Cilantro Lime Butter

This Cilantro Lime Butter can be used on bread, corn on the cob, grilled steaks, and more. Learn how easy it is to make this compound butter with cilantro and lime, how to store it, and all the different ways you can use this delicious herbed butter to enhance different dishes!

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This cilantro lime butter is a bright and tangy compound butter that’s perfect for slathering on grilled corn on the cob, adding flavor to roast chicken, stirring into cooked white rice, or using as a finishing butter for steak.

Unfamiliar with compound butter? Essentially, compound butter a combination of butter and supplementary ingredients, such as herbs and garlic, and is used to enhance the flavor of dishes.

They’re often called herbed butters — though there are so many varieties (sweet and savory), and don’t always contain herbs.

After mixing softened butter with the additional flavors, herbs, and and aromatics, the butter is then reformed and chilled until firm. Once firm, the mixture can be sliced and added to a variety of foods.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what I used to make this simple recipe for cilantro lime compound butter:

• Butter
• Minced Fresh Garlic
• Minced Fresh Cilantro
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Lime Juice
• Lime Zest

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Butter

1. First, soften the butter to room temperature so it is easy to stir.
2. Then, mince the garlic and cilantro, zest the lime, and juice the lemon.
3. Next, combine butter with the minced garlic, fresh cilantro, salt, pepper, lime juice, and lime zest.
4. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper according to your taste preferences if desired. That’s it!

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Shaping the Flavored Butter

You don’t have to shape the cilantro lime butter, especially if you’re using it right away and serving it soft from a bowl works fine.

But, sometimes you’ll want to be able to make the butter ahead of time or have the option to slice pieces of butter when serving. In that case, I like to roll the butter into a log. Here’s how you do that:

Shaping into a Cylinder

1. Place the softened cilantro lime butter down the center of a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap.
2. Then, fold one end of the parchment over the top of the butter.
3. With a straight edge (a ruler or bench scraper works great), push the butter back into a cylinder while you hold the paper down over top.
4. After that, roll the the butter forward into a roll.
5. Twist the ends (like a tootsie roll!)
6. Place the rolled cylinder of butter in the fridge to chill until firm.
7. When ready to serve, unroll the cilantro lime compound butter and slice.

Shaping Into Butter Rosettes

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Then, transfer the softened butter to a piping bag fitted with whatever piping tip you prefer for the shape of your butter.
3. Pipe the shapes of the butter on to the parchment lined pan.
4. Then, when the pan is full, transfer it to the fridge until the butter firms up.

Storage Instructions

This cilantro lime butter is best stored in the refrigerator and will last up to 5 days. Just roll it back up into the parchment paper, twist the ends, and place in the fridge.

If you served it in a bowl, simply cover the bowl with plastic wrap. For butter rosettes, transfer them to an airtight container for refrigeration.

Freezing Instructions

Freezing this Cilantro Butter with Lime is a great way to extend its shelf life (it will last up to 2 months once frozen).

Freezing is also a great option if you want to prepare your butter in advance and store it for a later date. Here’s how:

• Transfer the rolled butter to a freezer zip top bag, remove as much air as possible, and place it in the fridge.
• Butter shapes can be stored in a plastic bag as well if they are firm enough they won’t smash together, but an airtight container is usually best.
• To use frozen compound butter, set it on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes to thaw.

Recipe Variations

Wondering what flavors go with cilantro and lime? These ingredients would be great added to this recipe (maybe not all of them at once, though)!

• Chili Flakes – will add some flecks of red in the butter and a touch of heat.
• Chili Powder – chili powder will add smokier spicy flavor more evenly throughout the butter.
• Cumin – cumin has a warm, earthy and slightly nuttier flavor that adds a depth of flavor. It also pairs really well with cilantro and lime as well as chili powder and is commonly used in Mexican dishes.
• Minced Fresh Jalapeño – fresh jalapeño always goes well with cilantro and lime. Make sure you mince them very finely because it will had some heat to the cilantro lime butter. The heat of a jalapeño is more of a bright spiciness rather than earthy or smoky.
• Cotija Cheese – a salty cow’s milk cheese commonly used in Mexico that goes really well with cilantro and lime. It will add an element of umami to the butter and tastes especially good if you want to use the cilantro butter on grilled corn!

Ways to Use Cilantro Lime Butter

• Rustic Bread, Homemade Baguette, or Flaky Biscuits – who doesn’t love their bread or biscuits with a side of butter? Try it with herbed butter sometime. It’s so good!
• Grilled Corn – I love summer corn on the grill! Just brush this butter on the corn after it cooks.
• Mashed Potatoes or Baked Potatoes – butter is a must have with mashed or baked potatoes. Using this cilantro lime butter adds an extra flavor element to these favorite sides.
• Juicy, Grilled Steaks – Check out my favorite flank steak marinade, just place a slice of the butter on the finished steak.
• Simple steamed or grilled vegetables – you can melt the butter and drizzle it over the cooked vegetables, or serve softened butter on the side
• Seafood Dishes – this butter is great on fish fillets shrimp recipes, especially grilled shrimp and fish
• Roast Chicken or Turkey – place the butter underneath the skin, especially over the breast meat, to infuse your roasted meats with flavor.
• Simple Pasta Dishes – basic pasta tossed with an herbed butter becomes anything but ordinary and makes a great, simple side dish!

More Flavored Butter Recipes:

In this post, I’m breaking down How to Make Compound Butter, how to store it, and the many ways you can use it. Plus I’m sharing a master list of the various sweet and savory compound butter flavor ideas you can make!

Rub your Thanksgiving turkey with this compound Garlic Herb Butter for added flavor and moisture. Prepare the herbed butter in advance to save yourself time on the big day! 

This easy Cranberry Butter recipe! It’s a delicious accompaniment to toast or biscuits and is a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving!

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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Rachael from Set the Table.