Easy Cilantro Lime Butter Recipe

This savory butter is perfect on your favorite chicken or beef once cooked. You can also add to grilled corn or vegetables as well.

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Cilantro Lime Butter is made with just 3 simple ingredients but can be added to a variety of dishes for more of a fresh and zesty flavor. Making your own butter is not hard and you would not believe the extra flavor the lime and cilantro bring in. You can use herbed butters like this one on seafood dishes, such as salmon and shrimp recipes, it’s great for steaks, and we love it on chicken. Let’s not forget that if you are serving dinner rolls you can spread it there too. Another popular option is when you are making grilled vegetables (like fresh summer corn on the cob), or sautéing a variety of veggies in a skillet. The refreshing flavors are really great during the spring and summer months.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: amazingly delicious citrus and herb butter that is bursting with flavor, it takes the flavor of grilled meats, fish and vegetables to the next level
Main Ingredients: salted butter, cilantro, lime juice
Cooking Method: no bake
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Pairs well with: grilled meats, fish and seafood, dinner rolls, grilled vegetables, ears of corn
Diets: keto friendly, gluten free, vegetarian, vegan
Special Equipment Needed: food processor or blender, sharp knife, citrus press

Ingredients

You may have all of these ingredients for this cilantro lime butter in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store! If this is your first time making this easy recipe for herbed butter you might want to read the possible variations before deciding on your ingredients.

Cilantro-Lime Butter Ingredients

½ cup salted butter (slightly softened)
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Substitutions

Butter: We are using salted, but if you prefer to use unsalted butter you may want to add salt before refrigerating.

Cilantro: If you really are a cilantro fan you can use more than what is called for in the recipe card.

Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice is best, but you can always use store bought if needed. If you like a more intense lime flavor you can add some fresh lime zest as well.

Possible Variations:

Add a few red pepper flakes, chili flakes, chili powder or a dash of cayenne pepper to turn up the heat.
Skip the lime juice and add in basil, minced garlic, and oregano or use an Italian seasoning blend.
Substitute lemon for the lime and add additional herbs, such as parsely, for example.
Combine butter with parmesan, cotija cheese, or blue cheese.

ingredients need to make cilantro butter

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: This flavor bursting herb butter tastes especially scrumptious on our Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs. You’ll love these mouthwatering, juicy and tender chicken thighs cooked to perfection in the air fryer.

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Food Processor — Even though a food processor or blender comes in super handy when making this mouthwatering lime and herb butter, you can also easily cream butter by hand. The result will be just as delicious!

Instructions

This section shows how to make cilantro lime butter, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below.

COMBINE: Firstly, add the room temperature salted butter, lime juice, and cilantro to the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender. Then pulse until the butter is smooth and totally blended. In case you don’t have a food processor you can combine the ingredients for this simple recipe by hand as well.

REFRIGERATE: Afterwards, take the cilantro butter out of the food processor and let it chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.

MOLD INTO CYLINDER: After removing the butter from the fridge you can mold it into a cylinder with plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper. Return to the refrigerator. Once it’s hardened completely you can slice it into nice round patties. Finally, use your homemade compound butter to flavor meat, fish or vegetables.

cilantro lime butter being cut into slices

put butter on top of hot chicken or meat

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love adding extra flavor to grilled meats and fish then you’ll love our Lemon Butter. This incredibly yummy compound butter is bursting with fresh citrus and herb flavor. It is especially good on fish and seafood.

Andrea says….

I love using this butter compound on chicken, fish or steak. Sometimes I even put a little on butter.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best cilantro and lime compound butter recipe.

Tip: Make sure to use softened butter. That way it blends easily with the add-ins.
Tip: Don’t forget to refrigerate the compound butter before shaping. Otherwise it can get really messy.
Tip: Chill cilantro butter properly before slicing into disks. For best results, we recommend overnight.

What To Serve With Cilantro Lime Butter

Try one of these delicious recipes:

Bread: Serve herbed butter with crusty bread or soft dinner rolls. You can use it to flavor our scrumptious Pizza Dough Garlic Knots. Additionally, Andrea’s Copycat Lion House Rolls also go perfectly with this cilantro butter.

Meat and Fish: Pair compound butter with our Air Fryer Salmon, Convection Oven Roast Chicken, Air Fryer Tilapia or Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon. Moreover, put this delicious butter on the chicken in our Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl.

Vegetables: Traditionally, cilantro lime compound butter can also be served with Air Fryer Cauliflower or Green Beans. It would taste great with Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables as well.

More Cilantro Lime Recipes

If you are also a big fan of anything cilantro lime flavored, then you have to try out flavorful Cilantro Lime Sour Cream or yummy Cilantro Lime Rice.

How To Store

Refrigerate: Store cilantro butter leftovers in an airtight container or ziploc bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Store herbed butters in an airtight, freezer safe, container and freeze for up to 1 month. If you’re storing in a zip top plastic bag, try to get as much air out as possible.

Defrosting: Allow the butter to sit out on the counter for 15-20 minutes before using.

cilantro lime butter melting on cooked meat

Common Questions

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is butter that is softened, then creamed together with other ingredients such as herbs, spices, lemon, lime, and olive oil.

Can I freeze cilantro lime butter?

Yes. We recommend slicing the lime herb butter into disks after it has firmed up in the fridge. Individually wrap each disk in plastic wrap or put little squares of parchment paper between the slices to keep them from sticking together. Freeze them in an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag. You can now easily remove individual portions as needed.

Can I make compound butter without a food processor?

Of course! Make sure your butter is softened before you start making the lemon butter. Add butter to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add your seasonings and mix until well combined. Shape and chill your compound butter.
You can even whip up your butter by hand using a spatula or whisk, then stir in the flavorings. Shape and chill.

butter, cilantro, lime

5 from 3 votes

Cilantro Lime Butter

Author Andrea + Stef

Course condiment

Cuisine American, Mexican

Prep Time 5

Total Time 15

16 servings

This savory butter is perfect on your favorite chicken or beef once cooked. You can also add to grilled corn or vegetables as well.

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup salted butter slightly softened
▢ ¼ cup fresh cilantro
▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a food processor. Blend together. Alternatively, you can cream the butter, cilantro and lime juice together by hand.
Remove butter from food processor and refrigerate until it is moldable.
Shape into a cylinder using plastic wrap, parchment paper or wax paper.
Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, or until solid.
Slice and serve on top of your favorite meat or vegetables.

Notes

After removing the butter from the food processor, you can mold the butter into a cylinder with plastic wrap or wax paper. Once it’s hardened in the refrigerator you can slice it into nice round patties.

If your butter is too liquidy to shape after you’ve combined with cilantro and lime, put in the refrigerator to harden a little bit.

Nutrition

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Cilantro Lime Butter

Why You’ll Love This

Ingredients

Recommended Tools

Instructions

Andrea says….

Recipe Tips

What To Serve With Cilantro Lime Butter

Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl

Fresh Green Beans In Air Fryer

Air Fryer Salmon with Garlic Lemon Rub

Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables

More Cilantro Lime Recipes

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream

Cilantro Lime Rice

How To Store

Common Questions