Gremolata: A flavourful condiment made with a few simple ingredients. A little chopping, a little microplanning, a glug of oil if needed, and you’re 5 minutes away from a fresh and tasty garnish to brighten any meal.
What is Gremolata?
Gremolata is an Italian savoury, flavour-packed condiment made from parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
Traditionally a dry garnish, it was typically used to add brightness and freshness to veal dishes (think osso buco), heavier dishes, or those that just need a little lift. Though today it’s quite often used as a flavour boost for fish, pasta, soups, beans and vegetables.
Watch the How-To Video:
Is Gremolata a Condiment or Sauce?
It can be both!
If you serve it dry as a fresh garnish, sprinkled over meats or swirled into soups and risottos, you need nothing more but some parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
But adding in a little citrus juice and a good glug of olive oil tempers the bold and forward raw parsley taste. It makes it easier to blend into dishes like beans and vegetables, and nicer to eat spooned over seafood and baked potatoes.
The more citrus juice and olive oil you add, the more sauce-like gremolata becomes, and can then be used as a quick and simple pasta sauce or salad dressing.
Mix It Up
Lemon zest may be the traditional citrus to use, but you can easily think of gremolata as a template. Think about your overall meal and what citrus would work best with your other ingredients. And don’t forget seasonal citrus fruit like blood oranges (used here in one of my test batches), tangerines, cumquats and even pomelos.
Try an orange and mint version, or coriander and lime. Basil or rosemary mixed in with the parley work really well too, especially on meat dishes.
Or keep the original lemon and parsley and change up the oil; there are many different flavoured oils that you can make or buy.
You can sub the salt out for anchovies, or make a briny version by adding finely chopped capers. You could even add some toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds. Dried chilli flakes are a surprisingly good addition.
Try the simple version first and build up from there.
Other Herby Dishes to Try:
- Veggie Side: Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts with Sage and Lemon
- Side Salad: Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad
- Something Different: Meera Sodha’s Vietnamese Coconut Pancakes (Banh Xeo)
Let me know how you put your gremolata to use in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Gremolata
Ingredients
- 1 medium bunch flat-leaf parsley
- 2 garlic cloves
- Zest of 1 lemon, or blood orange
- 1 tablespoon citrus juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the parsley. When it’s completely dry, finely chop the leaves and the tender stems (only) using a very sharp knife. You want to create a fine chop and not tear through the parsley, which would make it wet and clumpy. Put the parsley into a small mixing bowl.
- Using a microplane, or a garlic crusher, finely grate the garlic directly into the mixing bowl.
- Using the same microplane, or a zester, finely zest the lemon (or other citrus) directly into the bowl as well so you don’t lose any citrus oils. (Zesting the citrus after the garlic will also help rid the microplane of the garlic smell too!)
- If you’re making the dry condiment version, stop here. Consider what you’re serving the gremolata with and season with salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Mix and serve.
- If you’re making a dressing or saucier version, add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon (or blood orange) juice, the extra virgin olive oil and some salt and stir to combine. You can add more citrus juice and olive oil as needed to reach the consistency you’re after. Serve spooned over or swirled into your dish.
Cook along with me
Notes
- Garlic: As the garlic is in the gremolata is raw, make sure the garlic is fresh and not discoloured or starting to sprout.
- Storage: The dry condiment version really does need to be made fresh. And while it may keep for a day or two in the fridge, it will become more garlicy and more wet.
Adding some (or extra) olive oil will make it last a little longer in the fridge. Keep in a sealed jar for 5 days or freeze and use within a month.
