Learn How To Make Ghee from unsalted butter in 15 minutes with this step-by-step guide. This version of clarified butter has a nutty aroma from caramelized milk solids, an exceptionally high smoke point, and is a staple in Indian cooking. Make ghee at home with this easy 1-ingredient recipe in the Instant Pot or on the stove.
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What is Ghee?
Ghee is clarified butter that is made by heating butter until the milk solids separate and caramelize, leaving behind the clear butterfat with a nutty butterscotch flavor. It has been a staple in Indian cuisine for thousands of years and is used to prepare a wide range of dishes, including vegetables, curries, cookies, and even desserts.
It is a stabilized cooking fat and extremely shelf-stable since all of the water in the butter has been cooked out.
Since the milk solids have been removed, it has a higher smoke point of 485°F, making ghee ideal for sautéing, browning, searing, and caramelizing foods.
Ayurveda praises ghee for its nutritional properties, and it meets the Paleo, Keto, and Whole30 diets.
Clarified butter vs. ghee: Clarified butter is made by melting butter until the water evaporates and the clear fat separates from the milk solids. Ghee is a form of clarified butter that is cooked further until the milk solids brown, creating a nuttier aroma and taste, and a higher smoke point.
My mom still makes ghee from scratch. She skims off the creamy fat layer from a few batches of boiled milk, churns it into butter, then slow-cooks it until the clarified butter separates from the milk solids.
In this recipe, I took a more modern approach to homemade ghee. It's faster, easier, and cheaper than store-bought ghee. All I need is four sticks of unsalted grass-fed butter and 15 minutes.
Here is the step-by-step guide for how to make ghee at home in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop.
Ingredients - Best Butter For Ghee
Since butter is the only ingredient, feel free to use grass-fed, organic, Irish-style, or any unsalted butter of your choice. My preferred brand is unsalted Kerry Gold or Kirkland (Costco).
How to Make Ghee in the Instant Pot
Using this fail-proof recipe, you can make the best ghee in under 20 minutes with four sticks (16 oz) of butter.
- Melt the Butter. Preheat the Instant Pot on Sauté mode on 'Normal', which is equivalent to medium-low heat. Add butter to the pan and set an external timer for 8 minutes.
- Simmer Until Milk Solids Separate. After a few minutes, as the butter melts, bubbles and foam appear on the top. The ghee beneath those will start to look clear, and you should be able to see the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the milk solids separate and sink to the bottom.
- Let the Milk Solids Caramelize. Keep simmering until the dairy fats turn golden brown and grainy. Cancel Saute and remove the inner pot from the base unit to prevent it from cooking any further. Cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Strain and Store. Using a cheese cloth, a coffee filter, or a fine sieve, strain the ghee into clean and dry storage jars.
Instant Pot Ghee Cook Times & Quantity
The following cook times work for me using refrigerated unsalted butter in a 6-quart cooker. There might be a slight variation depending on different brands.
- 1 lb. (16 ounces) - 8 to 10 minutes, makes 14 ounces (about 1.5 cups)
- 2 lb. (32 ounces)- 13 to 14 minutes, makes 28 ounces (about 3 cups)
- In a 3QT Mini size, 16 ounces takes about 12-13 minutes.
How To Make Ghee On The Stovetop
Use a heavy-bottomed and tall saucepan for even heat distribution. The tall saucepan comes in handy if the butter splashes in the beginning due to a temperature difference.
- Add the butter to a cold pan and set it over medium-low heat. Allow the butter to melt slowly.
- Stir and simmer till the milk solids separate and begin to sink to the bottom.
- Stir every 2-3 minutes and let it simmer till the milk solids at the bottom begin to caramelize. Turn off the heat and move the pan to another position on the stove to cool.
- When completely cooled, strain out the milk solids over cheese cloth, coffee filter, or fine sieve into clean and dry storage bottles-store ghee in a cool dark place or in the fridge.
How to Store Ghee
Ghee keeps best in clean glass containers or mason jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month or in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Since butter is saturated fat, it will naturally solidify at room temperature.
