Herb sauce is a quick butter and olive oil sauce with garlic, pine nuts, fresh herbs and lime zest, ready in about 20 minutes. It serves 4 and goes well tossed with hot pasta, like the linguine in the photo.
Why This Recipe Works
The onion cooks gently in olive oil and half the butter, without taking any color. That keeps it soft and sweet instead of browned, so the herbs stay the main flavor.
Garlic and pine nuts fry for just 2 minutes. The nuts turn lightly toasted and give the sauce a buttery crunch, and the garlic softens before it can burn.
The herbs, stock, lime zest and the rest of the butter go in at the very end. The herbs are only warmed through, so they stay bright green and fresh. The cold butter and stock also loosen the sauce so it coats the pasta.
Herb Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) butter, divided
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 ounce (3 tablespoons) pine nuts
- 8 tablespoons very finely chopped mixed herbs (chervil, parsley, chives, basil, mint, sage, rosemary and fennel leaves)
- 2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable stock
- Grated zest of 1/2 lime
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
How To Make Herb Sauce
Soften the base
- Cook the onion: Put the onion in a skillet with the olive oil and half the butter. Cook over low heat until soft, without letting it take any color.
- Add garlic and pine nuts: Stir in the garlic and pine nuts. Fry for 2 minutes, so the garlic softens and the nuts turn lightly toasted.
Finish the sauce
- Stir in the herbs: Add the herbs, stock, lime zest and the remaining butter. Stir just until the butter melts, so the herbs only warm through and stay green.
- Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away, spooned over hot pasta.
Recipe Tips
- Work quickly: The herbs should only be warmed through, not cooked. Have the pasta drained and waiting before you add them.
- Chop the herbs very fine: Fine pieces blend into the butter and coat each strand evenly, instead of clumping.
- Keep the heat low: High heat browns the onion and garlic and gives the sauce a bitter edge. Low heat keeps it soft and sweet.
- Use fresh herbs: Dried herbs will not give this sauce its bright color or taste. Use as many of the listed herbs as you can find.
What To Serve With Herb Sauce
Toss the sauce with hot linguine or spaghetti and serve right away. It also goes well with other savory pasta dishes, much like pesto.
How To Store
- Fridge: The sauce tastes best fresh. If you have leftovers, keep them covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently over low heat, or toss with hot pasta, so the herbs do not turn dull and dark.
FAQs
What pasta goes best with herb sauce?
Long, thin pasta like linguine or spaghetti works well because the sauce clings to each strand. Short shapes also work. Toss the sauce with the hot, drained pasta right before serving.
Can I make herb sauce vegetarian?
Yes. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and the sauce is vegetarian. It still contains butter, so it is not vegan.
Can I make herb sauce ahead of time?
It is best made just before serving, because the herbs lose their bright color and fresh taste as they sit. You can chop the herbs and onion ahead and finish the sauce at the last minute.
Do I need all eight herbs?
No. Use what you can find, with parsley, chives and basil as a good base. Strong herbs like rosemary and sage should stay in small amounts so they do not take over.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 330 kcal
- Total Fat: 35g
- Total Carbohydrate: 3g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
Herb Sauce
4
servings10
minutes10
minutes20
minutesA fast butter and olive oil sauce with onion, garlic, pine nuts, a mix of fresh herbs and lime zest. It serves 4 and finishes in under 20 minutes, ready to toss with hot pasta.
Ingredients
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) butter, divided
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 ounce (3 tablespoons) pine nuts
8 tablespoons very finely chopped mixed herbs (chervil, parsley, chives, basil, mint, sage, rosemary and fennel leaves)
2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable stock
Grated zest of 1/2 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Cook the onion: Put the onion in a skillet with the olive oil and half the butter. Cook over low heat until soft, without letting it take any color.
- Add garlic and pine nuts: Stir in the garlic and pine nuts. Fry for 2 minutes, so the garlic softens and the nuts turn lightly toasted.
- Stir in the herbs: Add the herbs, stock, lime zest and the remaining butter. Stir just until the butter melts, so the herbs only warm through and stay green.
- Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away, spooned over hot pasta.
