Buttermilk is a versatile ingredient that you can use in a variety of recipes. It adds slight tanginess and creaminess to your meals, making them more flavorful and delicious.
You can use buttermilk in both sweet and savory recipes, from soups and stews to pancakes and biscuits.
In this blog post, we’ll share 37 easy buttermilk recipes you can try at home. Whether you’re a novice or a pro in the kitchen, these recipes are simple, making them perfect for any level of cooking expertise.
37 Easy Recipes Using Buttermilk
1. Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Buttermilk fried chicken is a classic recipe that everyone loves. The buttermilk marinade tenderizes the chicken, and it also adds a delightful tangy flavor to the meat.
To make this dish, mix together buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
Marinate the chicken in the mixture for several hours, then coat it in a seasoned flour mixture before frying it. Serve it with your favorite dipping sauce.
2. Buttermilk Pancakes
Buttermilk pancakes are fluffy, tender, and flavorful. In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, and butter until smooth.
Heat a pan over medium heat and pour the batter into the pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve with butter, maple syrup, and your favorite fruit.
3. Buttermilk Biscuits
Buttermilk biscuits are savory and buttery, perfect for serving with your favorite breakfast or brunch meal. To make them, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cold butter in a bowl.
Stir in buttermilk until the mixture comes together into a dough. Cut the dough into circles and bake in the oven until golden brown.
4. Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Buttermilk ranch dressing is a tangy and creamy dressing that goes well with salads, sandwiches, and other dishes.
To make it, mix together buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried dill, salt, and pepper. You can adjust the seasoning to your liking, and you can also add other herbs and spices if desired.
5. Buttermilk Waffles
Buttermilk waffles are another delicious breakfast or brunch option. In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, and melted butter until smooth.
Heat a waffle iron and pour the batter into the mold. Cook until golden brown and crispy. Serve with whipped cream and your favorite fruit.
6. Buttermilk Fried Shrimp
Buttermilk fried shrimp is a tasty appetizer or dinner option that everyone will love. To make it, marinate the shrimp in a mixture of buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and garlic powder for several hours.
Then coat the shrimp in a seasoned flour mixture before frying them until crispy and golden brown.
7. Buttermilk Cornbread
Buttermilk cornbread is a tender and flavorful side dish that goes well with soups, stews, and chili.
In a bowl, mix together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until combined. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake until golden brown.
8. Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Buttermilk mashed potatoes are creamy and flavorful, perfect for serving with grilled meat or roasted veggies. To make them, boil peeled and diced potatoes until tender.
Drain the water and mash the potatoes with buttermilk, butter, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
9. Buttermilk Pie
Buttermilk pie is a classic dessert that’s sweet, creamy, and tangy.
In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth. Pour the mixture into a pie crust and bake until set and golden brown.
10. Buttermilk Dumplings
Buttermilk dumplings are soft and tender, perfect for serving with chicken soup or stew. To make them, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk in a bowl until a dough forms.
Drop spoonfuls of the dough into the simmering soup or stew and cook until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
11. Buttermilk Muffins
Buttermilk muffins are moist and fluffy, perfect for breakfast or a snack.
In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk until combined. Pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake until golden brown.
12. Buttermilk Panna Cotta
Buttermilk panna cotta is a creamy and tangy dessert that’s easy to make. In a saucepan, whisk together buttermilk, cream, sugar, and gelatin until combined.
Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot but not boiling. Pour the mixture into ramekins and chill in the fridge until set.
13. Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls
Buttermilk cinnamon rolls are soft, pillowy, and full of flavor. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, yeast, buttermilk, butter, and eggs until a dough forms.
Knead the dough until smooth, then roll it out and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll it up and cut into slices, then bake until golden brown.
14. Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
Buttermilk blueberry muffins are sweet, tangy, and bursting with juicy blueberries.
In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and fresh blueberries until combined. Pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake until golden brown.
15. Buttermilk Grilled Chicken
Buttermilk grilled chicken is juicy, tender, and infused with a delicious tangy flavor.
To make it, marinate the chicken in a mixture of buttermilk, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper for several hours. Grill the chicken over high heat until cooked through and golden brown.
16. Buttermilk Caramel Sauce
Buttermilk caramel sauce is sweet, tangy, and perfect for serving over ice cream or apple pie.
In a saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, buttermilk, butter, vanilla, and salt. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and turns golden brown.
17. Buttermilk Baked Donuts
Buttermilk baked donuts are fluffy, moist, and healthier than fried donuts.
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk until combined. Pour the batter into a donut pan and bake until golden brown.
18. Buttermilk Potato Salad
Buttermilk potato salad is creamy, tangy, and full of flavor.
