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You are here: Home / Gluten Free / SALMORIGLIO RECIPE AND HISTORY – Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE AND HISTORY – Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

01/31/2017 by Filippo Trapella 36 Comments

Salmoriglio is an ancient, Italian marinade and dressing. Thanks to its sour, lemony flavor it helps to tenderize fish, meats, and vegetables giving them a delicious taste! Here, the history and the recipe.

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade


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ORIGIN OF SALMORIGLIO

Like many Italian recipes, the origin of this marinade is so ancient to be uncertain. In different ages, Grecian and Spanish has conquered a large part Sicily and Calabria, the areas where Salmoriglio is traditional. Their cultures have got a big influence into the cuisines of these regions.

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinadeAs proof of their mutual impact, Spain, and Greece, and Italian cuisines have several recipes.

For instance, the Grecian “Lemonolado”, a dressing for meats and fish composed by lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh oregano; besides the garlic, it has the same ingredients of the Italian dressing.

Furthermore, the Southern Spanish “Salmorejo” is a recipe that brings Salmoriglio closer to the Iberian Peninsula. This appetizer is more a soup than a dressing, composed by tomatoes, bread, eggs and Iberian prosciutto. But, the common origin of both names it can be translated in English with brine (Salamoia in Italian, Salmuera in Spanish).

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

BETWEEN SICILY AND CALABRIA

Salmoriglio is named Salmurigghiu in Sicilan dialect, and Salamarigghiu in Calabria. In both regions, the main ingredients are lemon juice, olive oil, warm water, garlic, and oregano.

In Calabria, fresh parsley is added in case of fish marination, whereas in Sicily parsley is not traditional.

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

OTHER TRADITIONAL VARIATIONS

Some tasting Salmoriglio variations are typical in Sicily. The first one originates in Eolie Islands and provides for replacing the lemon juice with the same amount of white wine.

Another Sicilian variation prefer fresh tomatoes pulp in substitution of the water. Concerning the herbs, in several recipes, fresh mint is added in substitution or addition of oregano.

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

IS SALMORIGLIO A MARINADE OR A DRESSING?

Marinade or dressing? The answer is easy: both of them! Traditionally there is not a different amount of ingredients between Salmoriglio like a marinade or a dressing.

Personally, I prefer to use the traditional recipe to marinate and reduce or eliminate the water in case of dressing.

pan seared swordfish with salmoriglio sauce

A FEW TIPS!

The oregano can be fresh or dried, depending on your taste. In case you choose the dried one, use only trusted and prime quality oregano.

In case of mint or parsley variation, the herbs must be excursively fresh.

Even if, originally the herbs has been mashed in a pestle, it is possible to blend them with the other ingredients. The results will be more consistent and dense.

The marinade can be heated at the lowest temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your taste.

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

HOW TO USE SALMORIGLIO

Whether as a marinade or a dressing, Salmoriglio pairs perfectly with fish, vegetables or meats.

Swordfish, seared or grilled, is the most traditional fish marinate and seasoned with this dressing. Tuna and Salmon steaks are perfect as well!

Among the vegetables you want to try grilled eggplants or zucchini, or boiled potatoes, or sauteed mushrooms, seasoned with Salmoriglio.

Eventually, marinated and seared chicken, or lamb, or beef steaks are delicious!

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

TRADITIONAL SALMORIGLIO RECIPE 

Yield: 4

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

Salmoriglio is an ancient, Italian marinade and dressing. Thanks to its sour, lemony flavor it helps to tenderize fish, meats, and vegetables giving them a delicious taste! Here, the history and the recipe.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 10 oz (280 g) olive oil
  • 10 oz (280g) water
  • 5 oz (140 g) lemon juice
  • 8 tbsp (20 g) fresh oregano
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • to taste coarse salt

