Name: Italian Salsa Verde
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 50g flat-leaf parsley (leaves only); 2 tbsp capers (rinsed and roughly chopped); 4 anchovy fillets in olive oil; 1 clove garlic; Juice of 1 lemon; 100ml extra virgin olive oil; 1 slice stale bread (crusts removed, soaked in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar); Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipes

Italian Salsa Verde

By Javen Chong · Jan 20, 2026

Italy's answer to salsa verde herbaceous, punchy, and deeply savoury. Made with flat-leaf parsley, capers, anchovies, garlic, and quality EVOO, this condiment is more umami-forward than its South American cousin. Serve alongside grilled steak, roasted lamb, or poached fish to elevate a simple protein into something memorable. Ready in 10 minutes, keeps in the fridge for 5 days.

JC

Written by

Javen Chong

Ingredients list:

1–2 cloves of garlic
bunch of parsley leaves (~75% of total herbs)
bunch of tarragon leaves (~25% of total herbs)
Olive Oil (to bind)
1 lemon (zested)
2 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp of capers

Directions:

Difficulty: Easy
Feeds: 2-4 people
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Prepare the Herbs: Pluck the leaves from the parsley and tarragon, discarding the stems. Roughly chop the leaves and set aside.
Chop the Savoury Elements: Finely chop the capers and anchovy fillets until they are almost paste-like.
Combine the Base: In a bowl, add the chopped parsley and tarragon, followed by the capers and anchovy.
Add Aromatics: Zest in the garlic and lemon directly into the bowl to keep all the oils and fragrance.
Bind the Sauce: Slowly drizzle in olive oil, mixing continuously until the sauce comes together. Use your eyes to gauge- the salsa should be loose but not oily.
Season: Taste and adjust with salt if needed (keep in mind the anchovies and capers already add salinity).
Rest & Develop: Let the salsa verde sit for a few minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
Serve: Spoon generously over your choice of protein- traditionally steak, but it works well with fish as well.