Lemon Butter Sauce

Lemon Butter Sauce, often known as 'beurre au citron' in French cuisine, is a classic, velvety sauce made by emulsifying cold butter into reduced lemon juice and sometimes white wine or stock. Its primary ingredients are butter, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of salt, creating a bright, rich, and tangy flavor profile. It is a foundational sauce in French cooking, widely used in Western cuisine to accompany fish, chicken, and vegetables.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

This sauce is very high in fat, primarily from butter, with negligible carbohydrates and protein. A typical serving (about 2 tablespoons) provides a significant amount of vitamin A and some fat-soluble vitamins, with a calorie count ranging from 150 to 200 calories.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	120 kcal
Protein	0.2 g
Carbs	0.5 g
Fat	13 g
Fiber	0 g
Sugar	0.2 g
Sodium	180 mg
Vitamin A	110 mcg RAE
Vitamin D	0.2 mcg
Vitamin E	1.5 mg
Vitamin K	4.5 mcg
Vitamin C	2 mg
Calcium	8 mg
Iron	0.1 mg
Cholesterol	35 mg

Per 1/4 cup (60 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, it exemplifies the French culinary principle of 'monter au beurre'—finishing a sauce with cold butter to create a glossy, emulsified texture without cream. Nutritionally, its high fat content makes it a vehicle for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins from the foods it's served with, like vitamin A in carrots or vitamin D in fish.