How To Use Ghee In Recipes
Ghee is often used in sweet and savory recipes in Indian cuisine and some global cuisines. Here are some popular recipes that you can make with this golden fat:
Savory Recipes Using Ghee
Dessert Recipes with Ghee
Variations To Try
Once I strain ghee into mason jars and it's still warm, I sometimes infuse it with a few subtle flavors.
A pinch or two of seasoning adds a nice hint of flavor while still being able to smell and taste the nuttiness of the ghee. Add the amount indicated below to each 8-oz jar of ghee:
- Saffron Infused Ghee: ¼ teaspoon saffron strands.
- Turmeric: ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric.
- Sea Salt: ⅛ teaspoon finely ground sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use high-quality butter. The higher the quality of the unsalted butter, the better the ghee. Grass-fed, organic, and Irish-style butter are all great options. My preferred brand is Kerry Gold.
- The time set is for a 6QT Instant Pot and 16 ounces of butter. It takes me between 8 and 10 minutes for the ghee to be done, depending on the butter and temperature, so I keep an eye on it starting at 8 minutes. In a 3QT MINI, it takes about 12-13 minutes.
- For the stovetop method, use a heavy-bottomed and tall saucepan. The heavy bottom provides even heat distribution and reduces the chances of burning the milk solids. The tall saucepan comes in handy if the butter splashes in the beginning due to a temperature difference.
- Ghee continues to cook after turning off the heat: So, if using the Instant Pot, remove the insert from the cooker base and let it cool. If using the stovetop, turn off the heat and place the pan in another position on the stove.
- Store in clean glass containers or mason jars. Ghee stays good for one month at room temperature and in the refrigerator for up to six months.
- Clean spoon: Always use a clean and dry spoon to scoop out ghee. This prevents any contamination and prolongs the life of ghee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, ghee is not dairy-free because it is butterfat. Although the milk solids have been strained, unless it is tested to be 100% lactose, casein, and whey-free, a few tiny milk solids remain. If you are very sensitive to dairy, always check with a physician.
As per WebMD, Ghee is a rich source of vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy fats.
Use a good quality organic grass-fed butter to make organic ghee, using this recipe. I like to use Kirkland Organic from Costco.
If your ghee starts to smell like burnt toffee and the milk solids look like coffee grounds, you've probably cooked it too long. Immediately separate the pan from its heat source and cool it. Strain it, and if it tastes nutty, it's fine, but if it has a bitter taste, discard it.
Clarified butter is the clear fat that you get after the milk solids in butter separate from the fat. That is what you typically serve with a seafood or lobster boil. Ghee, on the other hand, is the clear fat after we let those milk solids simmer further until they brown and caramelize.
More Staples in Indian Cooking
If you like to cook Indian food, here are some more pillars of flavor that you might want to make at home:
- 15-Minute Garam Masala (The best!)
- Easy-To-Freeze Ginger Garlic Paste
- Cumin Powder- Regular & Roasted
- Homemade Coriander Powder
📖 Recipe
How To Make Ghee From Butter - Instant Pot & Stovetop
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz. unsalted butter (I prefer Kerry Gold butter)
Instructions
Making Ghee in the Instant Pot
- Turn Instant Pot on to Sauté (normal) mode. If your pot tends to heat up faster, you can switch to "less" mode and proceed. Add butter to the pan and set an external timer (on your watch, oven, etc.) for 8 minutes.
- After a few minutes, ghee will start to look clear and you should be able to see the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the milk solids separate and sink to the bottom.
- Keep simmering until the milk solids caramelize (turn golden brown) and appear more grainy. Keep an eye starting at 8 minutes. It can take up to 10 minutes. Turn off IP and let the ghee cool for 5-10 minutes. Carefully, remove the inner pot from the base unit to prevent it from cooking any further.
- Using a cheesecloth or a fine sieve, carefully strain the ghee into clean and dry storage bottles. Store ghee in a cool dark place or in the refrigerator.
Ghee Recipe on the Stovetop
- Add the butter to a cold pan and set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt slowly.
- Stir and simmer till the milk solids separate and begin to sink to the bottom.
- Stir every 2-3 minutes and let it simmer till the milk solids at the bottom begin to caramelize. Turn off the heat and move the pan to another position on the stove to cool.
