Take Store-Bought Steak Dinners From Fine To Fresh With One Garnish

You may think of frozen steak dinners as a thing of the past, but the truth is that they are still alive and well in the prepared meals aisle of the grocery store. These meals not only boast a ton of protein, but they are also easy to heat up and devour on busy days when you don't have time to prepare a steak meal from scratch. For all of the things they are, though, there is one thing that they are not: fresh-tasting.

Luckily, herbs are a simple ingredient that you can add to your meal to elevate its flavor. While your steak dinner might include some basic seasoning already, freshly chopped herbs will offer a boost of color and flavor to an otherwise pallid piece of meat. The herb you pick will depend on the flavors of your steak and your preferences. If you have a Tex-Mex-inspired platter of frozen fajitas, try a handful of chopped cilantro. For Salisbury steak, opt for a good sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley as a garnish.

There are a few ways to add herbs to your dish other than as a finishing garnish. Soft herbs — basil, cilantro, parsley — are best chopped up and added shortly before serving to bring bright summery flavors. But you can also add some during the cooking process — heat sprigs of firmer herbs like thyme or rosemary in a pan with some garlic and butter and baste the meal with the mixture as it cooks.

Adding freshly chopped herbs to your frozen entree isn't the only way to go; you can also whip up a simple compound butter to top your steak with. Not only does it give you a conduit for the herb flavor, but the butter will also add richness to every bite. 

Making compound butter may sound tricky, but it is actually a relatively easy process. The simplest method is to soften butter in a stand mixer, add herbs with the stems removed, and beat until everything is well-distributed. Just store the rest of the compound butter in the fridge and slice off a piece for the steak dinner or anything else that could use an herby and buttery boost. Besides herbs, you may also want to add freshly chopped garlic or seasonings like ancho chiles or cayenne; just make sure the flavor of your compound butter works with your steak dinner of choice and any accompanying sides.