Make a super-easy, bright lemon butter sauce for chicken, pasta, fish, or steamed vegetables. It’s light, tangy, and made with fresh lemon juice and real butter—no preservatives, additives, or artificial colors.
By heating the fresh lemon juice first, the butter emulsifies into the juice without the need for flour or cornstarch. The sauce comes together in minutes and has a clean, fresh lemon flavor balanced by butter.
Ingredients
Simple ingredients deliver maximum flavor: fresh lemon juice, salted butter, salt, and white pepper. Optional buttermilk can be added for extra creaminess.
Here’s how you make it
- Cut the butter into small pieces and set aside so it melts evenly.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the lemon juice over high heat until it just starts to bubble, then reduce the heat to low.
- Add the butter a few pieces at a time and whisk on low until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Serve immediately over your dish of choice.
This sauce takes less than five minutes to make and reheats easily. If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator and reheat gently (see storage notes).
Recipe tips
- If the sauce starts to separate or “break,” remove the pan from heat and whisk in a splash of cold water until it re-emulsifies.
- For a creamier texture, stir in 2 teaspoons of buttermilk just before serving.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover sauce in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat, warm the sauce gently in a pan over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth. If it becomes too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Variations
Add fresh or dried herbs to customize the sauce for different dishes. Fresh herbs are milder—add them at the end of cooking. If using dried herbs, reduce the amount because they’re more concentrated.
- Dill: pairs beautifully with fish and poultry.
- Rosemary: good with roasted chicken, pork, or beef.
- Sage: works well with turkey, pork, or richer meats.
This light lemon butter sauce is lovely with chicken, asparagus, and steamed or poached fish.
Related recipes
- Hollandaise sauce
- Buttermilk Dill Salad Dressing
- Orange Glazed Carrots
♥ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating—I love hearing from you!
5-Minute Lemon Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 sticks salted butter (about 1½ cups or 24 tablespoons)
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons buttermilk (optional)
Instructions
-
In a medium saucepan, heat fresh lemon juice over high heat. When it begins to bubble slightly, reduce the heat to low.
-
Add the butter, a few pieces at a time, and stir on low heat until the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and white pepper to taste and serve immediately.
-
For a creamier sauce, stir in 2 teaspoons of buttermilk just before serving.
Notes
To make the sauce slightly creamier, add 2 teaspoons of buttermilk right before serving.
Nutrition estimate
Calories: 1695kcal
Carbohydrates: 19g
Protein: 2g
Fat: 183g