Italian Salsa verde is a vibrant, zingy green sauce made with fresh herbs. It only takes 5 minutes to make this healthy condiment and can be used on a wide variety of foods.
Just like chimichurri sauce, it's delicious with ribeye steak, pork belly, baked baby potatoes, or honey-roasted carrots.
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The world has many green sauce recipes.
Each is slightly different from the other yet also very similar, but they all have one thing in common.
They are extremely delicious sauces made with mostly herbs, olive oil, garlic, some sort of acid like lemon or vinegar. Sometimes chilli is added to make it spicy.
The green herbs mixed with zingy lemon and spicy olive oil will take any dish to the next level.
The best thing about it all is that you can easily make salsa verde at home from scratch, using no fancy tools and everyday ingredients.
Useful equipment
Knife Set
Wooden Chopping Board
Electronic Kitchen Scales
Immersion Blender
Ingredients
You can make this recipe for salsa verde with or without anchovies to make it vegan.
- Herbs - Fresh.
- Capers - Any size will do. We are blending it.
- Anchovies - Good quality in oil. If you making a vegan version. Yes, you know. Don't add it.
- Lemon - We need the zest so, get unwaxed lemons.
- Olive oil - A nice grassy green version. Not too bitter.
- Gherkins - Any will do. If you want to be next level you use homemade Lacto fermented cucumbers. Otherwise, just buy it from a shop.
- Mustard - I like grainy Dijon but, you can also use smooth Dijon mustard.
See recipe for quantities.
How to make it
Any recipe for salsa verde should be quick and easy and this one delivers on the promise.
- Wash your herbs and pick them off the main stalks. The smaller tender stalks are fine and actually add more flavour and bulk.
- If you own a blender then make it work. and add the ingredients roughly chopped into the blender along with the oil, seasoning, mustard, lemon zest and juice. Blend till fairly smooth and you're done. Simple as that. And yes, taste it. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- If you do this by hand and don’t own a blender, then you will chop the herbs, capers, anchovies, and gherkins as finely as you humanly can. Add the olive oil, zest, juice, mustard and seasoning. Mix and you're done. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Store your salsa verde in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months for use in the future.
Possible variations
- Herbs - Use cilantro instead of parsley or mix the two.
- Spicy - Add chopped chilli, tabasco or your own fermented hot sauce.
- Aromatics - Crushed seasonal garlic for those that like it.
- Vegan - To make vegan salsa verde, you simply leave out the anchovies and it's good for spreading on all your favourite vegan dishes.
What to serve it with
- Meats - Crispy pork belly on the fire, ribeye steak, baked chicken breast, or succulent fall-off-the-bone roasted leg of lamb.
- Fish - Salmon fillet, sea bass crudo or with some home salted salmon gravlax on a toasted piece of sourdough bread with cream cheese or soft ricotta.
- Vegetables - Makes vegetables like broccoli, steamed spinach or bok choy extremely delicious. Add to creamy mashed potatoes, toss with baked baby potatoes or use instead of tapenade on these roasted Romano peppers. Drizzle over this Moroccan zaalouk or mix through this couscous.
- Others - Alongside other dips like guacamole or pea and mint hummus. Perfect to scoop up with crispy tacos or soft flour tortillas.
Frequently asked questions
Store in the fridge sealed airtight for up to 7 days.
Can be frozen for up to 6 months. Store in vacuum bags or sealable food safe containers.
Related recipes
- Burst tomato pasta with parsley and mozzarella
- 2 Ingredient homemade pasta dough
- Classic Caesar salad
- Parmesan shortbread
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Recipe
Italian Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 60 g (2 ½ cups) basil leaves
- 20 g (½ cups) parsley leaves
- 20 g (½ cups) mint leaves
- 20 g (2 ½ tablespoon) capers
- 30 g (2 tablespoon) cornichons
- 10 g (1 tablespoon) grain mustard
- 60 g (⅓ cups) olive oil
- 10 g (1 tablespoon) anchovy fillets
- 2 g (⅓ teaspoon) salt
- 1 g (½ teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
- juice and zest of ½ a medium lemon
Instructions
- Wash your herbs and pick them off the main stalks. The smaller tender stalks are fine and actually add more flavour and bulk.
- If you own a blender then make it work and add the ingredients roughly chopped into the blender along with the oil, seasoning, mustard, lemon zest and lemon juice. Blend till fairly smooth and you're done. Simple as that. And yes, taste it. Adjust if you want with more seasoning and lemon juice.
- If you do this by hand and don’t own a blender, then you will chop the herbs, capers, anchovies, and gherkins as finely as you humanly can. Add the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard and seasoning. Mix and you're done. Obviously give it a taste to see if you want it more salty or sour.
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months.
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