November 1, 2023
Review RecipeSage Butter Sauce

Table of Contents
Dive into the world of gourmet cooking with our sage butter sauce, a delightful blend of buttery goodness and aromatic sage. This delicious sauce is incredibly easy and pairs well with plenty of dishes.

Sage Butter Sauce Ingredients

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients for our sage butter sauce.
The salted sweet cream butter is the base of our sauce; it provides a rich, creamy texture and a delightful buttery flavor. The salt in the butter enhances the overall taste of the sauce.
The fresh garlic adds a subtle hint of warmth, complementing the butter and sage beautifully.
The fresh sage leaves are the star of the show. Sage imparts a unique, aromatic flavor that elevates the sauce to a gourmet level.
This recipe calls for:
- 1 cup of salted sweet cream butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of freshly grated garlic (1 large clove)
- ¼ cup of fresh sage leaves, loosely packed (leaves removed from the stem)
- ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper
PRO TIP:
I purchase small containers of various fresh herbs in my local grocery store in the refrigerated area of the produce section. I found that the 0.5-ounce containers will yield approximately a scant ¼ cup of sage leaves (once I removed the leaves from the stems), which is perfect for this recipe. If you grow your sage in an herb garden, you only need a scant ¼ cup of leaves.
Substitutions And Additions
SALTED SWEET CREAM BUTTER: If you’re watching your sodium intake, unsalted butter can be a great alternative.
Just remember to adjust the seasoning to your taste.
FRESH GRATED GARLIC: For a milder garlic flavor, you can use roasted garlic instead of fresh. It adds a sweet, caramelized note to this easy sauce.
FRESH SAGE LEAVES: If sage isn’t your favorite herb, feel free to substitute it with rosemary or thyme. Both herbs pair well with butter and garlic.
BLACK PEPPER: For a smoky twist, try using smoked black pepper. It adds a new dimension to the simple brown butter sauce.
How To Make This Sage Butter Sauce Recipe
Making sage butter sauce is a straightforward process, but the key lies in the details. Let’s walk through the steps:
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Start by gathering all the ingredients. Ensure your butter is at room temperature for easy melting. Grate your garlic clove and remove the sage leaves from their stems. A lemon zester works great for grating the garlic clove.
STEP ONE: Add the salted sweet cream butter, freshly grated garlic, sage leaves, and black pepper to a medium skillet on medium heat.
PRO TIP:
You can roughly chop your sage leaves if they are on the larger side. When measuring the sage, you do not want to tightly pack the measuring cup; the leaves should be loosely added.

STEP TWO: Cook and melt the butter for four to six minutes or just until the butter starts to turn a very light brown.
Be sure to whisk or stir continuously, as you just barely want to brown the butter.
PRO TIP:
It’s important to whisk or stir continuously to prevent the butter from burning.

STEP THREE: Turn off the heat to the skillet and skim the milk solids from the surface of the sage butter sauce with a large metal spoon.
The milk solids will create a “foamy” layer on top of the melted butter.
PRO TIP:
You do not need to skim the milk solids (looks like foam) off the top of the sage butter sauce if you do not want to. You will just need to whisk the butter really well before spooning it over your pasta. Once you remove the milk solids from the butter, you will have clarified butter.

How To Serve
Our sage brown butter sauce is incredibly versatile and can be served in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions:
Drizzle this sauce over your favorite pasta dish for a delicious and easy meal. It pairs exceptionally well with cheese ravioli or butternut squash ravioli.
This sauce can also be served with grilled chicken or steak. The rich, buttery flavor complements the savory taste of the meat.
Spread some sage butter sauce on a piece of warm, crusty bread for a simple yet satisfying snack.
Toss some roasted vegetables in this sauce to elevate their flavor. It works well with root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and parsnips.
Add our homemade cream cheese pasta sauce and Alfredo sauce recipes to your cooking repertoire for two more ways to take the flavor of your dishes up a notch.
MORE SAUCE RECIPES
Storage
Our sage butter sauce can be stored and reheated, allowing you to enjoy it at a later time.
MAKE AHEAD: You can make this sauce ahead of time and store it in a lidded container in the refrigerator. Just rewarm it in a skillet on low heat when ready to use.
IN THE FRIDGE: This sauce will last for up to one week when refrigerated. Store it in a lidded container to maintain its freshness.
IN THE FREEZER: While it’s best to consume this sauce fresh, it can be frozen if necessary. Store it in a freezer-safe container, and it should last for up to a month.
REHEATING: To reheat, simply place the sauce in a skillet and warm it over low heat. If you’ve frozen the sauce, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Why We Love This Recipe
There are many reasons why we love this brown butter sage sauce:
FLAVOR: The combination of butter, garlic, and sage creates a rich, aromatic flavor that’s hard to resist.
SIMPLICITY: Despite its gourmet appeal, this sauce is incredibly easy to make. Even novice cooks can whip it up with ease.
CUSTOMIZABILITY: This recipe is open to variations. You can experiment with different herbs or add more spices to suit your taste.

Our sage butter sauce is a versatile, flavorful, easy-to-make addition to your culinary repertoire. Its rich, browned butter flavor, enhanced by the aromatic sage and warm garlic, can elevate any dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
While fresh sage is recommended for its vibrant flavor, you can use dried sage if fresh isn’t available. Use half the amount, as dried herbs are more potent.
You can use unsalted butter. Just remember to adjust the seasoning to your taste.
The garlic adds a subtle depth of flavor to the sauce, but you can omit it if you’re not a fan of garlic.
This simple sauce can be frozen. Store it in a freezer-safe container, and it should last for up to a month.
To reheat, simply place the sauce in a skillet and warm it over low heat. If you’ve frozen the sauce, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Fudge
- Black Magic Cake
- No Bake Pumpkin Pie
- Caramel Apple Dip
- Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
- Smashed Red Potatoes Recipe
- Candied Carrots

Sage Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated garlic, 1 large clove
- ¼ cup fresh sage leaves, loosely packed (leaves removed from the stem)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the salted sweet cream butter, freshly grated garlic, sage leaves, and black pepper to a medium skillet on medium heat..
- Cook and melt the butter for 4 to 6 minutes or just until the butter starts to turn a very light brown. Be sure to whisk or stir continuously as you just barely want to brown the butter.
- Turn off the heat to the skillet and skim the milk solids from the surface of the sage butter sauce with a large metal spoon. The milk solids will create a “foamy” layer on top of the melted butter.
Notes
- I purchase small containers of various fresh herbs in my local grocery store in the refrigerated area of the produce section. I found that the 0.5-ounce containers will yield approximately a scant ¼ cup of sage leaves (once I removed the leaves from the stems), which is perfect for this recipe. If you grow your sage in an herb garden, you only need a scant ¼ cup of leaves.
- Start by gathering all the ingredients. Ensure your butter is at room temperature for easy melting. Grate your garlic clove and remove the sage leaves from their stems. A lemon zester works great for grating the garlic clove.
- You can roughly chop your sage leaves if they are on the larger side. When measuring the sage, you do not want to tightly pack the measuring cup; the leaves should be loosely added.
- It’s important to whisk or stir continuously to prevent the butter from burning.
- You do not need to skim the milk solids (looks like foam) off the top of the sage butter sauce if you do not want to. You will just need to whisk the butter really well before spooning it over your pasta. Once you remove the milk solids from the butter, you will have clarified butter.
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