Gremolata (Italian Parsley Condiment)
Make classic gremolata with this super simple recipe! Chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic combine to make the perfect fresh garnish.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
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Gremolata is a bold and bright Italian condiment that will liven up your meals. It’s made with three simple ingredients that you might have on hand already—fresh parsley, lemon zest and garlic.
Gremolata is the perfect last-minute finishing touch for any dish that seems a little blah, you know what I mean? When guests are on their way over, sprinkle gremolata over store-bought items like hummus to make them seem more fresh and fancy.
When I have the time, there’s nothing better than a bold herbed sauce to complete a meal, like pesto or chimichurri. Gremolata is simpler than a sauce (no blender or food processor required), but more elevated than a basic sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Perhaps gremolata’s most winning feature is that it’s ready in under five minutes. Sprinkle gremolata all over your grilled dishes this summer!
Watch How to Make Gremolata
Gremolata Ingredients
You’ll just need three simple ingredients to make gremolata:
1) Fresh Parsley
Specifically, flat-leaf parsley is the way to go here. The trick is to wash and pat dry the parsley before using so it doesn’t clump together once chopped.
2) Lemon Zest
Lemon zest adds a jolt of brightness to our gremolata. If possible, use an organic lemon for gremolata since the peels of conventional lemons are typically exposed to pesticides.
3) Garlic
One medium clove of garlic brings complexity and heat to this simple garnish. The key is to use fresh garlic, never jarred minced garlic. Use your garlic press or finely mince the garlic by hand.
Gremolata Variations
While parsley, lemon and garlic yield classic gremolata flavor, you can absolutely play with your ingredients. Here are some ideas:
- Try adding some fresh mint or basil to the mix
- Substitute orange or lime or even grapefruit zest for the lemon
- Stir in olive oil and salt, to taste, to transform this dry condiment into an herbal sauce
- Add toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds or grated Parmesan
- Substitute cilantro and lime for a variation that will suit Mexican meals
How to Serve Gremolata
Gremolata is traditionally served on osso bucco (braised veal shanks). Gremolata’s uses go far beyond that one dish, though—it’s a lovely garnish for many savory meals! Sprinkle gremolata on:
- Eggs, whether scrambled, fried or turned into frittatas
- Grilled vegetables, or basically anything from the grill
- Hearty stews and creamy soups, like pasta e fagioli (Italian pasta and beans) or cream of broccoli soup
- Hummus or tahini sauce or ricotta
- Pasta
- Risotto
- Roasted vegetables, especially roasted cauliflower, green beans and potatoes
- White beans, including chickpeas
More Herbed Condiments to Try
These herbed sauces will liven up any meal:
- Aji Verde: Spicy Peruvian green sauce, made creamy with mayonnaise.
- Basil Pesto: The classic Italian sauce made with basil, Parmesan, pine nuts (or almonds), olive oil and garlic.
- Chimichurri Sauce: Punchy parsley sauce from Argentina made with red onion and red wine vinegar.
- Cilantro Hemp Pesto: This spin on classic pesto is suitable for Mexican dishes.
- Shatta: Middle Eastern hot sauce made from parsley, cilantro, jalapeño and walnuts.
- Zhoug: Spicy cilantro sauce from Yemen featuring cilantro, jalapeño and ground spices.
Please tell me how you put your gremolata to use in the comments! I love hearing from you.
Gremolata (Italian Parsley Condiment)
Make classic Italian gremolata with this super simple recipe! Chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic combine to make the perfect fresh garnish. Recipe yields about ¾ cup gremolata.
Ingredients
- 1 medium bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (about ¾ cup chopped)
- Zest from 1 medium lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
Instructions
- To prepare the parsley, wash and pat it dry with a clean tea towel (wet parsley will make your gremolata clumpy).
- Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice off the thick parsley stems and discard them. Finely chop the parsley (thin stems are fine to include). Transfer the chopped parsley to a small serving bowl.
- Add the lemon zest and garlic clove. Stir to combine. Gremolata is best served fresh. It will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Change it up: So many options! Substitute another variety of citrus, such as orange or lime. Try turning it into a sauce by mixing in olive oil and salt, to taste. Add toasted pine nuts or grated Parmesan, if desired. While unconventional, I bet a cilantro and lime combination would be very good with Mexican meals.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Hi Kate,
No need to throw out thick stems of parsley. Save them to your freezer bag of vegetable scraps to use for making stock. Let’s all try to have 100% utilization of our raw ingredients.
Great suggestion, Susan!
Dear Kate,
I will try this recipe and it’s just what I needed to liven up some blah items.
Please tell me how to store and how long it lasts, including if I add olive oil.
kind regards,
Nancy
Hi Nancy! More often than not, gremolata is simply used as a sprinkled condiment (no oil added). You can experiment with stirring in olive oil to reach your desired consistency, but I liked it best without. It will keep in the fridge, covered, for about 3 to 4 days.
This is pretty much the same as what the French call “persillade”. Nice addition in any language.
Aha! Glad to know that. I’ve heard of persillade but never known exactly what it is. Thank you, Ann!
Gosh! F*A*N*T*A*S*T*I*C*!!!!
Thoughts about replacing the garlic? It seems like an essential ingredient but family members have difficulty with it. Thanks!
Hi Linda, while the flavor would be different, some thinly sliced chives might be a nice substitute. Otherwise, you could omit it—still a nice garnish!
I’ll try that. Thanks!!
thank you, Kate.
The timing of this recipe could not have been more perfect. The day I received your email announcing the recipe I made vegan linguini Alfredo and some broccoli to serve on the side, but the meal still felt like it needed a pop. Then I remembered the gremolata. It was just what the meal needed. I sprinkled it over the pasta and the broccoli. What a difference it made! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
How perfect! Thank you, Luisa. Sounds like a stellar meal. :)
We usually sprinkle our vegan pastas with a nut or pumpkin parm but this recipe will be fantastic as well!
Deliciousness!! Thank you!
Pam
Thanks Pam!!
Great suggested to make a dish more interesting!
Is this similar to Zhug if add cilantro?
It is different as you are missing the spice and oil, but you could try it if you like cilantro. Let me know!
Hi Kate (and Cookie :)
To use with Pasta, would you sprinkle this generously to be the main taste-giver of the pasta, or would you just use a dash to garnish? If one can use this as the main taste-giver in a simple olive-oil and fettucine, then is there anything else you would do to make this awesome? Thank you so much!
You could sprinkle it over or mix it in to a good light sauce. Let me know what you try!
Hi! I have an abundance of parsley and just found your recipe. Summer is running out here, and I was wondering if I could make batches and freeze this for winter. I’ve done that with pesto…curious as to your thoughts…and thanks for the recipe!
Hi Renee, I’m not quite sure about freezing this as I haven’t tried it myself. If you try it, let me know what you think!
Don’t discard the parsley stems (wasteful) — save them for your next batch of broth or stock.