Herb Butter Toast Snack (Printer View)

Crusty artisan bread layered with a fragrant herb butter and finished with flaky sea salt.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bread

01 - 4 slices crusty artisan bread (sourdough or baguette)

→ Compound Herb Butter

02 - 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
05 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
06 - 1 garlic clove, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Finishing

10 - Flaky sea salt, to taste

# Method Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F or set the broiler to high.
02 - In a small bowl, blend softened butter, parsley, chives, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and fine sea salt until fully incorporated.
03 - Place bread slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven or under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden and crisp.
04 - Spread a generous layer of compound herb butter evenly over each warm toast.
05 - Return the toasts to the oven or broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until the butter melts and the bread edges turn golden.
06 - Remove from heat, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant-quality but comes together in under 15 minutes, making you feel like a kitchen genius.
  • The compound butter can be made ahead and frozen, so you're always ready to impress.
  • It's endlessly customizable—swap herbs based on what's growing in your garden or what you have on hand.
02 -
  • Cold butter will never mix smoothly with the herbs and will leave you with chunky bits instead of an even green spread—let it come to room temperature first.
  • The second toasting is essential; it melts the butter into the bread rather than just sitting on top, making each bite cohesive and deeply flavorful.
03 -
  • Toast your bread just enough to crisp it but not so much that it shatters when you spread the butter—medium is always safer than overdone.
  • Use a microplane or fine grater for the lemon zest so you capture only the yellow fragrant part, not the bitter white pith underneath.
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