15 minutes and a saucepan and a stick of the yellow stuff—all you need to make what may be the world's most magical fat. If you need a primer, here's a handy video on how to make browned butter in all its nutty, toasty, sweet-savory glory. Caught up? Good. Now here's what to cook with it.
Browned butter skips seamlessly from savory dishes to sweet, and we drizzle it on everything from scallops to pie filling. Whether you're putting it to work in dinner or dessert, it adds an unbeatable fragrance and depth of flavor unlike any spice or pan-searing technique or saucy reduction. Here are 15 ways to put it to use.
Steamed Pork Belly Manti
Browned butter brings an extra layer of flavor to these otherwise traditional Central Asian dumplings, but the cherry on top comes in the form of fried shallots. Get the recipe for Steamed Pork Belly Manti »
Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter
Pappardelle with Cauliflower and Mustard Brown Butter
Brown Butter Lobster Roll
A simple mix of brown butter, lemon juice, and salt gives this lobster roll a warm, nutty flavor.
Butter-Basted Eggs
Crispy-bottomed fried eggs make an ideal breakfast. Get the recipe for Butter-Basted Eggs »
Pappardelle with Butternut Squash, Walnuts, and Baby Kale
Toasted walnuts, roasted butternut squash, baby kale, and a rich brown butter sauce combine over broad pappardelle noodles for a dish that perfectly captures fall’s best flavors. Get the recipe for Pappardelle with Butternut Squash, Walnuts, and Baby Kale »
Brown Butter Pasta
Chef Gabrielle Hamilton of New York City’s Prune restaurant gave us her recipe for this delicious pasta, which is tossed in brown butter and pine nuts, then topped with sunny-side-up eggs.
Grilled Scallops with Pomegranate Brown Butter and Toasted Hazelnuts
Use the biggest scallops you can find and brush them with nutty browned butter tinged with tart pomegranate.
Pan-Seared Trout with Pecan Brown Butter Sauce
Puréed pecans enrich a butter sauce for pan-seared filets of trout.
Brown Butter Walnut Pie with Sour Whipped Cream
Browned butter accentuates the flavor of earthy walnuts and a sour cream topping offsets the richness of the filling for a balanced, delectable dessert.
Chocolate-Dipped Orange Financiers
These moist small cakes, suffused with nutty brown butter and bright orange zest, come from chef Kir Jensen at The Sugar Cube in Portland, Oregon.
Pistachio Financiers
This two-bite pastry is as rich as the name suggests: its defining ingredients are almond flour, ground pistachios, and brown butter, lightened with whipped egg whites. Get the recipe for Pistachio Financiers »
Nutty browned butter enlivens and permeates these shortbread thumbprints, filled with tangy lime curd, for a warm, sour flavor often absent from overly-sweet holiday desserts.
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