The Best Persillade Sauce Recipe

If you’ve heard of this simple and delicious accoutrement, this is the place for the best persillade sauce recipe. Here, you’ll find what is a very traditional persillade sauce recipe, AND a non traditional twist that puts this persillade over the top!

Jump to Recipe

What is Persillade Sauce?

Persillade sauce is a simple, flavorful French sauce featuring fresh parsley as the main ingredient.

It’s basically a French version of Argentinian chimichurri or Italian gremolata, and it’s used as a topping or marinade to bring brightness to whatever you’re serving.

Persillade sauce is super popular with chefs and home cooks alike for its ease and versatility — which I love. It’s perfect for so many grill recipes, and can take your steaks, chops, chicken, or even fish to the next level.

About The Ingredients

Parsley – Persil is the French word for parsley, so it’s no surprise that parsley would be the main ingredient here. Use the freshest flat leaf variety, not the curly parsley.
Chives – I love chives in this recipe. If you can’t find fresh ones, you can substitute finely sliced green onions.
Garlic – PLEASE use fresh garlic here, not the jarlic. While convenient in a pinch, it lacks the flavor of fresh minced garlic.
Olive Oil – Choose a high quality olive oil for this persillade sauce. There’s plenty of great ones (and not so great ones) at most grocery stores.
Salt – I use Diamond Crystal, other brands are much more “salty” so be aware of that when you’re adding your salt.

Optional Persillade Sauce Ingredients

Fish Sauce – This is my favorite twist to the traditional persillade. 1-2 teaspoons adds the perfect bit of umami to the sauce. Try the percillade sauce first, then try adding the fish sauce and taste the difference.
Capers – Add a bit of brininess that some people enjoy. I don’t prefer them, but plenty of people do.
Vinegar – If you’re looking for a bit more acid, the addition of vinegar is helpful. Though, in my opinion, you’re basically making chimichurri when you add vinegar.

Best Uses for Percillade

If you’re grilling a steak, lamb chops, chicken, or pork chops, spooning some persillade over it right off the grill adds a punch of freshness and a hit of garlic.

Don’t sleep on this sauce for grilled fish too, especially if you’re cooking mild types like cod or halibut.

Beyond the grill, persillade can elevate roasted potatoes or veggies, like carrots, potatoes or zucchini. Toss them in the sauce before or after cooking for that extra boost of flavor.

Finally, try it as a marinade, or stir it into pasta for a quick, herb-based sauce. If you’re looking for a flexible finishing sauce with ingredients you probably have on hand, you gotta try this persillade sauce.

Percillade Sauce Recipe

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: N/A

Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup fresh chives
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
Zest from one lemon
1 ½ tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
¾ cup olive oil
1 ½ tsp kosher salt (or salt to taste)

How To Make Percillade Sauce

Step 1: Finely chop the parsley.

Step 2: Finely chop the chives.

Step 3: Finely chop or grate the garlic.

Step 4: Add the herbs and lemon zest to a mixing bowl.

Step 5: Add the olive oil and lemons juice to the herbs.

Step 6: Mix well, taste for salt and adjust as needed, then set aside. I like to let the flavors meld together for about an hour at room temperature before serving.