How to Make Brown Butter for Pasta and Cookies

“Brown butter” this sentence is giving a nutty taste to our minds. Isn’t it? Making brown butter is a simple kitchen task but believe me, it will give you amazing results. So, don’t wait further and take a saucepan, a few sticks of butter, and let’s start cooking.

Some professional chefs say “brown butter is the secret ingredient to great cooking.” Even every home baker should know how to brown butter. Making brown butter is easy and once you learn this technique, you can add this to sauce, cookies, and baking.

It can give a nutty flavor to any recipe and it will take a few minutes to make it. So, let’s get started:

What is Brown Butter?

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Brown butter is simple regular butter that has been browned, browned means when you melt the butter (when it is past the melting point), just long enough to toast the milk solids in the butter.

You don’t get the nutty creamy magical flavor in regular butter, this can only be found in brown butter. It will take 5 minutes to make this and that can add a buttery, nutty flavor to any dish. Anyone can master this simple kitchen skill and can add extra taste to the food. Let’s start the process:

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How to Make Brown Butter

Here are below a few things you need for brown butter:

Butter: Use butter as per your choice and it can be salted or unsalted. If you are using frozen or cold butter, please take it out at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Note: Make sure you are cutting the butter into small pieces.

Pan: You can use any pan but if you have a light-colored pan use that, this will help you a lot to see when the butter will brown.

Stirring Tool: A wooden spoon, rubber or metal spatula, silicone whisk.

The first step is to turn on the heat to medium flame and place your light-colored pan on the flame. Now, add butter pieces into it, medium heat will cook the butter evenly.

Once the butter starts melting, stir it with a spatula or spoon. Keep starring because the butter will begin “hiss” (kind of this sound) around into the pan. After 2-5 (it depends on the amount of butter) minutes butter will start changing its color to brown.

This will smell very rich, buttery, and nutty. Make sure you’re stirring the butter continuously because it can be burnt quickly.

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Some Useful Tips for Perfect Brown Butter

Medium Heat: Cook the butter on a medium flame, medium heat will cook the butter evenly.
Keep Stirring: Don’t stop stirring the butter into the pan because it can burn quickly.
Butter Pieces: Before placing the butter into the pan, cut it into small pieces that will help in cooking evenly.
Light Color Pan: The biggest benefit of a light color pan is that it will help you to ensure that the butter is brown before its burns. You can use anyone at your home but I will recommend to you use a light color pan

Which Butter is the Best?

I personally use unsalted butter because you can manage the quantity of salt in any dish. You can use anyone salted or unsalted, choose as per your preference. But make sure you’re using high-quality butter.

How to Brown Butter

Ingredients:

½ cup of unsalted butter (approx. 113g), cut into small pieces.
Light Color pan.

Preparation:

Melt the Butter into Pan

Place your ½ cup of small pieces of butter into the pan and put on medium heat. And, let’s wait to melt the butter.

Keep Stirring:

Once the butter melts into the pan it will begin to foam and fizz around the edges. Keep stirring your spoon or spatula into the pan and feel the nutty, rich, buttery smell of butter

Remove from Heat:

Put the brown butter into a bowl, it can burn if continuously cooked. It can be overcooked easily, now you can use it once it is cold or you can store it in the refrigerator for future use.

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How to Brown Butter for Pasta

Step 1: Boil some pasta as per your requirement into the pot with salted water or read the instruction written behind the pack of pasta. Once pasted is boiled, drain that and set aside.

Step 2: Melt 2 tbsp butter into a light color pan on a medium flame until foaming. Add the panko breadcrumbs and stir them well until its light brown. Pour this mixture into a bowl.

Step 3: Melt another 6 tbsp of butter into a pan over low heat and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to cook evenly. Once the butter starts making foam add some garlic and red pepper to it. Stir all the ingredients well until brown butter leaves an aroma. Remove this mixture from heat.

Step 4: Add pasta and Parmesan into the pan and toss them together. Now, add brown butter and cheese to it and mix all the ingredients well. Add the reserved panko (mixed with butter) and some lemon juice or soya sauce, and toss all of them to combine.

How to Make Brown Butter for Cookies

Step 1: Take one cup of butter into the pan and place it on medium heat for 5 minutes until the butter changes color. When the butter starts forming a bubble, don’t panic! It’s a part of the process. But watch carefully and stir the butter, don’t go anywhere because butter may burn. Now, remove the pan from heat and let it cool. Reserve 2 to 3 tbsp browned butter.

Step 2: Now, take a big bowl and beat the brown sugar into it with brown butter. Mix eggs into it, baking soda, 2 tbsp vanilla, baking powder, and salt; beat everything. And, now pour the dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Step 3: Bake the dough for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Once you find the light brown around the edges.

Step 4: Now, mix well the reserved 2 to 3 tbsp brown butter with 2 tbsp vanilla and hot water. Use this mixture on the cookies when they are cool.

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How to Brown Butter in Microwave

Step 1: Take a big bowl, I strongly recommend using a microwave-safe bowl. Place the quantity of butter you like to melt in the microwave (in the bowl). You can use ½ stick of butter for 2 sticks (1 cup).

Step 2: Now, cover the microwave-safe bowl with the lid to turn down the risk of splashing as it browns.

Step 3: Turn on the button and set the timer for 3 ½ to 6 ½ minutes, it depends on the quantity of the butter and the power of the microwave. Once you see butter changing its color, feel free to remove it from the microwave. Once you open the door of your microwave you’ll feel the nutty, creamy butter aroma. Don’t be scared of the fizz, popping noise of the butter when it’s in the microwave.

How to Make Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Brown the butter: Take 1 cup of butter or 2 sticks and cut them into small pieces. Place a light-colored fry pan on medium heat. Now, place all the butter into it and stir it occasionally to cook evenly. Butter will start changing its color to brown and once you smell the nutty, buttery means butter is browned.

Fry the sage: Take 15 to 20 sage leaves and dry them all and add all of them to the pan. Cook them with butter until they crisp up and this may take up to a few seconds. Now, pour this mixture into a heatproof bowl and let it cool, also add some salt for taste. Your sage sauce is ready, you can use this sauce in pasta, tortellini, ravioli, etc.

How to Make Brown Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup butter
1 clove garlic
Black pepper

Preparations:

Add the butter to a light-colored pan and also add garlic to it. Cook both of them on medium heat and stir them well to cook evenly. Cook both the ingredients for 5 – 8 minutes until the butter starts changing its color to brown. Now, remove the pan from heat and add black pepper to it. Your brown butter sauce is ready to serve.

You can add this brown butter sauce to the pasta, popcorn, or any other of your favorite dishes.