Gremolata is an Italian accompaniment that is a flavorful addition to pasta, vegetables, fish, chicken and more! The classic combination includes garlic, parsley, and lemon, but there are a number of gremolata variations. Fresh and colorful, it takes just 5 minutes to elevate a dish from basic to outstanding!
For years I didn’t realize that gremolata was a fresh mix of a few basic ingredients that created a recipe in itself.
I have always enjoyed the added dose of color and flavor as an addition to dishes. Even the most basic foods (like noodles) topped with gremolata go from basic to amazing!
What is Gremolata?
Gremolata is an Italian accompaniment that is a flavorful addition to pasta, vegetables and more! It’s a delicious way to enhance a dish, adding bright flavor and a bit of color. In other words, it’s the quintessential Italian condiment!
It acts as a flavor booster, a texture enhancement, and a beautiful garnish on so many dishes.
A classic gremolata recipe requires just four ingredients. It’s fresh and so full of flavor. You can take any dish from basic to amazing in minutes with this basic Italian herb sauce!
What You’ll Love about this Gremolata Recipe
Adding a little “pop” of gremolata is a fast and easy way to add a burst of flavor to many of your favorite dishes.
Not only is gremolata full of flavor, but the nutty texture is such a fabulous addition to pasta and more! It will take so many of your favorite dinners to a whole new level – you’ll look like such a pro in the kitchen with this finishing touch!
Gremolata Ingredients
- Garlic – Fresh cloves or minced in a jar both work well
- Parsley – Fresh parsley will offer the most flavor and best texture
- Lemon Zest – Use fresh lemon zest for amazing texture and flavor
- Pine Nuts – Pine nuts are traditional, but you can use nuts of your choice.
Individually, any of the above ingredients add flavor, but collectively you can take any dish from basic to outstanding!
Variations
But the beauty of gremolata is in its versatility. You can create your favorite combination of ingredients to make a one of a kind dish! Additional ingredients can include:
- Mint – Use sweet mint or spearmint in lieu of parsley.
- Olive Oil – Use a good extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Anchovy – Canned or fresh, either work well.
- Nuts – I like to use pine nuts, but walnuts, pecans, pistachios and cashews also taste great.
- Orange Zest – Offers incredible flavor, especially for robust meat sauces like beef ragu!
How to Make Gremolata
- Chop and Grate any of the above ingredients. If using nuts, press with the back of a spoon to mash.
- Combine.
Quick tip: Ingredients for this delicious Italian herb condiment should be finely chopped. If you prefer, use your food processor instead of chopping by hand!
Tip to Zest Lemons and Oranges
Zest comes from the outer rind of citrus fruit like lemons and oranges. The rind or peel is filled with aromatic oils.
To get the best of your zest, use a zester for fine zest (paring knife or vegetable peeler work well for cocktails) to remove the colorful portion of the rind. But be careful not to remove the white pith, which is bitter.
Ways to Use this Italian Condiment
Gremolata can be topped on just about any recipe, especially those that have been cooking for a long time. A few of my favorite uses include:
- Garnish Pasta – It is amazing on Beef Ragu and Lemon Spaghetti.
- Garnish Vegetables – Green Beans, Italian Vegetables, Roasted Baby Carrots, Brussel Sprouts and Artichokes. It’s especially delicious on my Italian roasted vegetables!
- Garnish Meat – Steak, Chicken, Osso Buco, Lamb, Halibut or Salmon. This zesty herb sauce is perfect for grilled meats!
- Simple Pasta Sauce – Toss egg noodles with olive oil and gremolata for an easy, yet flavorful dish!
- Salad Dressing – Mixing it with olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar to make an incredible homemade salad dressing! Serve it on a bed of mixed greens or arugula with shaved parmesan.
- Bread Dipping Oil
To Store
- Room Temperature – Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate – Store refrigerated up to 1 week.
Easy Sauce Recipes
Gremolata
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- ¼ cup parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 lemon zested
- ⅛ cup pine nuts crushed
Instructions
- Combine well.
- Use to top fish, pasta, vegetables and more!
Julie’s Tips
Substitutions
- Garlic – fresh cloves or minced in a jar both work well
- Parsley – fresh parsley and herbs are best. Substitute with fresh mint leaves
- Lemon Zest – substitute orange zest
- Pine Nuts – substitute walnuts, pecans, pistachios or cashews
Optional Additions
- Olive Oil – use a good extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor
- Anchovy – canned or fresh, either work well
To Store
- Room Temperature – Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Refrigerate – Store refrigerated up to 1 week.
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
