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If you’re looking for a never-before-seen whipped butter flavor, and you love both whipped butter and Caesar, you are in the right place. This Caesar whipped butter is the recipe you never knew you needed. It balances the deep, nutty notes of browned butter with the briny, sharp bite of capers, grated garlic, and anchovies. A quick whip with heavy cream gives it an airy, silky texture that carries the bright lemon and salty parmesan perfectly. Slather it thickly over a warm sourdough boule, melt it onto a charred ribeye steak, or toss it with freshly roasted vegetables.
Table of Contents
About the Taste
Imagine turning the absolute best Caesar salad you have ever eaten into a rich, creamy butter. It is super savory and perfectly salty from the parmesan cheese and anchovies. The browned butter gives it a warm, toasted, nutty flavor that makes it taste extra fancy. Fresh lemon juice and chopped herbs add a bright pop of flavor so it never feels heavy or greasy. This creamy dip melts right on your tongue for an amazing garlic and herb bite.
Prep the Ingredients
Browning butter requires your full attention. It goes from deep, nutty goodness to burnt and bitter in seconds. Do not turn on the stove until every other component is chopped, measured, and sitting within reach.
Here is what your should have prepped before starting:
- Mash the 3 anchovies into a paste.
- Grate the garlic clove.
- Freshly grate 1/3 cup of parmesan for the butter base. Cut 3 parmesan cubes, place in an sealed bag and store in the fridge.
- Zest the lemon and juice 1/2 tablespoon.
- Finely chop the fresh parsley and chives.
- Get your larger bowl and medium size bowl out and ready.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- The Ingredients: You can chop the parsley and chives 1 day ahead and store them in the fridge with a damp paper towel. Grate the garlic and parmesan, cube the topping parmesan, and mash the anchovy paste up to 2 days ahead. Keep all components in sealed containers in the fridge.
- The Finished Butter: You can fully make and whip the butter up to 1 week in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Before using again, let the butter sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes to soften and then give it a quick whip again to get it back to a spreadable texture before serving.
Ingredient Swaps
- Anchovies: You can skip the fish and use 1 tsp of white miso paste. It still gives you that deep, salty, savory flavor.
- Parmesan: Swap for Pecorino Romano if you want a sharper and saltier bite.
- Capers: Use finely chopped green olives for a similar briny pop.
- Tabasco: Any hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes works for a little hint of heat.
- Heavy Cream: You can leave this out if you need to, but the butter will be more dense and won’t have that silky, airy feel.
- Fresh Herbs: If you don’t have parsley or chives, fresh basil or tarragon add a great earthy finish.
How to Serve
The Ultimate Bread Board: Smear it thickly across a wooden board or serve it on a platter or footed bowl, topped with the anchovy and parmesan skewers. Serve alongside warm, crusty sourdough or a charred baguette.
Over Charred Steak: Drop a generous dollop on a hot, rested ribeye or New York strip. The butter melts into the meat, creating an instant, savory pan sauce with that briny garlic bite. My steak frites recipe is perfect to swap out the hollandaise sauce for this caesar whipped brown butter.
Roast Chicken: Slide a few tablespoons under the skin or melt it into the pan sauce of your favorite oven-roasted chicken thigh recipe to keep the meat juicy and add deep, nutty Caesar flavors.
Sides: Toss it with blistered asparagus, charred broccoli, or roasted potatoes right out of the oven. You can use this to top your potatoes or instead of oil, use it for oven-roasted or baked potatoes.
Sandwiches and Burgers: Skip the standard mayonnaise and spread this thick to toast the brioche buns on your next smash burger for a savory condiment upgrade.
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Caesar Whipped Brown Butter FAQ
Yes, you can totally skip the fish! To keep that salty bite, add an extra tablespoon of caper brine and a teaspoon of white miso paste. You can also use a plant-based Worcestershire sauce instead.
It separated because it got too warm. When the butter gets hot, the cream melts instead of getting fluffy. If it looks a little runny while you mix, pop your bowl back into the ice bath for a few minutes. This cools the fat down so it whips up perfectly.
Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to three months. Since it has fresh garlic and cream, it will spoil quickly if you leave it out on the counter.
Let the container sit on the counter for 30 to 45 minutes. Do not put it in the microwave. Once it is soft, give it a quick mix with a whisk. This makes it light and spreadable again before you serve it.
Equipment
- saucepan
- Microplane
- large bowl
- medium bowl
- whisk
- Electric mixer
- serving bowl and small skewer
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 8 oz unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp capers
- 3 anchovies, chopped and formed into a paste
- 1 large garlic clove, grated
- 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
Whipped Base
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, zest and 1/2 tbsp juice
- 2-3 dashes tabasco
- 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped
For Topping
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- 4 anchovies
- 3 cubes parmesan
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Add butter, capers, and anchovy paste to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until solids are lightly golden, stirring often and scraping the sides. Add grated garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix in the parmesan. Cool for 10 minutes.8 oz unsalted butter, 3 tbsp capers, 3 anchovies, 1 large garlic clove, 1/3 cup parmesan
- Ice Bath: While that is cooling, fill a large bowl with ice water and place a smaller bowl inside. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk and Whip: Pour the cooled butter into the chilled bowl. Whisk until incorporated, then remove from the ice bath. Add heavy cream, mustard, lemon zest and juice, tabasco, worcestershire, parsley, and chives. Use an electric mixer to whip until fluffy. If the butter softens too much, return the bowl to the ice bath while whipping.2 tbsp heavy cream, 1/2 tsp dijon mustard, 1 lemon, 2-3 dashes tabasco, 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup fresh parsley, 1/4 cup fresh chives
- Top and Serve: Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. On a small skewer rotate between anchovies and parmesan cubes and place on top. Serve with warm, crusty bread or crackers.salt and pepper, olive oil, 4 anchovies, 3 cubes parmesan
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