Instructions

SALMORIGLIO RECIPE

  1. First of all, rinse the herbs, and dry them with paper towels.
  2. Now, pour the leaves into a pestle and mash along with a pinch of coarse salt and 2 cloves of garlic until smooth and consistent.
  3. At this time, pour the olive oil and the lemon juice into a bowl.
  4. Eventually, whisk adding the herbs cream.
  5. Alternatively, blend all the ingredients until consistent. In this case, the marinade will be a bit more dense.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 479Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 31gCholesterol 0mgSodium 330mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 2gSugar 36gProtein 1g

The writers and publishers of this blog are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. All information presented and written within our blog are intended for informational purposes only. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. The writers and publishers of this blog are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or suggestions herein or hereafter. Under no circumstances will this blog or its owners be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on nutritional information given by this site. By using this blog and its content, you agree to these terms.

© Filippo Trapella - philosokitchen.com
Cuisine: Italian / Category: marinade

 

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SALMORIGLIO RECIPE AND HISTORY - Italian lemon and olive oil marinade

Filed Under: Food Story, Gluten Free, My Authentic Italian Recipes, Paleo, Recipes, Sauces & Jarred Goods, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: dressing, fish, grece, healthy, italian, italy, lamb, marinade, meats, mint, olive oil, oregano, parsley, salmon, salmoriglio, seasoning, Spain, swordfish, traditional recipes, tuna, vegan, vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Kathy says

    06/18/2017 at 11:15 am

    I have eaten this Salmoriglio sauce since my childhood. I’m 77 now. My mom was Calabrian my dad Sicilian. I’ve heard the term forever. This is the first time I have seen it written. My family loves salmoriglio. They call it ” liquid gold!”
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      06/18/2017 at 12:37 pm

      Hi Kathy,
      thank you for sharing your story! I love hearing family memories

      Reply
    • Ariel says

      11/27/2017 at 11:10 pm

      Is this the same thing as amoygu? I’m not sure if I spelled it right. When I was little my first step-moms Italian grandma always made this lemon sauce that we used for almost anything including bread dipping and I have been trying to find it everywhere, I loved it!

      Reply
      • Filippo Trapella says

        11/28/2017 at 10:33 am

        Hi Ariel, thanks for sharing your memories πŸ™‚

        There were tomatoes in your Grandma’s sauce? I found an Italian-american sauce called Amogio: this originates in Detroit area and made by Sicilian immigrants.

        Reply
  2. CHRIS WETHERALL says

    10/06/2017 at 3:14 pm

    Delicious sauce recently discovered in mashed potato served with Octopus in Hotel Giardinetto on Lake Orta near Milan.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      10/06/2017 at 4:50 pm

      True, that pairs greatly with potatoes as well πŸ™‚

      Reply
  3. Nancy Ruggeri says

    12/29/2017 at 8:39 pm

    I LOVE everything about this site! love food history and its a great way to connect with my Italian Heritage from Annone Veneto, Venice, Veneto, Italy ! Wonderful and great recipes , stories and history. God Bless, Ciao!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      12/30/2017 at 2:43 pm

      Thanks so much for your words Nancy! πŸ™‚

      Reply
  4. Chris says

    01/28/2018 at 10:20 am

    Super recipes, we are vegan, but many of these recipes are naturally so, or can be adapted to be vegan. Lovely photos, and nice website. Nice philosophy, love the purple soup with wild veggies also πŸ™‚ Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      01/28/2018 at 11:53 am

      Thanks Chris!

      Even if I’m not vegan, I think a balanced and varied diet should include vegan and vegetarian dishes as well.

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚

      Reply
  5. Colin Cote says

    01/29/2018 at 3:56 pm

    I love the recipe and I love the historical conversation about the cultural origins of the different variations. Cooking and eating is not complete without that intellectual and emotional stimulation.

    molte grazie amico mio!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      01/29/2018 at 7:46 pm

      Thanks for your words Colin, I really appreciated πŸ™‚

      Reply
  6. Bee says

    02/08/2018 at 3:33 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and for all the tips and history

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      02/09/2018 at 12:31 am

      Thanks for your comment Bee, you are welcome!

