, place the bowl of sauce in a larger bowl with warm water at the bottom. Stir to keep the sauce incorporated.
Butter Sauce Variations
- For a creamier, thicker sauce, add a little whole milk or cream.
- For a bit of spice, add red pepper flakes or Aleppo Chili flakes.
- For complexity and aromatic flavor, add dry white wine when sautéing the shallot and garlic cloves. Cook at medium heat to cook off the alcohol.
- To enhance the lemon flavor, Sprinkle lemon zest over top.
- For extra richness and depth, add a little chicken broth.
- For extra garlicky, double or triple the garlic.
Storage
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For reheating, warm gently over low heat in a saucepan.
Ways to Use Lemon Butter Sauce
Lemon Butter Sauce is one of those versatile sauces that makes almost anything taste a little more special.
Its bright, buttery flavor is especially delicious with delicate fish and seafood, adding richness without overpowering them. Spoon it over Grilled Salmon, Grilled Scallops, Pan Seared Branzino or Baked Cod, or serve it as a dipping sauce with shrimp, crab, or lobster.
It's also wonderful with chicken and pasta. Drizzle it over our juicy Baked Chicken Breasts, or toss it with pasta for a quick, flavorful dinner. I especially love its bright lemony flavor with this Roasted Cauliflower Spaghetti.
For vegetables, try it spooned over Sautéed Asparagus, Roasted Asparagus, Steamed Broccoli, Grilled Broccolini, Roasted Broccoli, or Blistered Green Beans. It also makes a delicious dipping sauce for Grilled Artichokes.
Have fun with this creamy, delicious Lemon Butter Sauce! Be sure to let us know what you do with it!
More Favorite Sauce Recipes to Try!
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: ½ cup 1x
- Category: cooking basics, sauce
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This easy Lemon Butter Sauce is bright, buttery, and packed with fresh herbs. No cream or wine needed-perfect for fish, seafood, pasta, and vegetables!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon shallots, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- black pepper to taste
- 2–4 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced: parsley, chives, dill, thyme, tarragon, sorrel, lovage, mint – a mix is lovely
Instructions
- Melt butter in a small saucepan slowly over low heat. Add shallots and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in salt, lemon juice and black pepper.
- Place in a dish and stir in the herbs.
- The lemon sauce will thicken as it cools. To thin it, set the bowl of sauce in a larger bowl with a little warm water at the bottom. Stir to keep the sauce in cooperated as it loosens.
Notes
If using salted butter omit salt from sauce. Taste and add to taste.
The sauce will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stovetop in a saucepan to warm and loosen, giving a quick whisk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 108
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 81.6 mg
- Fat: 11.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 30.5 mg
Butter Sauce FAQs
The ingredients are simple! The basics are lemon, butter, salt and pepper. We add shallots and garlic for aromatic flavor. Fresh herbs add a nice, flavorful touch!
Don’t skip the butter, but if you’d like the sauce to be creamier, you can add whole milk or a little heavy cream to create a thicker consistency.
The butter is the key thickening agent. Use cold, cubed butter for best results.
This looks delicious. Would it work well with olive oil instead of butter? I’m vegan, so considering it for vegetables. Any thoughts on keeping the creaminess that butter would otherwise offer? Thanks!
What about trying it with vegan butter? I don’t think olive oil will work the same. Our recipe for gremolata is delicious and vegan.
This lemon sauce was so yummy. I used fresh thyme and tarragon.
Yay! Glad you gave it a try.
This sauce took roasted veggies and rock fish to the next level. Eating the left over sauce tomorrow with blanched green beans. A little dab of this on just about anything adds brightness with a touch of richness. Oh, so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome Gina! I know what you mean- hard to go wrong. Really appreciate you taking the time to review!
You are my “go to ” for recipes. I’m always sharing your dishes followed by sharing your link.
Thanks so much! Really nice to hear this.
Sounds delicious & easy. Shall be trying it tonight. 👍
Awesome Jan! Love to hear what you think.