Ariana Losch
For some folks, ghee is a longtime kitchen staple; for others, it’s new territory. Either way, there are plenty of reasons to keep it stocked in your kitchen. It has a higher smoke point than butter, which makes it great for cooking, and it’s usually better tolerated by people with dairy sensitivities (me, I’m talking about me here), since most of the milk solids are removed. Plus, the best ghee can taste richer than normal butter and really elevate everything from sautéed veggies to your morning coffee. (Yes, coffee. Ghee in coffee is a thing.)
How we found the store bought ghee brands
Instead of spending a fortune on more niche Amazon sellers, I focused on trying ghee brands available in major grocery stores. While it’s not as widely available as margarine or other butter substitutes, there are a few pretty good options for store bought ghee, believe it or not. I tried ten different brands, and half of them made the list!
What we were looking for in the best ghee butter
Ghee has a slightly richer, nuttier flavor than butter, with a texture that melts almost instantly on your tongue. (I’ve always said it tastes like the buttery residue that collects at the bottom of a bag of microwave popcorn—but I know that sounds kind of gross to most people.) The deeper, toastier, and more refined it tastes, the better. I started buying ghee back in college, when I found it was time to stop ignoring my dairy sensitivity like a responsible adult and look for alternatives. Eventually I moved on to margarine, just because it’s cheaper, and you might be thinking, jeez, Ariana, I don’t need your whole life story, but I’d argue it’s relevant! The best ghee brands shouldn’t break your bank, so price was a factor in this ranking, too. Anyways, let’s ghee-t on with it, shall we?
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- 4th & Heart Unsalted Butter
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“Sticks? Of ghee?!” said our intern Sanah Munjal when I presented her with 4th & Heart’s unsalted (and salted) butter blocks. I’ve only bought one brand of ghee in my time (more on that below), so I didn’t realize how rare it is to find ghee outside of a jar. Apparently, this is pretty big news for bakers, and luckily, this ghee has a great taste to back up its convenience. 4th & Heart Ghee Butter is the closest dupe to real butter I’ve ever tasted—it’s just so creamy and smooth. That can be a pro or con, depending on what you’re really looking for in the best ghee. Some people want ghee to taste like ghee, you know? (Also, if sticks of ghee butter scandalize you like it did Sanah, don’t fret: this comes in a jarred version, too.)
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
- O Organics Ghee
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This ghee from O Organics is what I’ve bought in the past, simply because it’s what they sell where I used to shop. You can find this brand at Albertsons-owned companies, and honestly, re-trying it for this taste test, I found it pretty hard to fault. It’s a little extra slippery, which actually makes it more easy to spread than every other brand on this list, but otherwise is a very standard jarred ghee. The only detractor is value—for that nearly $10 price tag, this comes in the smallest jar (7.5oz). Still, if it’s what you have available to you, in terms of flavor and authenticity, you can feel good about buying it!
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
- 4th & Heart Ghee Salted Butter
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“This is the best tasting ghee I’ve probably ever had,” I said, realizing right as the words left my mouth that it was a salted ghee, and I’m a salt demon. Seriously, though, out of all the ghees we tried, this is the one I kept coming back to. Since this is another 4th & Heart ghee, the texture is super smooth and creamy. Not even a hint of graininess; it’s truly a butter replacement. I brought this one home with me and will be using it for my bagels and toast, end of discussion.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- 365 Ghee
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We were pretty pleasantly surprised by Whole Food’s 365 Ghee. It has a clean, neutral, fresh buttery flavor that makes it seem like it’s made with good ingredients. It’s a little more oily (and pricey) than our number one—and it doesn’t come in a glass jar, which definitely docks a few points off—but otherwise, these two were pretty neck and neck. Whole Foods shoppers, you’ve got some of the best ghee in the game.
Credit: Merc / Whole Foods
- Servio Ghee
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Servio tastes like the real deal, people. I want this in my coffee. Or melted over my cornbread. (Genuinely that sounds sooo good right now.) It just has that rich, lingering flavor you hope for—clean, super buttery, and just a little nutty, like a deeper version of 365 Ghee. The texture has a touch of graininess that makes it feel homemade. It has a spreadable softness straight out the fridge, too, which makes it convenient to use on the go. Even Sanah, who makes her own ghee and swears she’d never buy it from the store, was impressed enough to call dibs. This is the best brand of ghee on the market… and you can find it at Walmart. Hell yeah.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
Best for Baking
Best Spreadable
Best Salted
Runner Up
Best of the Best
Other ghee brands we tried:
Great Value Grassfed Ghee, Beneficial Blends Ghee Clarified Butter, Carrington Farms Ghee Organic, Organic Valley Ghee Clarified Butter, Simple Truth Organic Ghee
Gwynedd Stuart
Vinz Karl
