This easy 3-ingredient pesto butter is the perfect example of how less is more. Fresh basil pesto comes together with garlic in a simple softened butter base to turn into this wicked delicious compound butter that you can use as a spread for anything and everything!
All you’ll need is 5 minutes of kitchen time to put it together.
Making compound butter has become my newest obsession.
My spicy Cajun butter and hot honey butter were both big hits, and inspired by how well they turned out, I really wanted to try something along the same lines, but more herby. And I thought, why not combine my favorite basil pesto with some butter?
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
My favorite part about this recipe is the fact that it is ridiculously easy to make. All you’ll need is pesto and butter, and you’ve got yourself a delicious pesto-flavored butter ready.
It’s a great way to use up some of your leftover basil as well- I almost always end up with more basil than I can use, and I always make either this or some basil gremolata.
Ingredients For the Basil Pesto Butter Recipe
Pesto: Start with a simple homemade basil pesto. I used the traditional pesto here- with pine nuts and fresh basil leaves, but you could totally try using other kinds of pesto like kale pesto, carrot top pesto, spinach pesto, mint pesto, or even sundried tomato pesto.
Butter: I used salted butter here for this recipe for that delicious rich flavor. You can use unsalted butter if that’s what you have at hand. A stick of butter should be just fine.
Garlic: For that extra garlicky deliciousness. Fresh garlic is the best, but you could also make do with garlic powder. You can also use homemade garlic bread seasoning to amp up the flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Simplify the recipe further by using garlic butter instead of the butter and garlic separately. Sometimes, I use some of my leftover garlic lemon butter too, and it turns out amazing!
- If you’re planning to use this compound butter for your Italian meals and foods in particular, adding a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese can work wonders!
- Remember that if you're adding cheese into the mix, you'll need to use unsalted butter instead of salted butter, since cheese can already be quite salty.
How to Make Pesto Butter
Step 1: Start by combining the pesto and garlic, and add the softened butter in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix it together using a spoon or a fork until you get a consistent mixture.
Step 3: Transfer the compound butter into a jar or a bowl and cover it up in cling wrap. Refrigerate or freeze for a few hours and then use as needed.
💭Top Tip
To lend a bit of kick and extra flavor to this flavored butter, you can add a dash of chili flakes or peri peri seasoning into it too!
How to Store the Leftovers
The best part about this basil pesto butter is the fact that you can refrigerate it for days if not weeks. Just transfer the leftover pesto butter to an airtight container or in a Ziploc bag before you refrigerate it.
You can also portion it out into small silicone molds and pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you don’t have a silicone mold, you can transfer the butter mixture onto cling wrap, roll into a log, and then refrigerate or freeze it.
Tips & Tricks to Make Pesto Butter
- To lend it an extra layer of smoky deliciousness, use some homemade roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic.
- It is always a good idea to use freshly prepared pesto for this recipe. This will ensure that the butter has that bright green color you’re looking for.
- I like to use a simple bowl and a fork to combine all the ingredients together, but if you are making this in a big batch, you can use a food processor to give it all a good mix.
- Remember to add some lemon juice while making pesto. This will help preserve its bright green color.
- You can also make butter pesto sauce by mixing the pesto with some melted butter.
How to Serve Basil Butter
There are tons of ways to use pesto butter! This savory, salty spread works perfectly on crusty bread- I personally love spreading it on a slice of sourdough or bruschetta and toasting it. You can then top it with some shredded cheese, broil it, sprinkle some homemade everything bagel seasoning mix over it, and you’re done!
This pesto garlic bread has my heart and is my favorite midnight snack. This flavored butter can also be a delicious topping for your breakfast eggs. You can also use this compound butter as a marinade or topping for grilled chicken or fish.
The easiest way to use it is to toss it with some of your favorite pasta or drizzle it over your homemade pizza. And that’s not all- you can slather it on some grilled corn on the cob, or spoon some of it over cooked steak or a salmon filet- yes, it is really that versatile.
If you’re a vegetarian, you will love tossing your steamed or roasted veggies into some fresh pesto butter.
Recipe FAQs
You sure can! I would recommend you use homemade pesto, but you can definitely make do with any store-bought pesto of your choice for the recipe too if that makes things easier for you.
The easiest way to soften your butter quickly is to cut it into cubes and microwave it in 10-second increments until it is just soft enough to be mixed with a spoon.
More Condiments to Try
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this pesto butter or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Pesto Butter
Ingredients
- 200 gms unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoon basil pesto
Instructions
- Start by combining the pesto and the softened butter in a bowl.
- Mix it together using a spoon or a fork until you get a consistent mixture.
- Transfer it on a sheet of cling wrap and roll it into a log. Refrigerate or freeze for a few hours and then use as needed.
Notes
- It is always a good idea to use freshly prepared pesto for this recipe. This will ensure that the pesto butter has that bright green color you’re looking for.
- I like to use a simple bowl and a fork to combine all the ingredients together, but if you are making this in a big batch, you can use a food processor to give it all a good mix.
- Remember to add some lemon juice while making pesto. This will help preserve its bright green color.
