This Lemon Butter Sauce is so rich and creamy, decadent, but with a mild tang from the fresh lemon juice, it is insanely delicious and effortless to make.

I am completely in love with Lemon Butter Sauce (Copycat Carrabba’s recipe), and seriously, our entire family could drink this by the gallons. We always make this to serve with chicken and noodles, but this lemon butter sauce works well with fish, especially an excellent sauce for salmon.

photo of lemon butter sauce being poured onto pasta with chicken


This recipe for lemon butter sauce put Carrabba’s Italian Grill on the map for us.  My husband is obsessed with this sauce. The first time we had it was the night we thought I was going into labor with our daughter Jordan. We were sitting in Carrabba’s with Jake’s cousin, and she ordered this dish; when it came out, she told us we had to try it because it was the best sauce ever; oh, was she right?

overhead photo of lemon butter sauce being poured onto pasta

I can only think of one sauce that gives it some competition: their Marsala sauce. Seriously, both of them are delicious, the main ingredient being butter.

This Lemon Butter Sauce is on Carrabba’s most famous dish, Chicken Bryan. I have the (Copycat Carrabba’s) Chicken Bryan recipe here. It is our special occasion meal.

chicken bryan recipe on plate with lemon butter sauce

My husband is a picky pasta eater, always searching for the most incredible pasta dish. He tends to lean towards sauces with big, robust flavors, so this combination of garlic and lemon is perfect. At first, Jake wasn’t willing to try this lemon butter sauce until he learned it was all over their shrimp scampi. He devoured their scampi, so he was ready to give their sauce a try.

More Carrabba’s Recipes

We love almost everything at Carrabba’s, but this Lemon Butter Sauce recipe has become a staple in our kitchen. Making it to grace pasta, chicken, shrimp, salmon or even a bunch of veggies, either way, this sauce of awesomeness will soon become a favorite of yours as well.

What is butter sauce?

A butter sauce contains butter, broth, wine, and seasonings. Sometimes, flour is added to thicken the sauce. It is a versatile sauce that can be used in many dishes. It can also be used as a base for other sauces by adding ingredients, such as lemon juice, in this Lemon Butter Sauce.

How to make Lemon Butter Sauce?

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt. Stir in onion and garlic, cooking until onion is translucent (about 3 minutes). Add wine and lemon juice, bringing it to a boil over high heat. Cook until liquid reduces to about 1/4 cup (3-5 minutes).

Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in 3 tablespoons of butter until completely melted. The goal is to create a slowly emulsified sauce, not rapid melting. Repeat this process with the remaining butter, adding 3 tablespoons at a time, except for the last addition which will be just 2 tablespoons. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.

Serve the sauce immediately or store it at room temperature for 2 hours. When reheating, use a low setting to prevent separation.

lemon butter sauce pouring over grilled chicken

Lemon Butter Sauce Recipe Tips

  • Cook the sauce over low heat to avoid separation. Even if it does separate, it will still taste the same but have a melted butter-like appearance. With practice, you’ll master the sauce-making process.
  • Experiment with different herbs and spices to customize the flavor of your sauce. Some popular options include thyme, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder.
  • Serve lemon butter sauce with cooked vegetables, fish, or poultry for a delicious and creamy addition. It also works well as a dipping sauce for bread or seafood.
  • Want to make a larger batch? Increase the ingredient measurements proportionally. Remember that the sauce may take longer to reduce and emulsify with more ingredients.
  • Use high-quality, unsalted butter for the best results. Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt level in your sauce and prevents it from becoming too salty.

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Lemon Butter Sauce

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Lemon Butter Sauce has two key ingredients lemon and butter; need I say more? A creamy, buttery sauce with a mild tang from the fresh lemon juice.
LEMON BUTTER SAUCE has two key ingredients lemon and butter; need I say more? A creamy, buttery sauce with a mild tang from the fresh lemon juice.
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Ingredients
 

  • 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces, divided
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and ground white pepper

Instructions
 

  • Place a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Allow the butter to melt, add onion and garlic and cook stirring frequently. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to low, add 3 tablespoons of butter at a time and whisk the butter in until it is completely melted. You want the butter to slowly soften into an emulsified sauce, not quickly melting; it is a process. Add the remaining butter 3 tablespoons at a time until all the butter has been added into the sauce. The last addition will be just 2 tbsp. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then remove from heat.
  • Serve immediately or store sauce up to 2 hours at room temperature. If you are to reheat the sauce, do it over a low setting otherwise the sauce will separate.
  • If it does separate remember the sauce will still taste the same, just not have the same look, it will look more like melted butter. After a few times of making the sauce, you will get the hang of it.
  • Cooking this sauce on low heat is key.

Notes

Recipe from Carrabba’s Italian Grill Recipes from Around Our Family Table cookbook

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE has two key ingredients lemon and butter; need I say more? A creamy, buttery sauce with a mild tang from the fresh lemon juice.
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Hey, I'm Sandra! At A Dash of Sanity, you'll discover family-friendly recipes for every occasion. Whether it's speedy dinners or delectable desserts, I'm here to make your mealtime delicious, simplify your holiday baking, and unite your loved ones around the table.

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127 Comments

  2. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe. I would double the ingredients. I did add capers to this in the final minute or so of cooking. I prepared this before the chicken dish I was making. I kept it covered in a sauce pan on the warm pad of the stove. 45 min later it was awesome. Adjust lemon juice and salt and pepper to your taste. Was delish!

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