8 Ways to Use Gremolata

Osso Buco with Citrus Gremolata
Photo: © Kana Okada

What is gremolata? Typically, it's a pesto-like sauce made with parsley, olive oil, citrus zest and garlic. But we love to punch up the flavor and add walnuts, crushed red pepper and even horseradish. You can use gremolata as a topping for grilled meat or fish (we love snapper and lamb), or add a spoonful to creamy bisque or roasted veggies for a sophisticated flavor upgrade. We like to add green carrot tops into our gremolata for a zero-waste dish. Whether you're looking for a sophisticated side dish or want to add flavor to your favorite seafood, here are 9 amazing ways to use gremolata.

01 of 08

Celery Root Bisque with Walnut-Parsley Gremolata

Celery Root Bisque with Walnut-Parsley Gremolata
© Con Poulos

Food & Wine's Kay Chun sneaks a small piece of creamy, nutty Parmesan cheese into this lovely soup, giving it an excellent flavor boost. To make it even more special, she serves the silky bisque topped with a nutty, crunchy and vibrant walnut-and-parsley gremolata. The celery root and leeks give this creamy soup a lightly earthy flavor, and the freshness of the herb gremolata really brightens it up. This soup is a wonderful make-ahead option, since it can be refrigerated for two days. Swap vegetable stock for chicken stock for a hearty meatless Monday dinner.

02 of 08

Grilled Snapper with Four-Herb Gremolata

Grilled Snapper with Four-Herb Gremolata
John Kernick

For snapper fillets with perfectly crisp skin, chef Jennifer Carroll only seasons the flesh side before laying the fish on a very hot grill.

03 of 08

Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Gremolata

Roasted Carrots (or other root vegetables)
John Kernick

The chopped carrot greens turn into a tasty topping (along with cilantro, lemon zest and jalapeno) for sweet roasted carrots and shallots.

04 of 08

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Gremolata Pesto

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Gremolata Pesto

Lamb is Kelly Liken's favorite food in the world, and she thinks Colorado lamb is the best. To show it off, she makes a pesto-like sauce by combining gremolata--a mixture of parsley, lemon zest and garlic--with pine nuts and olive oil. Liken often cooks lamb from start to finish over a wood fire, but this home-cook-friendly version calls for starting the racks on the grill and then transferring them to the oven to finish cooking.

05 of 08

Sautéed Collards and Cabbage with Gremolata

Sautéed Collards and Cabbage with Gremolata
© Con Poulos

These crunchy sauteed greens from TV chef Carla Hall get big flavor from garlic, lemon and crushed red pepper.

06 of 08

Chicken-Fat-Roasted Vegetables with Gremolata

Chicken-Fat-Roasted Vegetables with Gremolata

For extra flavor, bloggers Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley toss their vegetables in chicken or duck fat before roasting, then top them with a bright, lemony mix of parsley and minced garlic.

07 of 08

Soft Polenta with Mixed Mushrooms and Gremolata

Soft Polenta with Mixed Mushrooms and Gremolata

Chef Suzanne Goin adores the straightforward flavors in this vegetarian dish: the sauteed mushrooms and greens and the tangy mascarpone that melts into the creamy polenta.

08 of 08

Osso Buco with Citrus Gremolata

Osso Buco with Citrus Gremolata
© Kana Okada

Ethan Stowell sticks to Italian tradition when making osso buco, topping braised veal shanks with a citrusy gremolata (orange and lemon zest mixed with garlic and parsley). He advises spooning out and eating all of the marrow from the bones for what he calls "a mouthful of fatty goodness."

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