Give your meals a punch of flavor with Italian Salsa Verde! Italian Salsa Verde is a bright, fresh herb sauce made with parsley, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. A versatile green sauce for grilled foods, vegetables, and more.
If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know how much we use herby green sauces to elevate what we are already making. I’ll often make a batch for the week to use on everything. This Italian herb sauce, called Italian Salsa Verde, is packed with flavor! Use it on grilled vegetables, meat, or fish, or spoon it over a bowl of beans. It really enlivens dishes and makes humble foods seem elevated. We pair it with our grilled Italian chicken but look forward to the leftovers to use on everything during the week!
Why you’ll love this Italian Salsa Verde recipe!
Bright, fresh, and flavorful! Fresh parsley, lemon, capers, and anchovies come together to create a vibrant sauce that’s herbaceous, tangy, and packed with savory umami.
Incredibly versatile. There are so many ways to use Italian Salsa Verde! Spoon it over grilled fish, steak, chicken, roasted vegetables, potatoes, or beans, or spread it on sandwiches and crostini. It’s one of those condiments that instantly elevates almost any meal.
Ready in minutes! With just a handful of pantry staples and fresh herbs, this classic Italian sauce comes together in less than 10 minutes.
Keeps well in the refrigerator. Make a batch at the beginning of the week and enjoy it with different meals. It often tastes even better after the flavors have had time to meld.
What is Italian Salsa Verde?
Italian Salsa Verde is a vibrant, pungent, herbaceous green sauce from Northern Italy, made with capers, fresh parsley, garlic, lemon, and anchovies in an olive oil base. Its flavor is bright and tangy with delicious umami depth from the anchovies and capers.
Not to be confused with Mexican Salsa Verde, which is made with tomatillos, cilantro, fresh green chilies, and lime. And it’s different from pesto, which, though it also originates from Italy and looks similar in appearance, is different in flavor. Pesto is made with basil and Parmesan, while Salsa Verde is made with parsley, anchovies, and capers.
Salsa Verde IngredientS
- Olive oil: Use a good, high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, preferably from Italy, for the foundation of the sauce.
- Anchovies: Add incredible depth and umami. Start conservatively and add more to taste. If vegan, leave them out and add more capers or 1-2 teaspoons of miso paste.
- Parsley: The star of the sauce, providing fresh flavor and vibrant color. Traditionally, Italian flat-leaf parsley is used, but feel free to add mint, fresh basil, or cilantro.
- Capers: Bring bright, briny pops of flavor that define traditional Italian salsa verde. Use capers in saltwater brine or capers packed in salt. Either will work!
- Garlic cloves: Add a pungent bite and aromatic depth.
- Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest: The juice adds bright acidity while the zest contributes fragrant citrus oils that make the sauce taste especially fresh.
- Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes: Balance and enhance the flavors. The anchovies and capers already contribute saltiness, so season gradually. Chili flakes add optional warmth without overwhelming the herbs.
How to Make Italian Salsa Verde
1. Pulse or blend the salsa. Use a food processor or immersion blender, or just finely chop everything by hand. Blend the anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice first, then add the lemon zest and parsley. Pulse repeatedly until combined but not too smooth.
2. Add the capers. Stir in the capers. I like to leave them whole, but it’s up to you!
3. Season, taste, and adjust. Add salt, pepper, and chili flakes, then taste and adjust. You want it to taste slightly salty.
Chef’s Tips
- Pulse, don’t purée. Salsa verde should have a little texture. Avoid blending until completely smooth.
- Add the parsley last. Blending the herbs too long can dull both their bright green color and fresh flavor.
- Stir in the capers at the end. Leaving them whole or roughly chopped adds little bursts of briny flavor and creates a more rustic texture.
- Taste before adding salt. Anchovies and capers are naturally salty, so the sauce often needs very little additional seasoning.
- Adjust the consistency to your liking. Add a little more olive oil for a looser, spoonable sauce, or slightly less for a thicker spread.
- Let it rest before serving. Let sit for 15-30 minutes to let the flavors meld beautifully.
- Make it by hand for the most authentic texture. Finely chopping everything with a knife produces a rustic salsa verde with a wonderful texture, common in Italy. No special equipment required!
Ways to Serve Italian Salsa Verde
- Serve over baked cod
- Serve over grilled chicken or grilled steak
- Serve over cabbage steaks or roasted Romanesco broccoli
- Spoon over roasted veggies
- Drizzle over eggs
- Mix with a little extra olive oil and red wine vinegar to create a salad dressing for Italian salads!
- Toss with pasta and create a delicious Italian Pasta Salad
Storage
Italian salsa verde keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store with a thin layer of olive oil on top. This helps minimize oxidation and keeps the herbs looking bright green for longer.
More Sauce Recipes You Might Like
After you try this Italian Salsa Verde recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Italian Salsa Verde
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: easy side dish, sauces
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
Italian Salsa Verde is a bright, fresh herb sauce made with parsley, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. A versatile green sauce for grilled foods, vegetables, and more.
Ingredients
- 1–2 anchovies, optional; see notes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup Italian Parsley- packed, (feel free to sub 1/2 basil, mint or cilantro)
- 2–3 tablespoons capers (and 1 tablespoon caper brine, optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or add to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional, more to taste
Instructions
1. Blend. Place anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor or use an immersion blender, and blend until well combined. Add lemon zest and fresh parsley and pulse repeatedly until combined but not too smooth.
2. Add capers. Stir in the capers.
3. Season. Add salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste. You want it to taste slightly salty.
Notes
Vegan: Leave out the anchovies and add 2 teaspoons miso paste, for added depth.
This will keep up to 5 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 64
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 73 mg
- Fat: 7.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.7 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
Excellent and very handy for salads – any kind.
Thanks and yes, I love this tossed with pasta to make a quick pasta salad.:)
Where do you get the anchovies pictured, they don’t look like the typical canned variety?
Hi, I got these at a specialty store in Bend- they are refrigerated, not tinned. I’ve seen them at upscale grocery stores.