This Basil Pesto Butter recipe combines pesto's vibrant, summery flavor with creamy butter. It's an easy recipe that can be used in countless ways, from spreading on bread and tossing with pasta to topping grilled meats and veggies.
There are so many reasons to love this pesto butter recipe! It is full of flavor and so easy to make! You can make your pesto from scratch or get a jar from the grocery store. You can also use homemade butter or store-bought as the base.
There are endless ways to use this butter, but my favorite is putting a couple of tablespoons on a serving of freshly cooked pasta. As the butter melts into the pasta, it becomes a restaurant-worthy meal, and it's so simple!
Ingredients
Looking for the full recipe? The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Basil Pesto: Homemade pesto has more flavor than jarred, but either will work fine. Since you only need a couple of tablespoons, this is an excellent recipe for when you have a little leftover pesto and need a tasty way to use it!
Unsalted Butter: Soften your butter to room temperature so that the ingredients will mix in smoothly.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan adds a little extra nuttiness and makes this butter taste spectacular!
Kosher Salt: If you use salted butter, leave out the additional salt. And if you use table salt instead of coarse kosher salt, start with half the amount and adjust to taste.
Pro Tip: To quickly soften butter, fill a bowl or mug with hot water for a couple of minutes. Slice the butter into pieces and set them on a plate or board. Dump out the water and quickly wipe the bowl dry. Turn the bowl onto the butter and let it sit for a few minutes.
How to Make Pesto Compound Butter
- Place all of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a fork or rubber spatula to mix the pesto into the butter.
- A hand mixer can be helpful for making a double or triple batch.
- Transfer it to an airtight container or roll it into a log.
- Spoon the butter into a row on a large piece of parchment paper to make a butter log. Then, roll the parchment over the butter, pressing firmly to shape it. Twist the ends of the paper, then smooth out any bumps in the butter.
Tips for Making Your Own Pesto
Want to make your own pesto from scratch? Check out the recipe notes for the ingredient amounts and follow these tips!
- For the best flavor, choose fresh basil leaves that are vibrant green and show no signs of wilting or browning.
- Blanch the basil for about 15 seconds, then immerse in ice water to help keep the vibrant green color.
- Toasting your pine nuts deepens their flavor, but remove them from the hot skillet as soon as they have browned so they do not burn.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese will provide better flavor and texture than pre-shredded cheese.
- Pesto freezes well, so make a larger batch and freeze 2-tablespoon portions in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the pesto cubes to a freezer bag for long-term storage, and thaw as needed for making pesto butter or other recipes.
Ways to Use Basil Pesto Butter
- Pesto Bread: Spread the basil butter onto a slice of warm sourdough or Italian bread and serve with a caprese salad. You can also make delicious garlic bread by mixing a clove of minced garlic into the butter and spreading it onto bread slices.
- Pasta Sauce: Toss 2-4 tablespoons of flavored butter with 8 ounces of cooked pasta, adding a splash of pasta water to create a silky sauce.
- Grilled Meats: Top a grilled chicken breast, steak, or salmon fillet with a tablespoon of pesto butter before serving.
- Roasted or Steamed Vegetables: Use a couple of tablespoons of butter to make vegetables more flavorful. I especially love the flavor of pesto with broccoli, green beans, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, or peas.
- Breakfast Scramble: Scramble a few eggs in pesto butter for a savory breakfast.
- Baked Potatoes: Use pesto butter instead of regular butter when serving baked potatoes.
- Grilled Corn: Spread flavored butter on each ear of grilled corn.
- Grilled Cheese: To make a Caprese grilled cheese, spread pesto butter on both slices of bread, add a couple of slices of tomatoes, and add lots of mozzarella cheese.
If you love this compound butter, then be sure to also try herbed lemon butter and garlic herb butter!
Storing Flavored Butter
Butter should be stored in an airtight container to help prevent spoiling. It will last in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
You can also freeze butter for up to 9 months.
If you need softened butter for a recipe, place it on the counter at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
Recommended Recipes
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Recipe
Creamy Basil Pesto Butter
Recipe by:Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter softened
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) basil pesto for homemade pesto, see recipe notes
- 1 tablespoon (5 grams) shredded Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the butter, pesto, shredded cheese, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well with a fork until the pesto is fully blended with the butter. You can also use a rubber spatula or a hand mixer.
- Taste the butter and add additional pesto or salt, if desired.
- Transfer to an airtight container, or place on a sheet of parchment paper and roll the butter into a log.
Notes
- Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until they are golden, then remove from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool.
- Add all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil, to a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop coarsely.
- Turn the food processor on and pour the olive oil in a slow and steady stream through the food chamber.
- Turn off the food processor and scrape the sides of the bowl. Continue processing until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition
The nutritional facts provided are only estimates. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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