Easy Salmoriglio Sauce Recipe (with Grilled Seafood)
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
- Hearty Chopped Italian Salad Recipe
- Italian Potato Salad
- Sicilian Pasta con le Sarde
- Easy Pasta al Limone
- Chicken Parmesan Sliders
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Get the Recipe
- 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)
- 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.
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.