Warm Lemon Brown Butter Vinaigrette
You know that phrase ‘you had me at…’. Well, brown butter is it for me! I simply cannot get enough of the stuff! Put it in everything as far as I’m concerned! This Warm Lemon Brown Butter Vinaigrette is a rich, tart and delicious exclamation point on so many dishes! It combines the rich and nutty flavor of brown butter with fresh garlic and bright tart lemons. This one is special, friends!
Why I think you’ll love this vinaigrette:
Recipe ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Lemon Brown Butter Vinaigrette:
Note: This recipe calls for UNSALTED butter. If you choose to use SALTED butter, then you will need to reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe.
Let’s Make Lemon Brown Butter Vinaigrette Together: STEP BY STEP
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list in the recipe card below
What to Serve this With
I first created this vinaigrette to go with this Air Fryer Salmon and Asparagus, but there are so many ways that it can take your cooking to the next level.
Grilling Season: As you work your way through grilling season, this sauce can work with so many things. Consider it with grilled fish and shellfish or a juicy steak – in the same way that you would add a dollop of compound butter as an instant sauce (it will marry with the juices of the meat – yummm!). Oh, and don’t forget about the vegetables! Grilled eggplant, zucchini or potatoes would welcome this punchy flavorful sauce with a scattering of fresh herbs.
Roasting Season: It’s no different here. As we head into cooler seahis sauce can be a lovely final touch for a roasted chicken, a pan of roasted vegetables, a roasted pork loin or a slow-roasted piece of fish. Allowing the roasting juices in the pan to marry with the rich but sharp lemony brown butter is a little bit of magic!
Natalie’s Tips
- This recipe calls for UNSALTED butter. However, if you use SALTED butter, you will need to reduce the amount of added salt when blending the sauce.
- This small amount of butter (4 tablespoons) will brown quickly, so don’t leave your pan unattended. It will go from delicious brown to bitter black in no time!
- Don’t skip the step of quickly transferring the browned butter to a heat-proof bowl to stop the cooking process. If you leave the butter in the pan it will continue cooking and turn from brown to black quickly.
- An immersion stick blender is optimal for the small amount in this recipe. This is the one that I use (I’m not an affiliate or anything – just wanted to show you what I use). A small food processor would likely work well, too. A blender, on the other hand, may be too large.
Storage & Reheating
STORAGE: Store this sauce in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.
REHEATING: You can use a microwave, in 30 second intervals, to gently reheat this. You will also need to blend it again to achieve the right consistency.
Additions & Substitutions
ADDITIONS:
Heat – You could add some red chile flakes to the brown butter when you add the garlic for a touch of heat. How much you add is entirely up to you.
A little sweetness – If the vinaigrette is too tart for you, add some honey or brown sugar when your blending the vinaigrette.
Fresh herbs – To add a touch of freshness, feel free to add some chopped when blending the vinaigrette. Parsley, thyme and rosemary would all be nice and stand up to the assertive flavor.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
Other citrus – Using oranges or limes instead of lemons, you can change up the flavor profile of this sauce. Have fun with it!
FAQs
I hope you love this Lemon Brown Butter Vinaigrette! If you make it, be sure to leave a rating so I know how you liked it!
Warm Lemon Brown Butter Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat until the butter starts to foam and the milk solids separate and turn golden brown on the bottom of the pan. (With this small amount of butter, this will typically happen within a few minutes, so don't leave it unattended).
- When the butter is done, quickly transfer it to a heat-proof bowl to cool – this will help to stop the cooking process.
- To the hot butter, add the chopped garlic. It will sizzle and start to smell delicious.
- Once the butter has cooled for a few minutes, add it and the lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper, and avocado oil to a blender, food processor or use an immersion blender to blend until really well combined.
Video
Notes
- If you used salted butter, you will need to reduce the amount of salt added to the vinaigrette when blending.
- Don’t leave the butter unattended as it’s browning. Four tablespoons will brown quickly!
- Don’t skip the step of quickly transferring the browned butter to a bowl as soon as it’s done. If you allow it to remain in the pan, it will turn into black butter (very bitter!).
- An immersion stick blender or small food processor are optimal for this recipe, if you have one, as the amount of sauce is quite small for a blender.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? I want to know!
I’d love to hear from you! Consider leaving a comment and rating below.
My readers love to read your reviews, adaptations and suggestions! Have a question? I’ll personally respond within 24 hours. Please share any photos on instagram and tag me @nataliemarblecooks so I can see your creations!
