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Herb Butter for Thanksgiving Poultry

Sliced herb butter made with fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley, arranged on a wooden cutting board with a butter knife and striped cloth in the background.
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Easy herb butter for Thanksgiving poultry! Make it with fresh rosemary, thyme, sage & parsley or use dried herbs for a quick, flavorful shortcut.

  • Author: George
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 tablespoons 1x
  • Category: Condiments
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Fresh Herb Butter (Full Batch – ½ Cup Butter)

  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 to 2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (start with 1 tsp)

  • 1 to 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced (start with 1 tsp)

  • ½ to 1 tsp fresh sage, minced (start with ½ tsp)

  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

  • ½ tsp kosher salt (omit if using salted butter)

 

Dried Herb Butter (Small Batch – 3 to 4 Tbsp Butter)

  • 3 to 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

  • ½ tsp dried rosemary

  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme

  • ½ tsp ground sage + 1 tsp rubbed sage

    • If using only ground sage → keep it ½ tsp.

    • If using only rubbed sage → up to 2 tsp.

  • ½ tsp dried parsley flakes (optional or skip)

  • Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Instructions for Fresh Herb Butter

  1. Soften the butter: Let the butter sit at room temperature until it’s soft enough to mash with a fork or small spatula (this is what I used)

  2. Prep the herbs: Finely mince the rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley so the flavors distribute evenly through the butter.

  3. Mix everything together: In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, herbs, and kosher salt. Mash with a fork or spatula until the herbs are evenly incorporated.

  4. Shape the butter: Transfer the butter mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper (what I used in the photo) or plastic wrap. Shape into a log, then cover it with parchment paper/plastic wrap and use a kitchen bench scraper or your hands to shape it evenly. Roll it up tightly and twist the ends to seal.

  5. Refrigerate or freeze: Store in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, I like to cover mine again with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a zip-top bag, squeezing out all the air.

Instructions for Dried Herb Butter

  1. Soften butter to room temperature.
  2. Measure dried herbs. (Rule of thumb: ⅓ the amount compared to fresh.Although that’s the general guideline, the measurements above are my personal preference based on how potent each herb is.)
  3. Mix butter, herbs, and salt until combined.
  4. Shape into a small log and refrigerate up to 5 days. (Best made fresh. I don’t recommend freezing dried herb butter.)

Notes

Which Version Should I Choose?

  • Fresh herbs give the brightest flavor, add a pop of color, and freeze beautifully — making them my top choice if you want to prep ahead or use leftovers in other recipes.

  • Dried herbs are perfect when you want a quick, small batch without buying several bundles of fresh herbs. They work especially well for last-minute Thanksgiving meals for two.

Find it online: https://www.myeclecticbites.com/herb-butter-thanksgiving-poultry/