Fresh and vibrant, gremolata sauce is a classic, super-simple Italian condiment that livens up any dish, and my delicious recipe is super simple. Made with only three ingredients, and mixed in a bowl, it takes about two minutes and makes everything it tops taste delicious.
Gremolata might be new to you, but it’s a familiar condiment in Italian kitchens. This simple herb sauce originated in Milan, where it’s served with classic Milanese osso buco. Today, there are endless uses for gremolata sauce! I love it on everything from grilled steak or chicken, to roasted vegetables, stirred into salads and even on scrambled eggs.
Key Ingredients
There are three key ingredients you will find in any variation of gremolata sauce. They balance each other out to make this sauce what it is: mouth-wateringly good.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic only! Sprouted, yellowed, browned, or even jarred versions of garlic will not give you the flavor you want when making this recipe.
- Lemon: Lemon zest is always part of a gremolata sauce, but I add a squeeze of lemon juice, too. TIP: When zesting a lemon, make sure you only remove the outer layer of the lemon and not the white pithy part beneath. The top, yellow layer is where the bright citrus flavor comes from.
- Parsley: Flat-leaf parsley is what you are looking for to round out this dish. Make sure the parsley is washed AND dried very well before chopping. Chopping wet parsley will ultimately lead to a wet purée rather than the fine, fresh-herb texture that makes this sauce great.
How To Use Gremolata
- Serve it atop osso buco for a classic Italian combination dinner that’s hearty, rich and fresh and vibrant all at once.
- Serve it with fish! Try it on top of baked salmon or over this simple baked fish with potatoes.
- Stir a few spoonfuls into soup for an elegant, flavorful, upgrade. I love it stirred into minestrone or lentil soup.
- Gremolata is so good with potatoes! There is no roasted, hasselback-ed, smashed, or even mashed potato that wasn’t improved by a little gremolata.
- It’s lovely over steak! Try it with these easy steak bites.
Variations
As you’ll see in my recipe below, I like to add a few extras to my gremolata to give it extra punch! I always add a little fresh mint to bring in extra brightness, and a dash of red pepper flakes because I always want that hint of heat. If you don’t want these extras, it’s fine to skip them! Or, add other things! For even more heat, stir in some Calabrian chile sauce. Play around with adding other fresh herbs you love, or many people add nuts (often pine nuts) for heft. Just be sure to chop them very finely.
Gremolata vs Chimichurri vs Pesto
I love topping almost any meal with a dollop of an herby sauce! They each have their moment, and while gremolata may seem similar to chimichurri or a pesto, it’s actually a bit simpler than those. Chimichurri originated in Argentina, and in addition to the standard garlic, lemon, parsley combination, red wine vinegar is added. Pesto, another famous Italian sauce, calls for a base of basil and pine nuts. Gremolata truly is a simple Italian classic.
More Classic Sauces To Try
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