• Yield: 1 scant cup

  • Time: 10 minutes prep


This sauce brings so much to the party, you'll wonder why it hasn’t always been invited. Fresh tarragon brings sweetness and softness to the classic parsley sauce.  Anise notes round out the intense grassiness of fresh parsley. Both herbs grow well together in the garden, which is almost always a sign of a good pairing.

Drizzle this sauce on rotisserie chicken, grilled fish, or shrimp. Stir it into a pot of mussels; nestle it alongside a cheese omelet. Or do as we do here -- drizzle it on a fresh cheese like feta or farmer’s cheese.

Cook to Cook: Tarragon loses flavor quickly once picked, so buy the freshest that you can. 

  • 1 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped

  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon shallot, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the parsley, tarragon, garlic, shallot, vinegar, salt, pepper, and about a tablespoon of the olive oil. Process until the ingredients stick to the side of the bowl. Scrape them back down, replace the lid, and with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the remainder of the oil through the feed tube until the sauce has the consistency of a thick pesto.

2.  Pour the sauce into a medium bowl, and allow to rest at least 30 minutes to mingle the flavors. Use at room temperature.

Note: Keeps covered in the refrigerator up to one week or frozen up to 3 months.

Sally Swift
Sally Swift is the managing producer and co-creator of The Splendid Table. Before developing the show, she worked in film, video and television, including stints at Twin Cities Public Television, Paisley Park, and Comic Relief with Billy Crystal. She also survived a stint as segment producer on The Jenny Jones Show.