This Brown Butter Sage Sauce is super simple, ready in 10 minutes, and loaded with flavor. It's perfect tossed with any pasta-especially ravioli or tortellini. Also amazing drizzled over roasted squash, mixed into mashed potatoes, or as a finishing touch for chicken.
For even more nutty goodness, see our entire collection of brown butter recipes. We have tested and perfected everything from savory side dishes to desserts.
Serving dinner after a long day can be rough when it means a complicated kitchen mess - but this brown butter sauce is an easy solution. Grab the ingredients, set your timer for 10 minutes, and let's serve dinner!
This sauce pairs beautifully with almost anything, but it really shines with chicken and pasta. Plus, we've got the tip that guarantees perfectly crisp sage every time.
If you love the flavors of this recipe, you will also enjoy them in our One Pot Chicken Sausage and Butternut Squash Orzo Recipe.
Skip to:
Why this recipe is great
- Quick & Easy: Ready in just a few minutes - no chopping necessary.
- Minimal Ingredients: Just four main ingredients (plus black pepper) and you. have an elevated sauce that will make any meal feel special.
- Versatile: Toss it with pasta, drizzle over chicken, spoon on roasted vegetables, or mix into potatoes (regular or sweet). Perfect for busy weeknights or a dinner party.
Brown butter sage sauce ingredients
This recipe is just a few ingredients! Exact quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Butter: Arguably the most important ingredient in this recipe. We usually go with salted butter, but if all you've got is unsalted, just add a pinch of salt while it's melting. Grass-fed butter? Even better - it gives the sauce extra flavor, though it's delicious either way.
- Heavy cream: Gives the sauce thickness and rich, silky texture.
- Sage: Fresh sage is essential here! Skip the dried - it just doesn't have the same texture or flavor.
- Lemon: Adds a bright, fresh note that really lifts the sauce. We stick to just the zest (none of the bitter pith). The juice can add flavor, but it can also make the cream curdle sometimes.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make brown butter sage sauce
Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt completely. Once it is melted, toss in the fresh sage leaves and let them cook as the butter browns. You will notice it start to foam and the golden brown bits will float up from the bottom of the pan - that's where all the amazing flavor comes from! Don't stir the sage leaves - leaving them alone is what makes them crispy. Once the butter is browned, remove from the heat.
Once removed from the heat, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the leaves, and set them aside. To the nutty butter, add in the black pepper and lemon zest. Don't worry it will bubble and spit. That is normal!
Pour in the heavy cream while whisking the sauce. Again, the sauce will bubble up. Just keep whisking constantly until it forms the sauce and the bubbling subsides.
Add the sage back in and serve as desired.
Hint: The darker the butter gets as it is browning, the nuttier the flavor. Be sure to pull it off just a little lighter that you want, because it continues to brown a bit as you finish the sauce.
Variations
- Add fresh garlic in with the lemon zest and black pepper.
- Finely chopped shallots are also a great addition at the same time as the garlic.
- Try adding in a very small pinch of nutmeg.
- Finish with a fresh grating of parmesan cheese.
- Try swapping out the sage for other fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
- For a little heat try a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Ways to use butter and sage sauce
- Add to classic mashed potatoes.
- Toss with pasta - especially short tubular pastas or bowties. Fresh pastas like tortellini or ravioli are also great options. Butternut squash ravioli is especially delicious!
- Drizzle over roasted carrots, roasted butternut squash, or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Spoon over chicken or steak.
Storage and reheating
To store, allow the sauce to cool and pour into a container with a sealed lid. Place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
A couple of reheating tricks: always warm this sauce gently, whether on the stove or in the microwave. Cream-based sauces can split if the heat is too high, so take it slow. If it does happen to split, just give it a good whisk - it'll still taste amazing!
FAQs
No, dried sage does not have the same crispy texture or fresh flavor. If you don't have fresh sage on hand, try fresh thyme or rosemary instead.
Honestly, this sauce is best when made fresh. It does reheat, but it takes just about as long and risks separating, so it is better to make it right before serving.
Tips & tricks
- To ensure that the leaves get crispy, do not stir them once they are added into the melted better. Swirl the pan if needed, but do not stir.
- Take the butter off the burner as it is medium golden brown. It will continue to brown as the lemon zest and black pepper is added in.
- If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt at the beginning.
More brown butter recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- How To Brown Butter (Quick & Easy)
- Rice Pilaf with Brown Butter
- Fast Brown Butter Chicken Bites
- Brown Butter Banana Bread (with Chocolate Chips)
- Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rice Krispie Treats (with Brown Butter)
- Brown Butter Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe
Brown Butter Sage Sauce (Easy 10 Min Recipe)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks
- ½ cup sage leaves packed
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Place butter in a skillet over medium heat. As soon as it is melted, toss in the leaves and continue to cook the butter until it browns. It will foam and then start to subside as the butter turns a golden brown. The leaves will be dark brown and just start to get crispy. Remove the leaves and set aside. Remove from the heat.1 cup salted butter, ½ cup sage leaves
- Add in the lemon zest and black pepper. It will bubble and spit.2 teaspoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add in the heavy cream and whisk together. Again, it will bubble. Put the sage back in.½ cup heavy cream
- Serve immediately.
Notes
-
- To ensure that the leaves get crispy, do not stir them once they are added into the melted better. Swirl the pan if needed, but do not stir.
-
- Take the butter off the burner as it is medium golden brown. It will continue to brown as the lemon zest and black pepper is added in.
-
- If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt at the beginning.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Danielle says
This sauce is super fast and flavorful. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!