Compound butter for steak is an easy way to turn a good steak into something special. This quick recipe with blue cheese and garlic melts into grilled or pan-seared steaks—and it’s just as good on burgers, baked potatoes, or veggies.
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Featured Comment by Ginger :
"Yummy! So good."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎯 Why This Works
If you’ve got butter, blue cheese, and a few minutes, you’ve got something special. Mix it up, chill it down, and slice into flavor-packed pats that melt beautifully over hot steak or veggies. No fancy tools, no complicated steps—just bold flavor made easy.
🧈 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter – Salted butter is preferred for flavor. If using unsalted, you’ll need to add a bit of salt later.
- Blue cheese crumbles – Crumbles are easiest, but any blue cheese can be used if broken up well.
- Garlic – Crushed or finely minced for the best flavor distribution.
- Fresh parsley – Adds color and a mild herbal note.
- Dried basil – Optional, but it adds depth. You can also use fresh basil or sub in a different herb.
- Optional flavor boosters – Want to experiment? See the flavor variations section below for add-ins like herbs, spices, and other cheeses.
✅ Pro Tip: Not all blue cheese is the same. Gorgonzola or Danish Blue are milder and creamier, while Roquefort or Stilton pack a stronger punch. Choose based on how bold you want your butter.
👨🍳Quick Overview: Making Compound Butter
1. Mix it up: Combine softened butter with blue cheese crumbles, parsley, dried basil, and crushed garlic.
✅ Pro Tip: Let the butter sit at room temp for about an hour. Or microwave for about 15–20 seconds, flipping halfway—but watch closely so it doesn’t start melting.
2. Shape the roll: Spoon the mixture onto parchment or wax paper and roll it up tightly into a log.
3. Chill and slice: Refrigerate for 1–2 hours, then slice into pats of approximately 1 tablespoon each for serving.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for variations, uses, and storage.
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🔄 Flavor Variations & Ingredient Swaps
This version uses blue cheese, garlic, and herbs for bold steakhouse-style flavor—but you can customize it to match your taste or what’s in the fridge.
🌿 Herbs You Can Use
Fresh or dried parsley, rosemary, thyme, basil, chives, sage, or oregano.
Stick with one or two—too many herbs will step on each other.
🌶️ Other Mix-In Ideas
- Crushed red pepper flakes (for a little kick)
- Lemon zest (for brightness)
- Finely chopped shallots or green onions (just a little—too much and they’ll take over)
- A touch of Dijon mustard
🧀 Cheese Swaps (If You're Not Into Blue Cheese)
- Gorgonzola or Roquefort – Bold and tangy, with slightly different textures than standard crumbles
- Stilton – Crumbly and intense; holds its own on grilled meats
- Feta – Tangy like blue cheese but firmer—similar feel, different taste
- Goat cheese – Soft and tangy, adds creamy texture
- Sharp cheddar – Brings a punch of flavor but won’t melt as smoothly
- Cream cheese – Adds richness without interfering with herbs or butter flavor
✅ Pro Tip: Swap cheeses based on flavor and texture. You want something strong enough to stand up to steak—or creamy enough to tie everything together.
🍴 When to Use Steak Butter
Steak’s the classic use—add a pat to grilled or pan-seared filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye, or porterhouse right after cooking. The butter melts over the hot meat and boosts flavor without much effort.
But it doesn’t stop there. Compound butter also works on:
- Burgers (especially thick or grilled ones)
- Baked or mashed potatoes
- Roasted vegetables like mushrooms, green beans, or Brussels sprouts
- Garlic bread or toast
- Even stirred into rice or noodles for a quick upgrade
✅ Pro Tip: Add butter after cooking while the food’s hot. Adding it during will just melt it off into the pan.
❄️ Storage
Butter stores well, but the fresh ingredients mean it won’t last forever. I recommend using it within 4 days if refrigerated.
For longer storage, freeze it in pats: slice the log into tablespoon-sized pieces, lay them flat in a freezer bag, seal it tight, and freeze. Take out what you need, when you need it. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
✅ Pro Tip: Freeze the pats in a single layer first so they don’t stick together—then you can grab just one or two at a time.
❓FAQs
No—just soften both. You want to mix them together for texture, not blend them into a sauce.
Add it after cooking, while the steak is resting. That way it melts into the meat instead of running off into the pan or grill.
About a tablespoon per steak is a good starting point—but it’s your butter, use what makes you happy.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Compound Butter for Steak with Blue Cheese and Garlic
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (one stick) - salted preferred or add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt if unsalted butter
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbs
- 1 tablespoon parsley - fresh, chopped
- 1 teaspoon basal
- 2 cloves garlic - crushed
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Allow the butter to come to room temperature. You can also microwave it briefly—about 15–20 seconds, flipping halfway.
- Combine the soft butter with ½ cup of blue cheese crumbles, 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon of dry basil, and 2 cloves of crushed garlic in a small bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Spoon the mixture onto parchment or wax paper and roll into a log. Refrigerate for 1–2 hours to firm up.
- Slice into 1-tablespoon pats and serve on steaks, vegetables, or anything hot.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Use softened butter—it makes mixing easier.
- Salted butter is preferred. If using unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt per stick.
- Any blue cheese will work. Crumbles are easiest; ½ cup is about 2 ounces.
- Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze pats flat in a sealed bag for 2–3 months.
- Great on steak, vegetables, burgers, potatoes, or stirred into rice or noodles.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published July 10, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Susan says
I love this recipe, I spread it on garlic bread and broil until it's bubbly and starts to brown....never any left overs.
Ginger Ward says
Yummy! So good. Thank you so much for sharing.
Christine @ myblissfulmess says
For Christmas dinner, we decided to step outside the box, but only a little bit, and grill steaks for our main dish. We found beautiful steaks on sale and I liked the fact that The Hubs can do the grilling, while I take care of the side dishes, instead of me doing it all. To make these steaks extra special for Christmas, I made this compound butter to melt on top of them. It's incredibly delicious! Everyone loved it, especially The Hubs! This was better than any steakhouse recipe we've ever had. So delicious!
DrDan says
Hi Christine,
Welcome to the blog.
This is something special I started doing for my wife. She is a blue cheese and garlic hound. But I love it too.
Thanks for the note and Happy New Years.
Dan
Ann says
I made the Blue Cheese Butter and it was awesome
Ann says
Can you freeze this?
DrDan says
Yes, I do it all the time. Cut into serving size pats. Good frozen for 2-3 months.
Susan B. says
How much is a serving as far as ounces or grams? I see there are 12 servings but I can’t find what is considered a serving. Thank you.
DrDan says
Total recipe makes 1 cup in volume (about 6 oz of weight since the blue cheese crumbles are less dense).
Think of a 1 tablespoon pat of butter. It will be about 1/3 larger and weight about 1/2 oz. So a good size chunk.
Tim Daugherty says
Made this today for my bacon wraped filet. What a treat, thanks much for posting.