How To Make Ghee

Learn How To Make Ghee from butter in this step-by-step guide that creates pure, golden butterfat with hints of nuttiness from caramelized milk solids. This version of clarified butter has an exceptionally high smoke point and is a staple in Indian cuisine.

Here's an easy 10-minute recipe for making ghee in the Instant Pot or stove.

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 hints of nutty flavors. It has been a staple in Indian cooking for thousands of years.

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 at 485°F, which makes ghee ideal for sautéing, browning, searing and caramelizing foods.

My mother 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 doesn't require as much effort or patience. All I need is four sticks of unsalted grass-fed butter and 10 minutes.

Here is the step-by-step guide for how to make ghee at home in the Instant Pot or stovetop.

Ingredients - Which Butter to Use

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 ghee in under 20 minutes with four sticks (16 oz) of butter.

Step 1: Melt the Butter. Preheat the Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Add butter to the pan and set an external timer for 8 minutes.

Step 2: Simmer Until Milk Solids Separate. 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.

Step 3: Let the Milk Solids Caramelize. Keep simmering until the milk solids 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.

Step 4: Strain and Store. Using a cheesecloth 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 6qt cooker. There might be a slight variation depending on different brands.

• 1 lb. (16 ounces) - 8 to 10 minutes, makes 14 ounces (roughly 1.5 cups)
• 2 lb. (32 ounces)- 13 to 14 minutes, makes 28 ounces (roughly 3 cups)
• In a 3QT Mini size, 16 ounces takes about 12-13 minutes.

Stovetop Ghee Recipe

Use a heavy bottom 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.

Step 1: Add the butter to a cold pan and set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt slowly.

Step 2: Stir and simmer till the milk solids separate and begin to sink to the bottom.

Step 3: 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.

Step 4: 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.

How to Store

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.

Health Benefits of Ghee

Due to its nutrition and fat composition, ghee is a part of many trending diets today, including dairy-free, Paleo, Keto, or Whole30 diet.

It is a rich source of Omega-3s (monounsaturated fats) and important fat-soluble vitamins A, E, K2, and D. It provides butyric acid and other saturated fats, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and promote gut health.

Recipes to Make with Ghee

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 the ghee is strained into mason jars and still warm, sometimes I like to infuse it with a few different 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. Simply 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 fine sea 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 6QT Instant Pot and 16 ounces of butter. It takes anywhere between 8-10 minutes for ghee to be done, depending on the butter and temperature, so keep an eye starting at 8 minutes. In a 3QT MINI, it takes about 12-13 minutes.
• 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 heat and place the pan at 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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📖 Recipe

How to Make Ghee

Aneesha Gupta

Learn How To Make Ghee in an Instant Pot or stove in 10 minutes. This popular butterfat has hints of nuttiness from caramelized milk solids.

4.72 from 7 votes

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Cook Time 10 mins

Cooling time 10 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Meal Prep

Cuisine Indian

Servings 28 tablespoons (1 ¾ cups)

Calories 116 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Instant Pot
• ▢
  Sauce Pan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 16 oz. unsalted butter (I prefer Kerry Gold butter)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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.

Video

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 heat and place the pan at 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 12-14 minutes.

 

Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates.  If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 4mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Calcium: 4mg

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This recipe has been updated with process shots and more specific instructions.