Roasted Garlic and Herb Butter

If you love butter, this roasted garlic and herb butter will be one of your new favorites!

It’s perfect for slathering on bread or toast, or even dipping your pizza crust in (which, personally, is my favorite way to enjoy it).

The best part is that it’s super easy and simple to make — and you can customize it based on what ingredients you have on hand. Feel free to get creative!

You can switch the ingredients to suit your taste or what you have available in your kitchen.

Give this recipe a try; even if you’re missing one or two ingredients, you should still make this recipe, leaving out the ingredients you do not have.

Ingredients for Garlic and Herb Butter

Butter: I used about 50 grams of butter for this small batch. You can make more if needed, but I prefer to make compound butter fresh each time. If you plan to make a larger batch and store it, it helps enhance the flavor of the butter over time, as the garlic has more time to infuse. But for this particular recipe, I kept it to a small amount.

Garlic: I used 6 to 7 garlic cloves, but you can adjust based on how garlicky you want your butter.

If you love a strong garlic flavor, use up to 2 heads of garlic if you’re making a bigger batch (200-300 grams of butter).

If you’re not a fan of an overpowering garlic flavor, just reduce the number of cloves. The key is roasting the garlic to get the maximum flavor, which I’ll explain below.

Fresh Parsley: I used freshly chopped parsley, but you can experiment with other herbs, like coriander if that’s more to your taste. I think coriander would also add a nice, fresh note. Just chop the parsley finely to get the best flavor infusion in the butter.

Oregano: Oregano is one of my absolute favorites for adding a depth of flavor, especially when using the compound butter on pizza or in savory dishes. It brings out the richness in the butter. I recommend using this herb for a nice aromatic touch.

Rosemary: Rosemary is quite a strong herb, so use it sparingly. A small pinch of rosemary is all you need. If you’re a big fan of rosemary, you can add more, but be careful, as it can overpower the flavor if used in excess.

I combined rosemary and oregano for a beautifully balanced flavor. I recommend grinding these herbs using a mortar and pestle—this preserves their flavor better than a blender.

If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can crush them by hand or leave them in the butter for 10-12 hours to infuse the flavor naturally.

Salt (optional): A pinch of salt helps balance the flavors, but feel free to add it to taste. You can always adjust the salt content depending on your preference.

What is Compound Butter?

Compound butter is butter and added ingredients that enhance its flavour so it is basically butter, but with way more flavor! Since butter itself doesn’t have a complicated flavor profile(it is creamy and still tastes delicious all on its own), it acts as the perfect carrier for flavour from other ingredients like herbs, garlic, spices, or even a bit of honey.

I love garlic herb butter, which is my favorite; hence, I always use it!

It’s amazing for baking, spreading on pizza crusts, as a dip for crusty bread, or even slathered over freshly baked dinner rolls. It just makes everything taste so much better!

You can also use it on kitchen steaks, chicken, and other recipes. YOu can be creative and add more or fewer ingredients to this compound butter recipe, but this recipe is about how I make it, and I’m sure you will love this variation of garlic and herb butter.

Making Garlic Herb Compound Butter

1. Melt the Butter

Since I made a small batch, I started by melting about 50 grams of butter in the microwave. I heated it in 15-second intervals until it fully melted. However, if you’re making a larger batch, it’s best to roast the garlic first before melting the butter.

2. Roast the Garlic

I used 6 to 7 garlic cloves (you can adjust the amount based on preference). First, I crushed the garlic slightly to release its flavor. Then, I placed the crushed garlic in a bowl, drizzled it with olive oil, and microwaved it for about a minute. The garlic absorbed the oil and fried slightly, turning soft and aromatic.

If you’re using two whole heads of garlic, an alternative method is to wrap the garlic in an aluminum foil and bake them in the oven. I prefer the microwave method as it is quicker and requires less effort.

3. Prepare the Herbs

I use a combination of parsley, oregano, and a small pinch of rosemary. I finely chopped the parsley and crushed the oregano and rosemary using a mortar and pestle. Grinding the herbs manually helps retain their flavor better than blending.

If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, another method is to let the herbs sit in the melted butter for at least 10 to 12 hours before using it. This allows the flavors to infuse naturally.

4. Mix Everything Together

I added the roasted garlic and crushed herbs into the melted butter, stirring well to combine. A pinch of salt can be added according to taste.

For a creamier texture, let the butter sit until it starts to solidify slightly, then whip it until it becomes soft and airy.

Fresh Or Roasted Garlic

I prefer raw crushed fresh garlic, and after trying this recipe with fresh garlic, I have to say it tastes absolutely amazing.

If I had to choose, I’d go with fresh garlic for this recipe. The flavor is more vibrant and the garlic taste stands out stronger.

However, I understand many people don’t enjoy the intense raw garlic smell. If you’re one of those, roasted garlic is a great option since it’s milder and has a sweeter, less pungent flavor.

If you love a strong garlic punch, fresh garlic is the way to go. Its flavor is much more prominent and brings a bolder taste to the dish than roasted garlic.

How to Roast Garlic Without Aluminum Foil

I start by peeling the garlic cloves from their head; then, I crush them with a mortar and pestle.

After that, I coat them in olive oil and microwave the mixture for about 1 to 2 minutes. It’s super simple and quick, and I love that it roasts the garlic without needing aluminum foil, which I find takes too long.

If you’re lazy when making this, you can even use pre-peeled garlic to save time!

How to Use Garlic Butter

This garlic butter can be used with multiple recipes! I love spreading it on warm dinner rolls – it just melts so perfectly.

For pizza, I brush it on the crust before baking, making the edges so golden and flavorful. Once it’s out of the oven, I add more for that extra garlic punch.

It’s also amazing for dipping cheesy breadsticks and leftover pizza crusts. You can also use it on Dinner rolls,  Garlic knot makes the best appetizer for any event.

Honestly, it makes everything taste better. I even use it on roasted veggies – such a simple way to elevate the flavors.

Garlic butter is great on burgers, steaks, and roasted potatoes too. I put it on almost anything – chicken, lamb, you name it! It just makes everything taste richer and more delicious.