Compound Seaweed Butter Recipe (Beurre Algues)

Delicious Seaweed Butter (Beurre Algues) is an excellent garnish for seafood or any time you want to add an unusual umami kick to your dishes. Homemade compound butter will add flavor to any meal and jazz up your breadboard, too.

Jump to:

• 📖 Ingredients List
• 👩🏼‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 👩🏼‍🍳 How to use seaweed butter
• 🍷 Wine pairing for seaweed
• ❄️ Storage & freezing
• ❓What type of seaweed to use
• 🥣 Equipment
• ❓Recipe FAQ
• 🍽 Other recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

📖 Ingredients List

1. Unsalted butter - Always use good quality, unsalted butter to remain in control of both the quality and quantity of salt in any recipe. The butter needs to be softened and at room temperature to blend properly.
2. Dried seaweed - I prefer to use dried seaweed in seaweed butter as it has a strong taste, so you don't need to use as much of it, and it isn't as watery.
3. Flaky sea salt - Salt brings out the umami taste of the seaweed. You can use other salts, but sea salt is the most authentic to the recipe and the flavor profile. You can also add black pepper to add a bit of warmth.
4. Lemon juice - This squeeze of citrus acidity lifts the butter and sharpens all the flavors.

👩🏼‍🍳 How to make this recipe

👩🏼‍🍳 How to use seaweed butter

I serve seaweed butter alongside any seafood dish like a salmon en croute, with some warm bread rolls. It also tastes delicious with shellfish dishes, I like to melt it into this samphire risotto with seared scallops. Alternatively, toss it with some steamed samphire to create a tasty side dish.

Sometimes, if I have any leftover cooked samphire I will blend it into the seaweed butter to add even more flavor.

🍷 Wine pairing for seaweed

Seaweed butter is a garnish, so the choice of wine will depend on the dish. However, the salty taste and richness of the butter need something to cut through it. Serve a crisp and acidic white wine with some minerality, like a cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley or Marlborough.

❄️ Storage & freezing

Store seaweed butter in the fridge in an airtight container until needed.

You can also freeze seaweed butter, and use it within one month. Wrap it securely in plastic food wrap to avoid freezer burn.

❓What type of seaweed to use

I mainly use dulse and Irish sea moss in seaweed butter. Dulse is flaky, and has a salty profile, and is sometimes used as a bacon substitute! Nori is also a type of edible seaweed that is easy to get hold of (try Japanese food stores), and the dried sheets blend well into butter.

To learn more about the types of edible seaweed read this article.

🥣 Equipment

You will need a food processor to blend the compound seaweed butter. You can also use a stand mixer and paddle attachment if you are making larger quantities.

I use these seashell butter molds to make pretty seashell shapes. Alternatively, just use a small rounded spoon to quenelle the butter mixture.

❓Recipe FAQ

🍽 Other recipes

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📖 Recipe