The Best Gremolata Is Made Strictly By Hand

If you've never been introduced to the zesty Italian condiment gremolata, then now is your chance to get acquainted. This fresh herb sauce is not only full of flavor (making it capable of transforming even the blandest of meals), but it's quick and simple to whip up, allowing you to have tasty meals on even the busiest of weeknights. Made of only parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, gremolata is simultaneously bitter, tangy, and bright, easily elevating your favorite savory dishes.

Gremolata is a versatile condiment, but it is arguably best served atop red meat. Simply Recipes suggests pork, lamb, or veal as ideal meats to smother in the sauce. So, if one of those three meats is typically on your mealtime menus, you might want to think about learning to prepare gremolata the best way to enjoy this ideal pairing. 

However, make sure you know the proper steps before diving head first into making your first batch of this condiment. The most important step to remember is to always chop the ingredients by hand. We know, we just talked this sauce up as being an easy and quick recipe to make. But, trust us, you don't want to make it any other way.

There is a good reason we don't recommend speeding up the process of making this sauce with a food processor, or another handy kitchen appliance that chops your food for you. The Spruce Eats notes that traditional gremolata includes both very finely chopped parsley and garlic. While you could stick your food processor on the "fine" setting and throw your three ingredients in, you risk turning your parsley into a wet sloppy mixture rather than the crisper texture that a real gremolata has.

To avoid this more undesirable outcome, make sure to chop both your parsley and garlic with a sharp knife. We know doing this by hand might be slightly more time consuming, but it will still take under 10 minutes to prep, as per Simply Recipes. Once you take time to mince the garlic and finely chop the herb, you can grate the lemon zest. Then, mix your ingredients together in a bowl and spoon over your meat. See, it's still simple even without your loyal food processor! You can also add salt and pepper to taste, and you're ready to enjoy.