To make it, boil peeled and diced potatoes until tender. Mix together buttermilk, mayo, mustard, red onion, celery, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the cooked potatoes and stir until well combined.
19. Buttermilk Baked Chicken
Buttermilk baked chicken is crispy, flavorful, and healthier than fried chicken.
To make it, marinate the chicken in a mixture of buttermilk, hot sauce, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper for several hours. Coat the chicken in seasoned breadcrumbs and bake until crispy and golden brown.
20. Buttermilk Limeade
Buttermilk limeade is a refreshing and tangy drink that’s perfect for hot summer days.
In a pitcher, mix together buttermilk, lime juice, sugar, and water until well combined. Serve over ice and garnish with lime slices.
21. Buttermilk Mac and Cheese
Buttermilk mac and cheese is creamy, tangy, and full of cheesy flavor.
To make it, boil elbow pasta until al dente. Mix together buttermilk, shredded cheddar cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Add the cooked pasta and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
22. Buttermilk Gravy
Buttermilk gravy is rich and creamy, perfect for serving over biscuits or fried chicken.
To make it, whisk together flour and butter in a skillet until the mixture turns golden brown. Slowly whisk in buttermilk and cook until the gravy thickens and the flour taste has cooked out.
23. Buttermilk Baked Salmon
Marinate salmon fillets in buttermilk, garlic, herbs, and lemon zest. Bake until the salmon is tender and flaky.
24. Buttermilk Mashed Cauliflower
Make a creamy and low-carb side dish by boiling and mashing cauliflower with buttermilk, butter, and seasonings.
25. Buttermilk Banana Bread
Create a moist and flavorful banana bread by combining ripe bananas, buttermilk, flour, sugar, eggs, and spices. Bake until golden brown.
26. Buttermilk Coleslaw
Make a tangy and creamy coleslaw by mixing shredded cabbage and carrots with a dressing made from buttermilk, mayo, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings.
27. Buttermilk Honey Mustard
Prepare a delicious dipping sauce by combining buttermilk, honey, Dijon mustard, and a touch of lemon juice. Great for chicken tenders or veggies.
28. Buttermilk Sweet Potato Pie
Create a flavorful and creamy sweet potato pie by blending sweet potatoes, buttermilk, sugar, spices, and eggs. Bake until set.
29. Buttermilk Dumplings
Buttermilk dumplings are soft and tender, perfect for serving with chicken soup or stew. To make them, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk in a bowl until a dough forms.
Drop spoonfuls of the dough into the simmering soup or stew and cook until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
30. Buttermilk Muffins
Buttermilk muffins are moist and fluffy, perfect for breakfast or a snack. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk until combined. Pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake until golden brown.
31. Buttermilk Gravy
Buttermilk gravy is rich and creamy, perfect for serving over biscuits or fried chicken. To make it, whisk together flour and butter in a skillet until the mixture turns golden brown.
Slowly whisk in buttermilk and cook until the gravy thickens and the flour taste has cooked out.
32. Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls
Buttermilk cinnamon rolls are soft, pillowy, and full of flavor. In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, yeast, buttermilk, butter, and eggs until a dough forms.
Knead the dough until smooth, then roll it out and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll it up and cut into slices, then bake until golden brown.
33. Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins
Buttermilk blueberry muffins are sweet, tangy, and bursting with juicy blueberries.
In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and fresh blueberries until combined. Pour the batter into a muffin tin and bake until golden brown.
34. Buttermilk Grilled Chicken
Buttermilk grilled chicken is juicy, tender, and infused with a delicious tangy flavor.
To make it, marinate the chicken in a mixture of buttermilk, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper for several hours. Grill the chicken over high heat until cooked through and golden brown.
35. Buttermilk Caramel Sauce
Buttermilk caramel sauce is sweet, tangy, and perfect for serving over ice cream or apple pie. In a saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, buttermilk, butter, vanilla, and salt.
Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and turns golden brown.
36. Buttermilk Baked Donuts
Buttermilk baked donuts are fluffy, moist, and healthier than fried donuts.
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk until combined. Pour the batter into a donut pan and bake until golden brown.
37. Buttermilk Potato Salad
Buttermilk potato salad is creamy, tangy, and full of flavor.
Final Thoughts,
Buttermilk is a versatile ingredient that can add flavor and tanginess to a variety of dishes.
These 37 easy recipes are simple and straightforward, making them perfect for anyone who wants to experiment with buttermilk in the kitchen.
From fried chicken and pancakes to soup and panna cotta, there’s something for everyone on this list. So grab some buttermilk and start cooking today!
