Lemon Butter Sauce

Name: Lemon Butter Sauce for Seafood
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 7 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1/2 cup butter, cubed and cold; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Lemon butter sauce is a classic French condiment made by reducing lemon juice and whisking in cold cubed butter to create a silky, tangy emulsion. It's an essential finishing sauce for seafood that comes together in minutes.

🌍French 🏷️Lemon butter sauce 🏷️Beurre blanc 🏷️Sauce 🏷️Seafood sauce Lemon

🏷️

🏷️Butter

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dvdnguyenonTikTok

Total

7 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$13–$21

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok · by dvdnguyen

-0:00

dvdnguyenonTikTok

Ingredients

2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup butter, cubed and cold
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

5 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a small pan over low heat, add the lemon juice.
2
Allow the lemon juice to simmer and reduce by about half.
3
Slowly whisk in the cold, cubed butter a few pieces at a time, ensuring each addition is melted and incorporated before adding the next. Continue until all butter is emulsified into a smooth sauce.
4
Once the sauce is fully emulsified, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
5
Stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
6
Serve immediately with your favorite seafood or chicken.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Use butter straight from the refrigerator, cubed into small pieces—cold butter is essential for the emulsion to hold without breaking.
Whisk constantly and add butter gradually over 1-2 minutes; rushing this step causes the sauce to separate.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper after the butter is fully incorporated, since salt's perception changes once fat is added.
Add fresh parsley at the very end off heat to preserve its bright color and delicate flavor.

Substitutions

Lemon juice → Fresh lime juice or white wine reduction (adjust acid-to-fat ratio)
Fresh parsley → Fresh tarragon or chives (use same amount, add off heat)
Butter → Crème fraîche whisked in (lighter texture, less rich)

Storage & make-ahead

Lemon butter sauce does not store well and is best served immediately. Leftovers may be refrigerated up to 1 day but will separate; gently warm and whisk to recombine.

Common Questions

Why does my lemon butter sauce break or separate?

Butter must be cold and cubed, and added slowly while whisking constantly. If the pan gets too hot, the emulsion breaks. Keep heat moderate and work quickly.

Can I make lemon butter sauce ahead of time?

This sauce is best served immediately after making. If you need to hold it, keep it warm in a double boiler over low heat, whisking occasionally to maintain emulsion.

What's the best way to reduce lemon juice without losing flavor?

Bring lemon juice to a simmer and reduce by half, watching carefully so it doesn't evaporate completely. A quick reduction (2-3 minutes) preserves brightness.