Seafood Garlic Butter Sauce
Indulge in the perfect pairing and dive into a world of seafood perfection with this tantalizing Garlic Butter Seafood Sauce. With the ideal balance of creamy butter, aromatic garlic, tangy lemon, and fresh herbs, this seafood butter will transform ordinary fish and shellfish recipes into extraordinary dining experiences that will leave your taste buds craving more!
Equipment
- 1 Small Saucepan (SEE NOTES)
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 4 TBS Unsalted Butter – cut into 4 pieces
- 1-2 clove Garlic – peeled and minced (substitute: 2 TBS minced Shallots)
- 1 TBS Fresh Lemon Juice – or more to taste
- 1 scant TBS Fresh Italian Parsley – minced (SEE NOTES)
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/16 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- Optional Additions: Capers, Anchovy Filet, Dijon Mustard, or Heavy Cream (SEE NOTES)
Instructions
- Brown Butter: Add the butter to a small saucepan and place the pan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan or stirring the butter constantly, until the butter starts to turn golden brown in color, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Garlic: Add the minced garlic to the butter and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the butter Is golden in color with a nutty aroma.
- Remove Garlic Butter from Heat: Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the garlic butter into a small bowl.
- Add Lemon and Herbs, Adjust to Taste: Add 1 tablespoon of the fresh lemon juice and all the minced parsley to the brown butter and season with the salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Let the butter cool slightly (so you don’t burn your tongue) and then taste it and adjust the flavors to suit your tastebuds.
- Serve Butter Garlic Sauce with Seafood: Serve butter garlic sauce with your favorite seafood dishes or store in the fridge to use at a later date. Enjoy!(Note: This seafood butter sauce will stay melted and pourable for 20 to 30 minutes, depending upon the temperature of your home. I like to use a butter warmer to keep the butter sauce melted for longer.)
Notes
- Saucepan: I recommend using a light colored or stainless-steel saucepan to make butter sauces. If you use a dark colored or cast-iron pan it will turn your butter sauce a darker color.
- Herbs: You can swap out the parsley and use other fresh herbs such as basil, tarragon, or cilantro. However, you will want to decrease the amount of tarragon significantly and the cilantro slightly.
- Storage: Allow the garlic seafood butter to cool to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for longer term storage. Reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave in short 10 second increments.
- Additions: You can easily customize this garlic butter. Once you turn off the heat under the pan, stir in rinsed, drained, and chopped capers or/and a minced anchovy filet. Whisk in 1-2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard or 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream. And if you’re looking for a less rich butter sauce, thin it with a little chicken broth or seafood broth.
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- Recipe Serves: 2-4
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 4 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcal Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 0.2g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 7g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 30mg Sodium: 293mg Potassium: 12mg Fiber: 0.04g Sugar: 0.1g Vitamin A: 371IU Vitamin C: 2mg Calcium: 6mg Iron: 0.04mg