Sauce Vièrge – A Summer Sauce with a Secret
Let me let you in on something a bit special. There’s a sauce I always come back to when the sun’s out, the grill’s on, and I want something that lifts everything on the plate without overpowering it. It’s called Sauce Vièrge — French for virgin sauce — and no, it’s not what you think.
It’s called that because it’s made with virgin olive oil and left completely uncooked. That’s right. No pan. No reduction. No beurre nonsense. Just fresh, bright ingredients coming together with good oil and a bit of patience.
This is a sauce that does the heavy lifting for you. It’s killer on grilled fish, it cuts through barbecued meat, and if you drizzle it over a tomato salad or some charred courgettes, it’ll make you look like a genius with almost zero effort. You can even use it as a salad dressing—honestly, it’s that versatile.
Here’s my go-to Sauce Vièrge recipe:
100g diced ripe tomatoes
100g extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 tsp caster sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, very finely diced
Mix everything together in a bowl and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. The acidity softens the shallot, the garlic mellows, and the olive oil picks up all the flavour. If you’ve got a few fresh herbs like basil, chervil, or even a touch of tarragon—go on, throw them in.
Why it works:
The key here is balance. You’ve got sweetness from the tomato and sugar, sharpness from the lemon, and depth from the garlic and shallot. The oil acts like a carrier—bringing everything together and making it sing. Because it’s not cooked, the flavour stays bright and fresh—exactly what you want when it’s too hot to turn the oven on.
It’s French, it’s elegant, and it’s dead easy. The kind of thing that makes dinner look (and taste) a bit cheffy without the drama.
So next time you’re grilling a bit of fish or want to turn some vegetables into something memorable—Sauce Vièrge is your mate.
And if you try it, tag us on Instagram. I love seeing what you lot are cooking.