      Reply
  7. Carole Sommovigo says

    03/02/2018 at 11:24 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing. I didn’t know that there was a name for the marinade/dressing I have known since I was a child.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      03/03/2018 at 3:49 pm

      I’m glad of this Carole!

      Reply
  8. Sergio says

    04/28/2018 at 12:45 pm

    We will try this tonight. looking forward to it since we had dinner as Filippo’s home several years ago.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      04/29/2018 at 2:31 pm

      Thanks Sergio, say hi to Columbus for me πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Giovanna Taormina says

    07/11/2018 at 11:37 pm

    Well, I finally found the correct spelling for this family favorite. I never saw it spelled , but phonetically we pronounced it like “salamolia.” Thank you so much.

    My mother was from Naples and my father was second generation Sicilian. We have had this with our meals on chicken, at barbecues, on steak, pork ribs, and fish. We have always loved it and so has everybody that my family has served it to.

    My parents are now deceased and recently my cousin brought me a bottle of “salamoia” from Rome. I was confused when I read the ingredients because it had rosemary in it, not oregano, and no lemon! I then realized it it wasn’t the same. And then I Googled “salamoia with lemon” and your blog and recipe came up! I never really knew how it was spelled; I had only heard it since I was a child.

    This means so much to me to learn this history, thank you so much for sharing and we will continue on with a salmoriglio tradition and pass it on to many others. Giovanna

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      07/12/2018 at 4:49 am

      Hi Giovanna,

      I’m sorry for your loss…

      I love to read family memories, so thanks so much for your comment!

      Salamoia is the generic name of the Italian salty wet brine. In Italy, any region has its particular variation. The Salmoriglio is typical of Sicily, but several local cuisines of other regions require other ingredients to prepare their salamoia, including sometimes the rosemary.

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚

      F.

      Reply
  10. Charlie says

    07/21/2018 at 10:13 pm

    I only recently learned that this sauce is called salmoiglio. I grew up in an Italian American family in NJ, USA and we had it as a condiment, usually on chicken. I’ve actually never had it in Sicily, but I’ll look for it when I’m there next.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      07/21/2018 at 10:17 pm

      You need to try this your next trip in Sicily πŸ™‚

      Reply
  11. Cheryl says

    07/29/2018 at 3:22 pm

    Yummy! A must try. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      07/29/2018 at 3:32 pm

      Thank you Cheryl πŸ™‚

      Reply
  12. Linda says

    08/12/2018 at 5:48 pm

    My second generation Sicilian mother made this wonderful sauce as a marinade for steak and lamb chops on the grill. i would eat it with a spoon as soon as my mother finished preparing it, She never put water in it but always, always used fresh mint and oregano. She also made sure she had the lemon pulp in it. My parents called it “gaunza” which I have no idea how to spell …. Thank you for a trip down memory lane.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      08/12/2018 at 7:32 pm

      Hl Linda,
      thanks for sharing your amazing family memories!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚

      F.

      Reply
  13. Mario Adriani says

    06/13/2019 at 5:50 pm

    Great suggestion tks
    Mario

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      06/13/2019 at 6:07 pm

      Thank you Mario!

      happy cooking πŸ™‚

      F.

      Reply
  14. Hal Wallof says

    11/07/2019 at 12:28 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! I would have given it 5 stars, but my cell phone only let me post three!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      11/07/2019 at 2:51 pm

      Thank you Hal!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply
  15. Beverley says

    02/13/2020 at 5:26 pm

    Look forward to trying the recipe.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      02/13/2020 at 5:43 pm

      Let me know Beverley!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply
  16. Thomas Benham says

    04/24/2020 at 12:13 pm

    Very useful recipe. Terrific website. Love the dozens of photos.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      04/24/2020 at 12:30 pm

      Thanks so much Thomas!

      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply
  17. dave says

    07/12/2020 at 10:46 am

    Love your website & your recipes great job

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      07/12/2020 at 10:38 pm

      Thank you Dave!
      Happy cooking πŸ™‚
      F.

      Reply

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