When it comes to iconic food combinations, it’s pretty hard to top bread and butter. In the recipes below, we attempt to improve on the already-perfect by adding imaginative compound butters and delicious toppings—and the results are insanely delicious. Piled high with the good stuff, these toasts are satisfying enough to be full meals. The best part? Any extra flavored butter spread can be kept for one week in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer, so you can upgrade all sorts of future dishes. Read on if you don’t mind getting really, really hungry.
Red Wine Butter & Steak Toast
What’s a tastier combo than red wine and steak? Red wine-infused butter and sliced steak on toast. With the help of some aromatics like shallot and thyme, it’s a lot closer to a fancy dinner than your average grab-and-go breakfast. Leftover red wine butter can be stirred into risotto, polenta, or freshly boiled pasta for a boost of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 c. red wine
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped (about ⅓ c.)
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1 c. (2 sticks) plus 1 tbsp. Land O Lakes® Salted Butter, softened and divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Canola oil, for grilling
- 8 oz. flank steak
- Kosher salt
- 2 (½" thick) slices ciabatta bread
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring wine, shallot, honey, and thyme up to a boil. Continue boiling until wine is mostly reduced (should be about ¼ cup total), watching carefully toward the end as it reduces fast, about 6 to 8 minutes. It should be thick and syrupy, like maple syrup.
- Remove pan from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Scrape into a food processor and add 1 cup softened Land O Lakes® Salted Butter and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse until combined. Transfer mixture to a large piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Tightly wrap butter and form into a rounded stick. Twist ends to seal and refrigerate until firm.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high. Oil the grates. Season the steak with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Grill, turning halfway through, until golden on both sides and steak is cooked to medium rare, about 5 minutes per side. Remove steak to a work surface, top with about 1 tablespoon of the red wine butter, and loosely tent with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, clean and oil grill grates. Spread remaining 1 tablespoon Land O Lakes® Salted Butter on ciabatta and grill, turning halfway through, until lightly charred and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer bread to plates. Spread about 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine butter onto each piece of bread. Very thinly slice steak and top bread with steak. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Mushroom Toast With Miso Compound Butter
For an umami-loaded lunch, turn to this toast. Miso and lemon-infused Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil and Sea Salt add richness to this super-savory toast, and crisp, juicy planks of seared maitake mushrooms bring texture. Leftovers of this salty miso butter are perfect for topping fish, stirring into fried rice, or tossing with just-roasted veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 c. plus 2 tbsp. Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil and Sea Salt, divided
- ¼ c. white miso
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 lemon wedges
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 8 oz. maitake mushroom, sliced or torn into ¼" planks
- Two ¾" thick slices sourdough bread, lightly toasted
- 3 tbsp. chopped chives, plus more for garnish
Directions
- Combine 1 cup Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt with the miso, lemon zest, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape miso butter into a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. Swirl to evenly coat bottom of skillet, then add mushrooms in an even layer. Cook mushrooms undisturbed, until golden on the bottom side, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the miso butter onto the top side of each piece of toast, arrange mushrooms over it, sprinkle with chives, squeeze with lemon, and serve.
Salted Caramel Butter & Apple Toast
If you wait all year for fall to roll around so you can eat all the caramel apples your heart desires, this toast is for you. With a salted caramel butter you'll want to down by the spoonful, plus crisp green apples and honey-roasted peanuts, this sweet treat tastes a lot like the real thing, but it's way easier to eat. If you don't finish it off immediately, try leftovers of this salted caramel butter slathered on warm English muffins or a cinnamon-raisin bagel.
Ingredients
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 1 c. plus 1 tbsp. Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, divided
- ¼ c. heavy cream
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 granny smith apple, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 thick slices lightly toasted brioche bread
- 2 tbsp. honey-roasted peanuts
- Flaky sea salt, for garnish
Directions
- Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Continue to boil, swirling the skillet occasionally once the sugar mixture starts to brown, until mixture is amber-colored, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, the heavy cream, and the salt, until melted and combined. Scrape caramel into a medium heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Scrape cooled caramel into a food processor and add remaining cup Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil. Pulse until well combined, about 30 seconds. Use salted caramel butter right away or refrigerate until ready to use.
- Spread about 1 to 2 tablespoons salted caramel butter onto each piece of bread. Top with apple and peanuts and serve topped with flaky sea salt.
Prop Styling: Heidi’s Bridge; Food Styling: Sean Dooley; Art Director: Hannah Miller; Food Editor: Carson Lombardi
