Lemon Caper Butter Sauce Recipe
Elevate any dish with this quick and easy Lemon Caper Butter Sauce featuring butter, lemon juice, wine, capers, and parsley.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter + 6 tablespoons
- ½ peeled shallot, small diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, etc.
- 3 tablespoons capers, ok with some brine
- zest of ½ lemon
- juice of ½ lemon, about 1 to ½ tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the 2 teaspoons of butter to a large frying pan over low to medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the shallots and garlic.
- Cook while stirring for 1 ½ to 2 minutes or just until the edges start to turn light brown.
- Deglaze with the wine and capers and cook over medium heat until on 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid remain.
- Add the zest and then remove the pan from the cooktop. Place on a heat-safe surface or a kitchen towel. Then add in the remaining 6 tablespoons of cold butter and swirl the pan in a circular motion to slowly emulsify the butter. You can alternatively whisk the butter in.
- Finish by whisking or stirring in the lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Notes
The most important part of making lemon butter piccata sauce is to always start with cold butter. Slowly melting pats of cold butter into the sauce is the best way to prevent it from breaking or separating. I usually slice the butter and keep it in a bowl in the fridge right up until I’m ready to swirl it into the skillet.
What pan to use: I made the sauce in a large stainless steel skillet, but any saucepan or non-stick skillet will do.
Rinse the capers: The capers and added salt make this sauce naturally salty. I always taste my capers ahead of time to get a feel for how briny or salty they are. If they taste a little too intense, I’ll rinse them under running water before adding them to the pan.
Control the heat: I keep it on low to medium heat when making this sauce. If the heat is too high or too low, the butter may separate.
Wine-free: The alcohol in the wine does cook off as it reduces, but I’ll sometimes replace the wine with an equal amount of homemade chicken stock. An extra squeeze of lemon juice does a great job of replacing the missing acidity, too.
Make it creamy: I love this simple sauce as-is, but whisking in a splash of heavy cream after the white wine has reduced will give it a richer consistency. Gently heat the creamy sauce until it thickens, then add the lemon zest and juice as normal.
Make-Ahead: Lemon caper sauce is best served as soon as it is made.
How to Store: Technically, you can store the leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, but it will likely break as it sits.
How to Reheat: Warm the leftover sauce in a skillet over low heat, whisking continuously, until it’s emulsified again. Add an extra splash of lemon juice or chicken broth if needed
Nutrition
Calories: 35kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0.3gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 168mgPotassium: 33mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.4gVitamin A: 155IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 0.3mg