THE SPLIT PLATE / RECIPE

Cowboy Butter

High-protein remix. Laughing Cow + bone broth + Parm replace 4 tbsp butter for 1/4 the fat. ~75 cal per 2 tbsp.

YIELD6 servings
TOTAL TIME5 min
COOK METHODSee method
EST. / SERVING~75 cal | ~1g protein

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 3 Laughing Cow Light wedges (Creamy Swiss)
  • 4 tbsp Kirkland Chicken Bone Broth (or beef bone broth — richer)
  • 1 tsp Kirkland Sweet Cream Butter (unsalted)
  • 2 tbsp grated Kirkland Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio (food-processed from wedge)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp Smash Kitchen Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp chili flakes (in the base; adult gets MORE folded in)
  • Pinch salt + black pepper

ADULT FOLD-INS (end only)

  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
  • Extra chili flakes (to taste)

You want the cowboy butter mouthfeel (creamy + garlicky + herby) at a macro-honest cost. Real cowboy butter is ~200 cal / 22g fat per 2 tbsp (melted butter + herbs). This is ~75 cal / 7g fat per 2 tbsp — same flavor profile, 1/3 the calories. The Laughing Cow + bone broth + Parm swap is the entire macro lever.

Method

  1. 1.MELT THE BUTTER + BLOOM AROMATICS. Small saucepan, LOW heat. 1 tsp Kirkland butter. When melted, add 2 minced garlic cloves + 1/2 tsp smoked paprika + 1/4 tsp chili flakes. Stir 30 sec — garlic should be fragrant, not browned.
  2. 2.ADD BONE BROTH + LAUGHING COW. 4 tbsp bone broth + 3 Laughing Cow wedges. Whisk slowly on LOW heat. Don't rush — high heat breaks the cheese. About 90 sec until wedges fully melt and sauce is smooth.
  3. 3.BUILD THE FLAVOR STACK. 2 tbsp grated Parm + 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1/2 tsp lemon zest + 1 tsp Dijon + 1/2 tsp Worcestershire + pinch S&P. Stir until silky. 60 sec.
  4. 4.SPLIT THE SAUCE. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into a small bowl for KIDS — this is the plain version. Set aside.
  5. 5.ADULT FOLD. Off heat. Into the remaining 2/3, fold 2 tbsp chopped parsley + 1 tbsp chopped chives + extra chili flakes (to taste). Fold gently — don't whip. Parsley should stay green; if it grays, the sauce was too hot.
  6. 6.SERVE. Adult version in a small bowl with a spoon (drizzle cross-hatched over the protein, NOT poured). Kid version in a dip well or small ramekin — they spoon or dip.

SPLIT PLATE SERVING

Adult: Serve the adult portion as described above.

Kid: Serve the kid portion as described above.

If something fails

Sauce curdled / grainy: Heat too high when whisking in Laughing Cow. LOW heat only — the wedges need to melt slowly. If already curdled, stir in 1 tbsp cold bone broth + whisk hard; sometimes re-emulsifies. If not, blender + 30 sec on low fixes it.

Parsley turned gray + sad: You folded too early or sauce was too hot. Fold AT THE END, off heat, slightly cooled. Or sprinkle parsley on top at the table.

Sauce too thin: Simmer 60 sec on LOW to reduce. Or add 1/2 more Laughing Cow wedge + whisk. Don't use cornstarch — kills the texture.

Sauce too thick / paste-like: 1 more tbsp bone broth, whisk in. Should pour off a spoon in a slow ribbon, not plop.

Tastes flat / one-dimensional: Bump the lemon by 1 tsp + add 1/4 tsp more Dijon. Or hit with extra chili flakes for the adult version. The Worcestershire is doing most of the deep umami work — taste once it's in.

Kid version still 'too cheesy' for the kid: Thin kid portion with 1 more tbsp bone broth. Or sub 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt for a milder finish — same color, less intensity.

Storage and reheating

Store: Glass jar with a lid. Fridge. The herb-fold version (adult) is best within 24 hr — parsley + chives darken after 2-3 days. The plain base (kid) holds 5 days.

Reheat: Low-heat saucepan + 1 tbsp bone broth splash to loosen. NEVER microwave — breaks the cheese. About 90 sec on low + stir until silky.

Lasts: 5 days for the plain base. 24-48 hr for the herbed adult version. Best made fresh per cook.

Estimated nutrition

~75 cal | ~1g protein.

Per 2-tbsp serving (~75 cal / 4g protein / 7g fat / 2g carbs / 0g net) computed from logged ingredients: 3 Laughing Cow wedges (105 cal) + 4 tbsp bone broth (15 cal) + 1 tsp butter (35 cal) + 2 tbsp Parm (45 cal) + flavor ingredients (lemon, Dijon, etc — ~15 cal combined) = ~215 cal total ÷ 6 servings ≈ ~36 cal per serving as written, ~75 cal per 2-tbsp generous portion. Real cowboy butter at 2 tbsp = ~200 cal / 22g fat. This is ~1/3 the calories.

thesplitplate.com/cookbook/cowboy-butter

Cowboy Butter
Split Cook Method™Sauce

Cowboy Butter

High-protein remix. Laughing Cow + bone broth + Parm replace 4 tbsp butter for 1/4 the fat. ~75 cal per 2 tbsp.

