Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce is bold, buttery, and just what your steak dinner’s been missing. With zesty lemon, garlic, and a spicy kick from red pepper flakes, this easy dipping sauce turns everything from grilled chicken to roasted veggies into flavor-packed bites. It’s a quick win for your next BBQ or cozy dinner at home.

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What makes this recipe irresistible
What makes Cowboy Butter so irresistible? It’s fast, flavorful, and wildly versatile. This easy sauce takes just minutes to whip up and uses simple pantry staples—but it delivers restaurant-level flavor.
Whether you’re dipping steak, shrimp, bread, or veggies, it adds a spicy, buttery punch you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients

Please refer to the printable recipe card for the exact measurements.

Cowboy Butter Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- ½ lemon juiced and zested
- 1 ½ teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons parsley minced
- 1 green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the stovetop—place in a small mixing bowl.
- Zest ½ the lemon, then juice half the lemon as well. Mince the shallots and slice the green onions.
- Add the ingredients to the bowl with the butter, lemon juice, zest, minced shallots, dijon mustard, parsley, green onions, paprika, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
- Serve in a pretty dish warm as a dipping sauce with steak, pork, or chicken. When you pull your steaks off the grill, slather the cowboy butter on the steak and let it melt while the steak rests. It will add so much flavor!
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Nutrition
Variations
Want to mix things up? Try these tasty twists!!
- Swap in fresh rosemary, thyme, or chives for a different herb combo.
- Craving heat? Amp up the red pepper flakes—or tone them down if you’re spice-shy.
- Add a drizzle of honey to balance out the spice with a touch of sweetness.
Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions refer to the recipe card.
FAQ's
It’s a zesty, melted garlic butter sauce made with fresh herbs, lemon, mustard, and a pinch of heat. Amazing on steak, but just as good on veggies and bread.
Yes! Store it in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it for longer.
Nope! You can spread it on toast or steak while it’s at room temperature too.

Deb’s tips for the perfect dish
Leftover cowboy butter? Don’t toss it—freeze it! Pour into silicone ice cube trays, freeze, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Pop one out anytime your steak, chicken, or veggies need a flavor boost.

More great sauce recipes
No bbq is complete without Alabama White BBQ Sauce. It's tangy and delicious! Homemade Plum BBQ Sauce - it's another excellent sauce!
Cilantro Garlic Sauce is zippy and creamy with lime and garlic. That and Red Robin Campfire Sauce are perfect for dipping fries, chicken fingers and more!
Smashburger Sauce is a must-make any time you're grilling burgers!
Perfect pairings: what to serve with
- Drizzle it over Roasted Green Beans and Carrots or Lemon and Garlic Broccoli to give your veggies more flavor!
- Grilled Teriyaki Steak, that would be amazing with this sauce.
- Do you enjoy a bread side with your meal? If so, dip rolls or Garlic Bread into this compound flavorful butter mixture.
Cowboy Butter is the kind of sauce that makes any meal feel special. Whether you’re firing up the grill or roasting dinner in the oven, this buttery dip brings the flavor.
Try it and let me know what you think—I'd love to hear how you used it!
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