Chimichurri sauce is one of those recipes that everyone says, “Wow!” when they taste it. It’s bright, fresh, full of flavor, and packed with nutritious ingredients, too.
Chimichurri originates from Argentina and is a mix of parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and sometimes shallot. I love to add a handful of fresh cilantro and splash of lemon juice to make this 3-herb chimichurri sauce full of flavor.
Chimichurri Sauce Is Fresh & Full of Nutrition
Not only is chimichurri sauce incredibly delicious, but it’s also incredibly healthy!
Chimichurri is naturally vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free, and it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants from all of the fresh ingredients used to make it.
To be honest, I’m generally not a huge fan of the flavor of fresh parsley. It’s just not my favorite on its own. However, I find it really delicious in this recipe. So, even if you don’t love parsley, give chimichurri sauce a try and you might change your mind like I did.
How to Make Chimichurri Sauce
Chimichurri sauce is super flexible and is similar to Italian basil pesto in that there are a few ways to make it and every family probably has its own ingredient ratios and ways of making it. Some people add shallot, some skip them altogether. Some use a mild fresh chili and some use red pepper flakes.
Feel free to experiment with different ingredient ratios or use what you have on hand. Parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil are the core ingredients in chimichurri. Other than that, make it your own!
Chimichurri Sauce Ingredients
- Fresh Parsley – Fresh parsley is essential here; it’s always the base of chimichurri.
- Dried Oregano – Chimichurri usually has some oregano. Fresh oregano is very strong, so I typically use dried oregano.
- Fresh Cilantro (optional) – Not traditional but a great addition. If you don’t love it leave it out.
- Garlic – Always use fresh garlic cloves. They’re cheap and last for months on a counter. Raw garlic is loaded with antioxidants.
- Shallot (optional) – Some Chimichurri recipes use it and some don’t. I recommend it! It’s nice for texture and flavor. I think an onion would be too strong of a flavor, but the lighter flavor of shallot is lovely in chimichurri.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Another staple ingredient—red wine vinegar is inexpensive and can be found at most grocery stores.
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon brightens the entire dish. If you don’t have a fresh lemon, use an equal amount more of red wine vinegar.
- Red Pepper Flakes or a Fresh Chili – I prefer red pepper flakes to control the heat, but a fresh chili would also work if you know what you’re working with. Leave out the pepper flakes for a mild sauce.
- Salt & Pepper – Don’t forget the salt! It really brings out all of the flavors. I also add a few spins of freshly ground black pepper, but you can skip that if you want.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – EVOO brings it all together to make the chimichurri sauce. Extra virgin olive oil is full of good fat, vitamins and antioxidants.
Chimichurri Recipe Method
Chimichurri sauce comes together rather quickly.
You can either finely chop all of the ingredients by hand and mix in a bowl (which is the most traditional way of making chimichurri), or, you can make it easy and pulse it in the food processor (which is how I usually do it). I don’t recommend a blender as it’s hard to get out of the blade at the narrow base. Either finely chop everything by hand and mix in a bowl, or use a food processor (in the image below).
- When you make any sauce in a food processor that uses garlic, shallot or onions, put them in first alone and use the blade to finely chop them before you add any other ingredients. That will help ensure your garlic, shallot or onion is finely chopped so big chunks don’t make it through the process.
- Then, add the rest of your ingredients and pulse. Stream in the olive oil at the end while running the blade.
- Don’t over-process it! Chimichurri should maintain a lot of texture and not be processed into a smooth paste. A few pulses in each step usually does the trick.
I’ve tested this chimichurri recipe at least 10 times and this is my favorite way to make it. You can grab the printable version of my 3-Herb Chimichurri with Cilantro, Parsely and Oregano in the recipe card below.
How to Use Chimichurri Sauce
- If you’re into grilling, grilled meat is the most traditional pair with chimichurri, especially red meat such as flank steak. I recommend buying high-quality grass-fed beef when consuming red meat. It’s also good on grilled pork.
- As a chicken marinade – Marinade chicken in 1/2 of this sauce for 30 minutes, then roast. Top with the remaining sauce (discard the sauce you used in the marinade).
- Spooned onto roasted veggies – We love it on roasted asparagus or roasted cauliflower, and it would be good with just about any roasted vegetables.
- Tossed with roasted potatoes – This makes a fantastic side or potato salad to take to a party.
- As a dip for tortilla chips – Kids love this, too.
- Toss it in pasta – If you’re short on time and have leftover sauce, cook up some pasta and toss it all together. It’s not traditional, but it’s delicious.
- Make a salad dressing – add a little extra vinegar and/or olive oil to thin it out and make an flavorful salad dressing to dress your favorite greens.
- As a dip for toasted baguette – Seriously addictive!
Storage
Store homemade chimichurri in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
While you can freeze it, I find it has the most flavor when it’s fresh.
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Description
Not only is chimichurri sauce incredibly delicious, but it’s also incredibly healthy! It’s naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and it’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. If you make it, please leave a star rating in the comments below to help other readers in our community.
You can either finely chop all of the ingredients by hand and mix in a bowl (which is the most traditional way of making chimichurri), or, you can make it easy and pulse it in the food processor (which is how I usually do it). I don’t recommend a blender as it’s hard to get out of the blade at the narrow base. Either finely chop everything by hand and mix in a bowl, or use a food processor.
If using the food processor:
- Add the garlic and shallot and process about 30 seconds until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides. Finely chop the fresh chili (if using) by hand and add it with the rest of the ingredients. Add all of the ingredients except the extra virgin olive oil and pulse 5-10 times until well chopped. Scrape down the sides. Run the processor for about 10 seconds while you stream in the extra virgin olive oil. Do not over-process—it’s ok to add the olive oil quickly or just stir it in at the end.
If mixing by hand:
- Finely chop all of the ingredients and add to a medium bowl. Stir in the red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk in the extra virgin oil oil.
Chimichurri sauce will keep in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to 5 days and can be frozen up to three months (though, it’s best fresh so only freeze if necessary).
Notes
How to Use Chimichurri Sauce
- On grilled meat – The most traditional preparation, especially on red meat such as flank steak. I recommend buying high-quality grass-fed beef when using red meat.
- As a chicken marinade – Marinade chicken in 1/2 this sauce for 30 minutes, then roast. Top with remaining sauce (discard the sauce you used in the marinade).
- Spooned onto roasted veggies – We love it on roasted asparagus or roasted cauliflower.
- Tossed with roasted potatoes – This makes a fantastic side or potato salad to take to a party.
- As a dip for tortilla chips – Kids love this, too.
- As a dip for toasted baguette – Seriously addictive!
More Flavorful Sauce Recipes:
Magic Sauce (Goes with Everything!)
Easy Vegan Pesto
Homemade Restaurant-Style Salsa
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