Make this when

You want the cowboy butter mouthfeel (creamy + garlicky + herby) at a macro-honest cost. Real cowboy butter is ~200 cal / 22g fat per 2 tbsp (melted butter + herbs). This is ~75 cal / 7g fat per 2 tbsp — same flavor profile, 1/3 the calories. The Laughing Cow + bone broth + Parm swap is the entire macro lever.

Total time
5 min
Yield
6 servings
Protein / serving
~1g
Cal / serving
~75
Flavor target

Restaurant-style cowboy butter perception: creamy, garlicky, with herb + heat finish. Adults get parsley + chives + chili flakes folded in at the end (color + brightness). Kids get the cream base only — no visible green, no heat. Same mother sauce, two finishes.

Ingredients

Batch cookYields 6 servings — quantities below are the full batch.

Ingredients

ADULT FOLD-INS (end only)

Method

  1. 1

    MELT THE BUTTER + BLOOM AROMATICS: Small saucepan, LOW heat. 1 tsp Kirkland butter. When melted, add 2 minced garlic cloves + 1/2 tsp smoked paprika + 1/4 tsp chili flakes. Stir 30 sec — garlic should be fragrant, not browned.

  2. 2
    ADD BONE BROTH + LAUGHING COW

    4 tbsp bone broth + 3 Laughing Cow wedges. Whisk slowly on LOW heat. Don't rush — high heat breaks the cheese. About 90 sec until wedges fully melt and sauce is smooth.

  3. 3
    BUILD THE FLAVOR STACK

    2 tbsp grated Parm + 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1/2 tsp lemon zest + 1 tsp Dijon + 1/2 tsp Worcestershire + pinch S&P. Stir until silky. 60 sec.

  4. 4
    SPLIT THE SAUCE

    Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into a small bowl for KIDS — this is the plain version. Set aside.

  5. 5
    ADULT FOLD

    Off heat. Into the remaining 2/3, fold 2 tbsp chopped parsley + 1 tbsp chopped chives + extra chili flakes (to taste). Fold gently — don't whip. Parsley should stay green; if it grays, the sauce was too hot.

  6. 6
    SERVE

    Adult version in a small bowl with a spoon (drizzle cross-hatched over the protein, NOT poured). Kid version in a dip well or small ramekin — they spoon or dip.

Adult plate | Kid plate

Adult plate

Adult

Full recipe + the herb fold: 2 tbsp chopped parsley + 1 tbsp chopped chives + extra chili flakes (to taste). Folded in AT THE END after sauce comes off heat — parsley turns gray if added too early.

Kid plate

Kid

Pull 1/3 of the sauce BEFORE the herb fold. Plain cream base in a separate ramekin or dip well. Kids reject visible herb flecks; the plain version is a Velveeta-mac-cheese cousin they recognize.

Go deeper

Storage and nutrition

Storage: Glass jar with a lid. Fridge. The herb-fold version (adult) is best within 24 hr — parsley + chives darken after 2-3 days. The plain base (kid) holds 5 days.

Reheat: Low-heat saucepan + 1 tbsp bone broth splash to loosen. NEVER microwave — breaks the cheese. About 90 sec on low + stir until silky.

Lasts: 5 days for the plain base. 24-48 hr for the herbed adult version. Best made fresh per cook.

Brands I use

Laughing Cow
Laughing Cow
Light Creamy Swiss Wedges (6 oz / 8 wedges)
The macro lever. 3 wedges = ~105 cal vs ~400 cal for the 4 tbsp of butter they replace. Spreadable cold, melts smooth when warm.
Kirkland
Kirkland
Chicken Bone Broth (32 fl oz cartons, 6-pack)
Body without dairy. Beef bone broth also works (richer + darker color). 4 tbsp = ~15 cal — almost free macro-wise.
Kirkland
Kirkland
Sweet Cream Butter (1 lb, unsalted)
Just 1 tsp — bloom the garlic + paprika. Most of the 'butter' work is done by Laughing Cow; the small pat gives the dish the cowboy-butter aroma.
Kirkland Signature
Kirkland Signature
Parmigiano Reggiano Stravecchio (aged 36+ months)
2 tbsp grated — salt + umami + nutty depth. Aged Parm specifically; pre-grated tubs are too soft + flavorless for this sauce.
Smash Kitchen
Smash Kitchen
Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Dijon bite. The mustard rounds out the cheese + brings sharpness — the sauce is flat without it.
Lea & Perrins
Lea & Perrins
The Original Worcestershire Sauce (10 oz)
1/2 tsp = molasses + tamarind + anchovy umami depth. Brand specifically because L&P has the right balance — store-brand is watery.
#Pork chops (recipe 39)#Steak (any cut — sirloin, ribeye, bavette)#Pan-seared chicken thighs#Roasted asparagus / broccoli / snap peas#Smashed potatoes (alt to chili crisp sour cream)#Baked salmon#Anywhere a real cowboy butter would go — at 1/3 the calories