- When completely cooled, strain out the milk solids over cheesecloth or fine sieve into clean and dry storage bottles. Store ghee in a cool dark place or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use high-quality butter. The higher the quality of the butter, the better the ghee. Use the highest quality of butter appropriate for your budget. Grass-fed, organic, and Irish-style butters are all great options. My preferred brand is Kerry Gold.
- The time set is for 6QT DUO Instant Pot and 16 ounces butter. Depending on the butter and temperature, it takes anywhere between 8-10 minutes for ghee to be done, so keep an eye starting at 8 minutes. In a 3QT MINI, it takes about 12-13 minutes. The room temperature in the house and the beginning temperature of the butter also influence total time.
- For the stovetop method, use a heavy bottom and tall saucepan. The heavy bottom provides even heat distribution and reduces the chances of burning the milk solids. The tall saucepan comes in handy if the butter splashes in the beginning due to a temperature difference.
- Ghee continues to cook after turning off the heat: So, if using the Instant Pot, remove the insert from the cooker base and let it cool. If using the stovetop, turn off the heat and place the pan in another position on the stove.
- Store in clean glass containers or mason jars. Ghee stays good for one month at room temperature and in the refrigerator for up to six months.
- Double the recipe. One pound (16 ounces) of butter makes roughly 14 ounces of ghee. If you'd like to double the butter and use 2 pounds (32 ounces), set a timer for 12 minutes (for 6QT DUO) and start monitoring. Depending on the butter and temperature, it will be done anywhere between 12 and 14 minutes.
- Clean Spoon: Always use a clean and dry spoon to scoop out ghee. This prolongs its shelf life.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has since been updated with new photos and stovetop instructions.
Crystal says
Could I use salted butter?
Aneesha says
Hi Crystal, I personally have never made it with salted butter, but some of my readers have. They say that the salt settles down with the milk solids and doesn't affect the taste of the ghee. Hope that helps!
Larry says
With respect, Ghee and Clarified Butter are NOT the same thing. With Clarified Butter, the milk solids are taken out as soon as they separate, resulting in a more neutral flavor. Ghee normally sees the milk solids browned, to add more nuttiness (as noted in your wonderful recipe).
aneeshasg says
You're absolutely right Larry! I have added a paragraph highlighting the difference between the two. I had been meaning to update this recipe for quite sometime. Your comment was a great reminder and I update it just now- thank you! I hope you do try this recipe! Thanks!
Sheila says
Getting ready to make my 2nd batch of yummy ghee. I noticed in the last batch that it wasn't very smooth. I strained it through cheesecloth twice. I'm used to using 4th and heart ghee which is sooooo smooth that it's like regular butter consistency. The taste of my ghee is great, but it has a slightly separated, grainy appearance. Any thoughts on how to get it super smooth?
aneeshasg says
Hi Sheila. Typically, ghee does have a grainy texture, if you prefer it smoother, try straining it using coffee filters instead of cheesecloth. Would love to hear how that works for you.
Aditi says
Ooh I love the grainy texture. Thats what separates it from the vegetable ghee
Aneesha says
Hi Aditi, Me too! It always reminds me of my Mom's homemade ghee :). Glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for sharing your feedback! Would you like to give it a star rating in the recipe card? Thanks!
Indra khosla says
Thanks for the recipe for ghee. Recipe was excellent took 14 mins perfect.
aneeshasg says
Hi Indra, That's awesome! Glad you liked the recipe. Thank you!
Pavani says
As you mentioned I put 16oz of buttet on normal saute mode for 7mins but within 3min it was completely burnt.. I think it should be on less saute mode instead of normal !!
aneeshasg says
Hi Pavani, sorry to hear that. Do you have a newer IP? Of lately, I have observed on IP groups that many people are complaining about their pot over-heating- something to do with the inner pot metal. I have made ghee on normal mode several times and never had a problem. I'll include this caution in the recipe anyway.
Sheila says
Do I start the timer as soon as I put the butter in the pot or after it's completely melted?
aneeshasg says
Sorry for the late reply Sheila, I was traveling. You start the timer as soon as you put the butter on SAUTE mode.
Sheila says
Thanks so much!