Salmoriglio, Southern Italian Herb Sauce

Salmoriglio is a good Southern Italian herb sauce made with oregano, parsley, garlic and lemon. It's vibrant, zingy and full of flavour, the solid condiment to drizzle over grilled vegetables, fish or meat for an instant flavour kick.

Salmoriglio (pronounced sal-mor-EEL-ee-yo) is a southern Italian herb sauce most commonly found in both Sicily and Calabria. You might also see it called Salmorigano or Salamarigghiu in Sicilian dialect.

It comes from the Italian word Salamoia which means 'brine' and can be used as a marinade as well as a condiment or dressing.

Much like salsa verde and gremolata salmoriglio is so quick and easy to make (5 minutes max) and adds a punch of flavour to almost anything from meat, fish, vegetables and salad.

See our full recipe below, plus our favourite ways to serve it and top tips, enjoy!

Ingredient notes

• Parsley – flat-leaf parsley is best for this and needs to be fresh and not dried.
• Oregano – you can use fresh or dried (dried is traditionally used).
• Olive oil – use a good quality extra virgin olive oil if possible.
• Garlic – must be fresh (no powder). You can also add more to taste depending on what you're serving it with.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

Step 1 – finely chop the fresh parsley as finely as possible. We love using a mezzaluna (Italian knife) for this, but a regular kitchen knife would work fine also (photo 1).

Step 2 – mix the olive oil, water and lemon juice together until emulsified then add the parsley, oregano, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Stir and serve (photos 2-4).

Ways to use Salmoriglio

• As a marinade – you can drizzle salmoriglio over meat and fish before grilling or baking. It's a good way to add more flavour in advance.
• As a condiment – in Sicily this sauce is often served with grilled swordfish or tuna steaks, but would go well with almost any fish or seafood, including shrimp. We love to serve it with grilled veg (often zucchini and eggplant) and grilled chicken.
• Salad dressing – this would be good served over a warm potato salad or green salad, such as arugula and parmigiano.

Recipe tips

• Make it in advance – We recommend making the dressing at least a few hours in advance (although you can make it a few days before). This not only allows the flavours to steep and infuse, but it also softens the dried oregano, giving it a nicer texture.
• Consistency – this recipe is the way Salmoriglio is traditionally served with a chunkier texture. You can blend the sauce for a smooth, saucy texture. Both are good depending on what you feel like.
• For more freshness – you can add lemon zest for a stronger lemon flavour. You can also add more lemon juice if you like.
• Make it spicy – We've seen few recipes with chilli added, but it's a great way to adapt it depending on what you're serving it with. You could add chilli flakes or fresh chilli to taste.
• Adjust the quantities – adjust the quantities of any ingredient to suit your taste. Add more garlic, less parsley, etc, depending on what you're using it for and what you feel like.

Why add warm water?

Water helps emulsify the lemon and olive oil together, and also helps adjust the consistency of the sauce.

Salmoriglio vs chimichurri

Chimichurri is a traditional green sauce from Argentina that uses red wine vinegar and a lot of fresh red chilli. There's also a lot more garlic in Chimichurri compared to Salmoriglio, which uses lemon instead of vinegar and no chilli.

More Italian sauces to try

Dips & Pestos

Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)

Sauces & Dressings

Italian Salsa Verde (Green Sauce)

Sauces & Dressings

Gremolata (Italian Herb Condiment)

Dips & Pestos

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

Makes 4 - 6 servings

• ⅓ cup (80ml) olive oil (extra virgin)
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ¾ cup (15g) fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Finely chop the fresh parsley and as finely as you can using a knife or mezzaluna Set aside.

2. Add the olive oil, warm water and lemon juice to a bowl and whisk until cloudy and emulsified.

3. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper, followed by the chopped parsley, dried oregano and finely minced garlic clove.

4. Mix everything together, then serve.

Kitchen notes

Prep in advance the sauce tastes even better if made a few hours in advance. We tend to make it in the morning if we plan on serving it for dinner. It can also be made a few days in advance, which is even better.

Storage will keep well covered and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.