Flavour-wise, salsa verde is like pesto on steroids. A classic, rustic, Italian sauce usually served cold, I find it’s usually pretty interchangeable with pesto, and often a preferable ‘lighter’ alternative as it’s dairy free (i.e. no parmesan). Like pesto, it keeps well in a jar in the fridge, and my favourite ways to use it are as a condiment to fish or lamb, or simply stirred through quinoa or pasta. Add some lemon zest and it’s a perfect gremolata to serve with Ossobuco. 

Traditional recipes instruct you to chop all the ingredients by hand, which results in a darker green sauce. I’m quite happy to keep mine a vibrant green and use the blender to keep this quick an easy.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

ingredients

  • 1 bunch parsley leaves
  • 1 bunch mint leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 3 Tbsp capers
  • 3 Tbsp chopped pickled gherkins
  • 8 anchovy fillets (omit for a vegetarian version)
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar (any vinegar will do)
  • 6 Tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt & pepper

method

  1. Blitz everything* except olive oil in blender, then gradually add the olive oil until all the ingredients are well chopped and the sauce is of the consistency that you like.
  2. Store in a sterilized, airtight jar in the fridge (it will keep for a couple of weeks).

*Feel free to adjust the ingredients up and down to suit your taste / what you plan for it to accompany. A suggestion is to add all the parsley along with half the other ingredients, taste, then add what you like to plump up the flavours.