July 16, 2024 - Pamela Salzman

This simple and delicious Salmoriglio Sauce recipe comes together quickly with simple ingredients and makes a bright, tangy, and flavorful accompaniment to shrimp, fish, seafood, veggies, and other grilled meats.

What is Salmoriglio?

Salmoriglio is a traditional Italian sauce originating from Southern Italy, specifically Sicily and Calabria. It is typically used as a marinade and is a versatile condiment for grilled meat, fish, and seafood.

The sauce is made with simple, fresh ingredients, including olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs like fresh oregano or parsley, and salt and pepper. Today we’re using dried oregano in our version of the seasoning mixture.

The ingredients are mixed together to form a smooth, vibrant sauce. Then it’s brushed onto the seafood or fish fillets during grilling, with additional sauce served on the side. It’s fresh, tangy and delicious!

What Makes This Recipe Great

When it comes to seafood, I believe simple is best. And I also love a sauce that can go with different types of seafood or even other animal proteins and plant proteins too (think chicken salmoriglio, tofu, and more!).

Salmoriglio (pronounced sal-mor-EE-yo) sauce is flavorful, easy, and fresh. Like many “classic” Italian dishes and recipes, there are variations on this and I always encourage you to use what you’ve got or make adjustments based on your preferences.

I like this sauce with shrimp and different kinds of fish like swordfish (I know – very high in mercury and I eat it once a year), halibut, calamari steaks, or branzino. Reach out to me if you select a protein and you don’t know the cooking time.

Ingredient Notes

garlic cloves

fresh lemon juice: Plus wedges for serving

dried oregano, preferably Sicilian

crushed red pepper

unrefined cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil

sea salt or kosher salt and black pepper

optional: Finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or mint

wild shrimp or thick fish filets

Step-by-Step Instructions

Stir together garlic, lemon juice, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl or a glass jar. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours. Just before serving, add fresh herbs, if you’re using them; stir to combine. Gradually add oil, stirring to combine; season with a little salt and pepper.
Skewer shrimp if grilling.
Heat grill to medium. Lightly brush grates with oil. Very lightly brush shrimp/fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until char marks appear, then turn and cook 2 to 4 minutes more. (Or cook in a grill basket brushed with oil.) Transfer to a serving dish, top with salmoriglio sauce, and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Expert Tips

You can also add chopped capers to the sauce if you like.
Double the sauce if you want to serve this over both seafood and warm vegetables like broccoli, green beans, zucchini, or another favorite veggie.
To use this delicious olive oil sauce for vegans, it is outstanding mixed with some cooked white beans and served over warm grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, sweet bell peppers, onions, and/or asparagus.

Serving & Storage Tips

Use this salmoriglio sauce as both a grilling marinade and as a condiment on the side. It goes so well with grilled meats, fish, seafood, and warm veggies. You can also soak it up with crusty bread to serve alongside your meal.

If you have leftover sauce, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Give it a good stir or shake and use it accordingly.

More Italian Recipes

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Get the Recipe

Seafood with Salmoriglio Sauce

Pamela

Print Recipe

Servings

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic minced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus wedges for serving
2 teaspoons dried oregano preferably Sicilian
A big pinch of crushed red pepper
¼ cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil plus more for seafood and the grill
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional: 1 to 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley thyme or mint
1 ½ pounds of large wild shrimp peeled and deveined or 4 thick fish filets (each 6 ounces and 1-inch thick)

Instructions

Stir together garlic, lemon juice, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl or a glass jar. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours. Just before serving, add fresh herbs, if you’re using them; stir to combine. Gradually add oil, stirring to combine; season with salt and pepper.
Skewer shrimp if grilling.
Heat grill to medium. Lightly brush grates with oil. Very lightly brush shrimp/fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until char marks appear, then turn and cook 2 to 4 minutes more. (Or cook in a grill basket brushed with oil.) Transfer to a serving platter, top with salmoriglio sauce, and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Notes

Expert Tips
You can also add chopped capers to the sauce if you like.
Double the sauce if you want to serve this over both seafood and warm vegetables like broccoli, green beans, zucchini, or another favorite veggie.
To use this delicious olive oil sauce for vegans, it is outstanding mixed with some cooked white beans and served over warm grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, sweet bell peppers, onions, and/or asparagus.

Serving & Storage Tips
Use this salmoriglio sauce as both a grilling marinade and as a condiment on the side. It goes so well with grilled meats, fish, seafood, and warm veggies. You can also soak it up with crusty bread to serve alongside your meal.