5 Minutes Lemon Butter Sauce 3 Ways

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Guys, I don’t know about you but it is busy around our house these days. Between juggling work and school, rushing here and there for various appointments and endless errands, I have been finding myself in a bit of a pinch when it comes to getting supper on the table.

Thankfully I have two stocked freezers (yeap, I like to be prepared) to rummage around in.

The challenge then becomes how to serve the unearthed frozen chicken or fish fillets in a way that is beautiful, delicious, and still super quick and easy. That is when my 5 Minutes Lemon Butter Sauce 3 Ways comes to the rescue.

This is suuuuch a great weeknight sauce, as it requires just 4 simple pantry staple ingredients and only 5 mins to make. Plus, you can make it on the stovetop or even make an Instant Pot Lemon Butter Sauce.

Lemon Sauce For Fish Awesomeness

This lemon butter sauce recipe is so versatile and perfectly complements anything from fish and chicken to pasta to vegetables (it is especially delightful on asparagus).

I have even been known to dip thick chunks of rustic bread straight into the saucepan and devour it on the spot (try it for yourself)!

And best of all, with 3 ways to make it, you can pick the lemon butter sauce you want to suit your mood that day. You can go for…

• Lemon Butter Sauce
• Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
• Lemon Chilli Butter sauce

Lemon Sauce For Fish Tools

Ready to learn just how quick and simple it is to prepare these delicious sauces? Gather your ingredients and let me show you…

How To Make Lemon Butter Sauce

1. Add butter to a light-colored saucepan (this is important so you can see that it does not burn) and melt over medium heat.
2. Once the butter is melted, add the lemon juice, chopped herbs and pepper and simmer for 3 mins.
3. Switch off the heat and serve over the lemon butter sauce fish, chicken, pasta or the vegetables of your choice.

How to Make Instant Pot Lemon Butter Sauce

Making Instant Pot Lemon Butter Sauce is sooooooo easy.

1. Select sauté function.
2. Add cubed butter into the Instant Pot inner pot and let it melt.
3. When melted, add in the rest of the ingredients, mix and let cook for a couple of mins.
4. The switch of heat and remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot so it does not continue to cook.

How To Make Lemon Garlic Sauce

1. Add butter to a light-colored saucepan (this is important so you can see that it does not burn) and melt butter over medium heat.
2. Once butter is melted, add lemon juice, chopped herbs, garlic purée and pepper and simmer for 3 mins.
3. Switch off the heat and serve the lemon garlic sauce over fish, chicken, pasta or the vegetables of your choice.

How To Make Lemon Chili Butter Sauce

1. Add butter to a light-colored saucepan (this is important so you can see that it does not burn) and melt butter over medium heat.
2. Once butter is melted, add lemon juice, chopped herbs, chilli flakes and pepper and simmer for 3 mins.
3. Switch off the heat and serve over fish, chicken, pasta or the vegetables of your choice.

Tips For Making The Best Lemon Butter Sauce

• Cut the butter into cubes so it will melt quicker.
• I suggest using salted butter. But if you have saltless butter, go ahead and add a pinch of salt.
• Mix and match the fresh chopped herbs. Rosemary, thyme and sage are all great options. Have fun experimenting with your favourites.
• If you don’t have fresh herbs you can use 1 tsp dried instead.
• Add in even more lemon if you want it sharper.

Lemon Sauce For Fish Serving Tips

• This lemon fish sauce needs to be served warm, so simply reheat if it has gone cold.
• Don’t forget to mix the lemon sauce for fish, chicken etc just before serving, as the lemon and herbs tend to settle at the bottom.
• You can easily halve or double this lemon butter sauce to make as much or as little needed.

Lemon Butter Sauce for Fish

There really is no better flavor pairing for fish than lemon and butter. This sauce is fantastic drizzled over both white fish and salmon fillets.

The mini chefs especially love it when served as a dipping sauce for shrimp, because dipping is fun and it somehow makes anything taste better. And since I’m always looking to spice up my dishes, I often make lemon chili butter sauce when serving seafood.

Lemon Sauce For Chicken

Guys this also makes an awesome sauce for chicken. Simply whip up which variation you want and serve over some juicy chicken.

And if you want some ideas then why not try it with some of these chicken recipes below.

• The Best Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe.
• Instant Pot Whole Chicken.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with or on:

• Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta.
• Instant Pot Broccoli {Steamed Broccoli}
• Instant Pot Cheesy Garlic Butter Spaghetti.
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
• Air Fryer Salmon.

Other Quick Sauces

• 5 Minutes Lemon Butter Sauce.
• 5 Minutes Basil Pesto Sauce.
• 5 Minutes Yum Yum Sauce.
• 5 Minutes Honey Mustard Sauce.
• 5 Minutes Remoulade Sauce.
• 5 Minutes Ramps Pesto.
• 5 Really Easy Sauces.
• Pesto Aioli.
• Chipotle Aioli.
• Homemade Chimichurri Sauce.
• Really Easy Sriracha Aioli.

Weight Watchers Points 

There are just 2 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my 5 Minutes Instant Pot Lemon Butter Sauce recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Originally published October 2018. Updates April 2020.

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