Best Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

This Chimichurri recipe is a bright and flavorful condiment that is packed with flavor from simple ingredients. Fresh parsley, cilantro, and oregano blended with garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar for a spectacular sauce for grilled steak, chicken or grilled seafood.

A definite favorite in our house is skirt steak of flank steak with chimichurri but, mark my words, it is a fantastic recipe to use on so many other grilled steak and other grilled meats.

What is Chimichurri?

Originating from Argentina, this delicious Chimichurri is a wonderful easy sauce and topping for meats like chicken and steak, fish, shrimp, or even over fresh veggies or pasta salads. It’s even an amazing marinade or dipping sauce too!  

Now, while authentic chimichurri recipes call for all parsley, this recipe adds a twist by introducing fresh cilantro. Cilantro gives the sauce zesty and citrusy flavor that I love to add.

It’s amazing that a simple blend of fresh herbs, tangy vinegar, and robust olive oil can turn into a healthy, low carb sauce that’s great for so many meals.

Let this easy chimichurri sauce be your secret to fantastic meals. 

Ingredients Needed

• Fresh flat leaf parsley – The main ingredient of traditional chimichurri sauce includes only fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. Parsley is more than just a garnish, it gives that fresh flavor and green sauce colors. Be sure to pick only the leaves and discard the stems for a smoother sauce. Pack the leaves tightly into a cup to measure this out.
• Fresh cilantro  – Remember to only use the leaves and remove the stems. However, if you’re not a fan of cilantro, just use more parsley.
• Red onion –  ties all these flavors together. You can use other onions like shallots or white onion too.
• Fresh oregano – adds a nice robust flavor and pairs nicely with the other herbs.  For a milder flavor, dried oregano can be substituted, but remember to use one-third of the amount as dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
• Fresh garlic – Freshly minced raw garlic cloves are best but you can use jarred minced if you’d like.
• Extra virgin olive oil – use a high quality olive oil if you can.
• Red wine vinegar – for the perfect tanginess.
• Fresh lemon juice – elevates the sauce even more. I like fresh squeezed but you can use bottled if that’s all you have.
• Red pepper flakes – for a gentle kick that won’t overpower the herbs. Feel free to adjust the amount depending on your taste.

Variations of Authentic Chimichurri Sauce

1. Add a ½ cup of red bell pepper.
2. Although not found in an authentic recipe, feel free to swap the lemon juice for lime juice.
3. Add a ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin.
4. Swap the red pepper flakes for cayenne pepper.
5. Substitute mint leaves for the oregano for a twist that pairs wonderfully with lamb or grilled vegetables.
6. Add a touch of smoked paprika or chipotle powder.
7. Add a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream into the chimichurri for a creamier texture that’s perfect for drizzling over tacos or baked potatoes.
8. Blend in ¼ cup of toasted pine nuts or almonds for a nutty flavor.
8. Use white wine vinegar if desired.

How to Make this Chimichurri Recipe

Step 1 – Add the parsley, cilantro, red onion, oregano garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and red pepper flakes to a blender and pulse 4-5 times until they are all finely chopped. Be careful not to over blend or it will into a much thicker sauce. 

Step 2 – Pour the chopped ingredients into a bowl and add the olive oil, salt and pepper and and stir to combine well. 

Cover the bowl and let the sauce rest for at least 30 minutes before serving

Serve at room temperature for the best flavor.

Tips

Make chimichurri a day in advance if you can.  It gives it even better flavor if allowed to meld together. 

Use a blender or food processor or finely chop the parsley and other ingredients with a sharp knife.

FAQ’s

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