I make this lemon garlic butter sauce anytime a meal needs a little something extra. It’s light, bright, garlicky, and comes together in minutes with ingredients I almost always have on hand.
Why I’m Always Making This Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- There’s just 4 ingredients. Which includes butter, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. And I always have them on hand!
- It makes any dish feel elegant. Think of it as a melted, lemony version of my herb compound butter. It’s a simple blend that turns into a silky, bright sauce that makes any meal taste even better.
I’m a big fan of simple sauces that are easy to whip up, yet completely transform a meal. And this super easy, endlessly versatile lemon garlic butter sauce is one such recipe!
You can use it as a finishing sauce on fish like my roasted branzino, or you can simmer it with shrimp or scallops for a simple yet elegant dish. It’s also delicious drizzled on roasted or steamed vegetables for a punch of bright, buttery flavor. But the best part is how quickly it comes together!
Key Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: I always use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level myself. Since the sauce is so simple, even slightly oversalting it can throw off the balance pretty quickly.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice makes a huge difference here. I’ve made this with bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but the flavor tastes more muted and less fresh.
- Garlic and salt: The garlic gently infuses into the butter as it cooks, which mellows the sharpness and gives the sauce a softer, more balanced flavor.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
Melt the butter. Add the butter to a small pan over low heat and melt. Once lightly simmering, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and lemon juice.
Lisa’s tip: I know it’s tempting to toss everything into the pan at once, but the timing here really does make a difference. Letting the garlic cook briefly in the butter softens the sharpness, while adding the lemon juice after removing the pan from the heat keeps the flavor bright and fresh.
Serve. Transfer the lemon garlic butter sauce to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh herbs before serving. The herbs are optional, but every time I add them, I’m always so glad I did!
Ways I use This Sauce
- With seafood: My favorite way to use it is spooned over baked salmon, shrimp, scallops, or roasted branzino. The lemon and garlic complement seafood so well.
- With vegetables: I’ll drizzle it over roasted asparagus, roasted broccoli, or roasted potatoes right before serving. It instantly makes simple veggies taste more flavorful.
- With rice or grain bowls: When I need a quick meal, I’ll toss this with rice or quinoa along with roasted veggies, and maybe some shrimp or chicken. Simple…but so good!
More Homemade Sauces
- Chimichurri Sauce: Perfect for grilled meats!
- Tartar Sauce: A must-make for fish dishes.
- Basil Pesto: A summer staple.
- Bearnaise Sauce: Wonderful over steak and veggies.
If you try this lemon garlic butter sauce, let me know how they turn out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re looking for more healthy food inspiration, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tablespoons juice)
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- optional garnish: finely chopped fresh herbs
Instructions
- Melt the butter. Add the butter to a small pan over low heat and melt. Once lightly simmering, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and lemon juice.
- Serve. Transfer the lemon garlic butter sauce to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh herbs before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- I prefer to use unsalted butter, so I can control the amount of salt in the sauce. But you can use salted butter as well, if you prefer.
- While I know it may be tempting to toss all the ingredients in the pan at once, adding the garlic after the butter is simmering helps to mute the pungency, and adding the lemon after it’s removed from the heat helps to preserve the bright, fresh flavor. If you’d like even more lemony flavor, you could add lemon zest as well.
Nutrition
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How I Store This Sauce
Truth be told, there’s usually no sauce left when I make it. But, if you happen to have leftovers, you can store it in my favorite little glass jars. Just be aware that it will harden, like butter, and you’ll need to gently warm the sauce up again. I just remove the lid and microwave the jar for about 30 seconds (which you can do since they’re glass!).
