Marry Me Butter
You’ll fall in love with it on every dish.
Serves8 to 12
Makes1 1/4 cups
Prep5 minutes
Cook20 minutes to 25 minutes
Everyone should have a few, perfect, goes-with-everything sauces up their sleeve. This is one of mine. Made with sungold or cherry tomatoes, a little honey, a few anchovies, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and some aromatics, it’s the perfect celebration of summer. I call it “Marry Me Butter” because it’s a match made in heaven for any summer dish, but really, it’s so good people may fall in love with you (and if you haven’t already, you should definitely make Marry Me Chicken).
Marry Me Butter works best in the summer with peak-season tomatoes, but the good news is that decent enough cherry tomatoes can be found at the grocery store year-round. Slow cooking (not too slow, just 20 minutes), brings out maximum tomato flavor so they will still taste delicious.
I love to serve a bowl of this butter next to sliced steak for some decadent dunking action, but it goes well on anything! Whether you toss it with some noodles, spoon it over grilled vegetables, or use it as a dip for bread, I’m always going to say “I do!”
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s so versatile! Use this as a buttery sauce for steak, pasta, roasted vegetables, and just about any other summer meal.
- It’s make-ahead-friendly. It keeps in the freezer for months, so you can still have a taste of summer once it gets chilly.
Key Ingredients in Marry Me Butter
- Tomatoes. Sungold or cherry tomatoes have concentrated tomato flavor, which make them ideal for quickly building a sauce.
- Butter. Cultured, salted butter adds a delicious tangy, nutty flavor, but you can use regular salted butter if you can’t find it.
- Aromatics. Garlic and onion help build a flavorful base for the sauce.
- Anchovies. The fillets melt into the sauce and add a ton of umami (but no fishiness). I like Ortiz, Merro, and Agostino Recca.
- Red pepper flakes. A touch of heat adds balance, while a touch more makes it pleasantly spicy.
- Honey. Brings out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes.
Helpful Swaps
- Substitute a spoonful of crushed Calabrian chilis for red pepper flakes.
- You can swap 1 1/2 teaspoons of fish sauce for the anchovy fillets.
- Blend the sauce in a blender or with an immersion blender if you want it to be smooth.
Ways to Use Marry Me Butter
- Serve with seared steak, grilled chicken, or other proteins for dipping or spooning over.
- Spoon over roasted or grilled vegetables like sweet corn, green beans, or sliced zucchini.
- Use it as a sauce for any kind of pasta — I love it on spaghetti or bucatini.
- Stir into butter or cannellini beans.
- Set it out as a dip for bread.
Marry Me Butter Recipe
You’ll fall in love with it on every dish.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes
Makes 1 1/4 cups
Serves 8 to 12
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1/2
medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 6 tablespoons
salted butter, preferably cultured, divided
- 3
anchovy fillets
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon
red pepper flakes, plus more as needed
- 1 pint
sungold or cherry tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon
honey or granulated sugar, plus more as needed
Instructions
Finely chop 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 1/2 cup). Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves.
Melt 3 tablespoons of the salted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 3 anchovy fillets and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the anchovies dissolve.
Add 1 pint sungold or cherry tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally as the tomatoes break down and burst, until some of the tomato juice reduces and gets slightly jammy, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat slightly if the tomatoes are splattering too much.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of salted butter and stir until melted. Taste and add more red pepper flakes and honey as needed. Serve warm or room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions: You can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce for the anchovy fillets.
Make ahead: Tomato butter can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Re-melt the butter on the stovetop over medium heat for a dipping sauce.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 6 months.