How to make brown butter in the instant pot is as easy as it gets. This hands-off method gets perfect results in about 10 minutes. Seal the lid and set it to work and when it beeps you are ready to go.
For loads of Brown Butter Recipes, we put together this awesome guide—packed with everything from bakery-style treats to rich, flavorful savory dishes. We think you're gonna want to try them all!
What's brown butter?
Brown butter - often called liquid gold - is regular butter taken up a notch in the flavor department. When you heat it, the water content evaporates and the milk solids (aka milk proteins) separate and begin to turn a lovely color.
This browning process, know as the Maillard reaction, gives brown butter its signature nutty flavor and rich aroma. The result is a golden, flavorful toasty brown bits that can add serious depth to sweet and savory recipes.
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Why this recipe is great
- This pressure cooking method is pretty much hands-off when it comes to getting that perfect golden brown color.
- No fuss! Since the heat stays nice and even, you don’t have to stir as often. Just let it do its thing!
Ingredients for Instant pot brown butter
- Butter: As long as it’s the real thing, salted or unsalted butter works just fine! What won’t work, though, is margarine or any butter substitute. It’s the milk solids in real butter that brown and create that rich, nutty flavor we are looking for.
How to make brown butter in the Instant Pot
Regardless of which method you choose to brown butter, they all have the same basic visual clues to help guide you.
- Melted: First the butter will melt completely.
- Foam: A few minutes after it melts, the butter foams.
- Light brown: As the foaming begins to slow down, the milk proteins, which look like small specks, will begin to show. It will smell very nutty and almost caramel-y at this point.
- Dark brown: The longer it cooks the deeper the brown will get and the more nutty in flavor. It should still be very fragrant, but not smell burnt.
Place the cold butter in the Instant Pot, seal it, and set it to manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
Once it is finished, immediately open the steam vent and, once the steam has released, remove the lid and take the pot out of the base to remove it from the heat source and press the cancel button. Pro tip: use a towel and open the vent away from you to prevent getting burned.
It is very important to do this as soon as it is finished. The residual heat will continue to cook the butter, which could cause it to burn. Ten minutes should be the perfect time for a medium-golden color and nutty aroma.
If the butter isn't quite brown enough, select the sauté feature on cook, stirring frequently, until it reaches the desired darkness. Be careful as the hot butter will burn if it splashes on skin.
How to use nutty brown butter
FAQs
That all depends on which method you choose. The quickest way to to microwave it, with a pressure cooker or stovetop being about equal. The low and slow method of a crockpot will be the longest.
Usually, yes, but with the Instant Pot, you don’t need to stir—unless you want to deepen the color using the sauté feature. If you do, just stir frequently to keep it from burning.
Browned butter can be stored in the refrigerator in a jar or other airtight container for up to two weeks. Allow it to come to room temperature or warm it gently before using.
Tips & Tricks
- Remove the butter from the heat source as soon as it is the desired depth of color.
- If the butter isn’t as brown as you’d like, just switch on the sauté feature and keep stirring until it reaches that perfect golden, nutty goodness.
Other ways to brown butter
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
How To Make Brown Butter In the Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter 16 tablespoons
Instructions
- Place butter in Instant Pot, seal the lid with the steam vent sealed, and cook on manual for 10 minutes.2 sticks butter
- Once finished, immediately (and carefully) open the steam vent and, once the steam is released, remove the lid. Remove the inner pot from the base and pour butter into a heat-proof container.
Notes
- Remove the butter from the heat source as soon as it is the desired depth of color.
- If the butter isn’t as brown as you’d like, just switch on the sauté feature and keep stirring until it reaches that perfect golden, nutty goodness.
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 hands-off method of browning butter is so effortless!