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A bowl of creamy lemon butter sauce topped with parsley, black pepper, and lemon slices.

Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce

A rich, silky Creamy Lemon Butter Sauce made with butter, cream, and fresh lemon juice. Perfect for pasta, chicken, or seafood ready in just 10 minutes and guaranteed to taste restaurant-quality.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Creamy lemon butter sauce for chicken, Creamy lemon butter sauce for fish, Creamy lemon butter sauce for pasta, Creamy lemon butter sauce for salmon, Creamy lemon butter sauce for seafood, Creamy lemon butter sauce with milk, Creamy lemon sauce for fish, Ocean Basket lemon butter sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Simmer Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 220kcal
Cost: $4

Equipment

  • 1 Medium skillet or saucepan (For simmering the sauce)
  • 1 Whisk (Use gently for smooth texture)
  • 1 Measuring cups and spoons (Accuracy helps balance flavors)
  • 1 Microplane or zester (For fine lemon zest)
  • 1 Small bowl (To prep ingredients)

Ingredients

Base Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoon Butter - Unsalted preferred
  • 2 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 1 cup Heavy cream - Full-fat for best texture
  • 3 tablespoon Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon zest - Finely grated
  • Salt and pepper - To taste

Optional Flavor Boosters

  • 2 tablespoon White wine - Adds brightness
  • 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese - Adds nutty flavor
  • ¼ cup Chicken broth - For depth of flavor
  • Fresh herbs - Parsley dill, or basil

Thickening Options

  • 1 tablespoon Flour - Adds body
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch - For quick thickening
  • Extra parmesan - Natural thickener

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until it just begins to foam. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    A frying pan on a stove with melted butter and minced garlic being sautéed with a wooden spoon.
  • Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring gently. Add lemon juice and zest, then reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Let the sauce simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until slightly thickened and pale yellow.
    A saucepan filled with creamy butter sauce garnished with chopped parsley and black pepper, stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir in parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if using.
  • Serve immediately over pasta, chicken, or fish. Cool leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
    A bowl of creamy lemon butter sauce topped with parsley, black pepper, and lemon slices.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 60g | Calories: 220kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 3g (1%) | Protein: 2g (4%) | Fat: 23g (35%) | Saturated Fat: 14g (88%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 65mg (22%) | Sodium: 110mg (5%) | Potassium: 40mg (1%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 950IU (19%) | Vitamin C: 3mg (4%) | Calcium: 40mg (4%) | Iron: 0.1mg (1%)
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