It’s pretty incredible just how well brown butter plays with dishes both sweet and savory. Here, we’re focusing on the latter half of the equation with 16 scrumptious recipes that are more suited for a main course than dessert. Set the table and dig in, but be warned: Things are bound to get a bit nutty.

1. Brown Butter Toasted Cheese Sandwiches: Taking a few extra moments to brown the butter for your grilled cheese pays off big time in the flavor department. (via A Splash of Vanilla)

2. Butternut Squash Pizza With Brown Butter Base: Talk about a perfect-for-fall pie. Sauced with a brush of brown butter alone, it’s a terrific twist on the usual white pizza. (via Cooking for Keeps)

3. Brown Butter Pasta Salad With Brussels Sprouts and Ricotta: Ricotta and brown butter offer just enough creaminess to this pasta salad flecked with flash-roasted Brussels sprouts and bacon. (via Bacon Egg Cheesecake)

4. Sweet Potato Gnocchi With Balsamic Brown Butter: Ricotta and sweet potato team up to create these delicious dumplings that only need a quick toss in a simple brown-butter sage sauce before serving. (via Just a Taste)

5. Poached Egg With Crunchy Quinoa and Balsamic-Brown Butter Asparagus: We’re loving this combo as a satisfyingly healthy way to start the day. The asparagus is brilliant enough to serve as a side with other dishes, as well. (via Aida Mollenkamp)

6. Brown Butter, Honey and Jalapeño Skillet Cornbread: Still looking for the best cornbread recipe out there? For fans of cheese with a hint of heat, this one may very well be it. (via Cookie and Kate)

7. Crockpot Bacon and Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin: The finishing touch for this succulent, stuffed tenderloin is a delicious brown butter, apricot and sage sauce. (via Crock Pot Gourmet)

8. Green Lentil and Apple-Brown Butter Soup: Apples and brown butter add a hint of sweet and nutty flavor, respectively, to this healthy lentil soup. (via Tartines and Apron Strings)

9. Scallops With Herbed Brown Butter: This may be a very simple preparation, but it works beautifully to highlight the scallops’ natural sweetness. (via Bon Appétit)

10. Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Pasta With Hazelnuts: Whole wheat pasta and brown butter complement one another oh-so-well. A generous helping of Brussels sprouts and crunchy, chopped hazelnuts make it a complete meal. (via Two Peas and Their Pod)

11. Sweet Potato Fries + Brown Butter Marshmallow Sauce: Wavering between sweet and savory, it would be a shame to pass up this innovative — and let’s face it, irresistible — play on the usual sweet potato casserole. (via Wright Kitchen)

12. Brown Butter Basted Radishes: If raw radishes are just too assertive for you, try this preparation that softens the ruby-hued roots in every which way. (via Foodsessed)

13. Cider Vinegar-Brown Butter Honey Drizzle: Toss grilled wings in this sweet-savory-nutty sauce for a bright, lightened-up take on the usual Buffalo-sauced variety. (via Southern Living)

14. Burnt Butter Hollandaise: Take your favorite eggs benny and spoon this brown butter hollandaise over top for a subtle upgrade. (via Lady and Pups)

15. Creamy Baked Rigatoni With Butternut Squash Goat Cheese: Each bite of this baked pasta tantalizes your tastebuds with its well-balanced combination of sweet, nutty and tangy flavors. (via Foodess)

16. Brown Butter Lobster Rolls: You’re only four ingredients away from enjoying one heck of a lobster roll. (via A Better Happier St. Sebastian)

When it comes to cooking with brown butter, do you prefer to keep things sweet or savory? Tell us all about your taste preferences below!

Heather Sage
Heather Sage is a gluten-free recipe developer and freelance writer living in Orlando by way of the Silicon Valley. When she isn’t playing around with alternative flours in the kitchen, she can be found tackling DIY projects around the house or exploring her neighborhood. Check out her gluten-free recipe blog, A Sage Amalgam.