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Homemade Garlic Butter is the easiest way to level up any recipe at home (even simpler than my popular Compound Butter recipe) – just add it to the tops of your proteins, vegetables, or even just spread it on bread and enjoy!
Watch the Garlic Butter Recipe Video!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- garlic – the garlic is used in both roasted and fresh form. I love how the roasted garlic is sweeter and nuttier, while the gresh garlic gives a sharper garlic flavor. Having both really deepens the flavors in the garlic bread!
- If you need a quicker version of this recipe, you can skip roasting the garlic and increase the number of garlic cloves from 6 to 12. (If you love garlic, make sure to try my Garlic Fried Rice or Garlic Noodles!)
- unsalted butter, softened – use unsalted butter, as this recipe already has salt in it. If you only have salted butter on hand, skip the salt in the recipe.
- fresh parsley – I recommend using fresh herbs whenever possible but if you only have dried on hand, I would use 1/2 of the amount called for in the recipe.
- garlic powder – There is a third form of garlic in this recipe, garlic powder, which adds a mellow, subtle flavor. If you don’t have this on hand, you can leave it out.
How to Make Garlic Butter
1. Roast Garlic
Slice the top quarter of the heads of garlic and place in aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Close the foil tightly around the garlic and bake in the oven at 325F for 1 hour. Remove the garlic and squeeze out the garlic cloves into a bowl and mash with a fork.
Note – If you’re in a rush, you can skip this step and increase the number of garlic cloves from 6 to 12.
2. Mix and Wrap!
To the same bowl, add the butter, parsley, fresh garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.
Wrap in plastic wrap to form a log and place in the fridge to use for roasted vegetables like Honey Roasted Carrots, Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Brussels Sprouts (or Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts) and Roasted Green Beans with Bacon (or on top of Mashed Potatoes!)
Use it to make Garlic Noodles or Air Fryer Chicken Skewers. Top off your Pan Seared Steak, Pan Seared Salmon, Grilled Steak, or Air Fryer Salmon with some butter right before serving for that restaurant quality touch!
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Expert Tips + Storage
- Short On Time? You can make a faster version in 15 minutes by skipping the roasted garlic (in step 1) and just increasing the amount of fresh garlic to 12 cloves in the garlic butter!
- Use Unsalted Butter – This is so you can control the salt content to your preference. Alternatively, if you only have salted butter, skip the salt in the recipe.
- Storage – Store your Garlic Butter in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or up to 3 months in the freezer. Do not leave it on the counter – since it has fresh, raw garlic mixed into it, it will go bad if it is not stored in the refrigerator. Use a clean utensil to scoop out the butter before using – try to avoid cross contamination, to keep the butter as fresh as possible.
If you tried this Garlic Butter Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Homemade Garlic Butter (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 3 heads garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon for roasting garlic
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon for roasting garlic
Instructions
- Slice the top quarter of the heads of garlic and place in aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Close the foil tightly around the garlic and bake in the oven at 325F for 1 hour. Remove the garlic and squeeze out the garlic cloves into a bowl and mash with a fork.
- To the same bowl, add the butter, parsley, fresh garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Wrap in plastic wrap to form a log and place in the fridge to use for vegetables, meats, or sauces!
Notes
- Short On Time? You can make a faster version in 15 minutes by skipping the roasted garlic (in step 1) and just increasing the amount of fresh garlic to 12 cloves in the garlic butter!
- Use Unsalted Butter – This is so you can control the salt content to your preference. Alternatively, if you only have salted butter, skip the salt in the recipe.
- Storage – Store your Garlic Butter in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or up to 3 months in the freezer. Do not leave it on the counter – since it has fresh, raw garlic mixed into it, it will go bad if it is not stored in the refrigerator. Use a clean utensil to scoop out the butter before using – try to avoid cross contamination, to keep the butter as fresh as possible.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.