The Best Chimichurri Sauce recipe with fresh cilantro, garlic, vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. This classic sauce is amazing on all types of steak, chicken, fish, and pork.
A surefire way to turn any main dish into an absolute dreamboat is to just add chimichurri sauce.
Amazing on all cuts of beef, chicken, fish and seafood, pork sausage and more, chimichurri is that vibrant, zesty addition to any meal that just makes the whole experience memorable.
What is Chimichurri Sauce?:
Authentic Chimichurri sauce consists of chopped parsley, minced garlic, fresh oregano, red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil. Red pepper flakes are also often added for some heat.
Traditional chimichurri sauce does not contain cilantro, although many recipes have been adapted to include it.
Chimichurri sauce originates from Argentina and Paraguay, though many South American countries such as Brazil and Peru also use it in their cuisine.
The traditional version of chimichurri is prepared by grinding the herbs and spices up using a mortar and pestle, though many folks stick with finely chopping everything or even blending it in a blender.
In addition to green chimichurri sauce, which you see in this recipe, red chimichurri sauce (chimichurri rojo) is also popular in South American countries.
How is This Recipe Different?:
While I absolutely love a completely authentic chimichurri, I make my version slightly differently out of personal preference.
Rather than using red wine vinegar, I use rice vinegar which I find has a somewhat softer, almost sweeter flavor, which I enjoy.
I also use half parsley and half cilantro, which makes for an amazing flavor profile.
For those of you who don’t like cilantro, feel free to use parsley only, just like the authentic Argentinian chimichurri sauce.
Let’s discuss the fresh ingredients needed to make this chimichurri recipe.
Ingredients for This Chimichurri Sauce Recipe:
Fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, shallot, garlic, jalapeno (or Fresno chili or red pepper flakes), rice vinegar, kosher sea salt, fresh oregano, and extra virgin olive oil.
The amount of vinegar, oil, salt, and garlic can all be adjusted based on your personal taste.
This combination of ingredients makes a rich sauce that is positively loaded with herby garlicky tangy flavors that are just so lovely on steak, chicken, fish, or pork.
If you’re like me and you love big, bold salad dressings, you can use chimichurri sauce as a salad dressing as well.
I’ve done this numerous times in the past and have also employed the same trick using pesto sauce.
Now that we’re experts on the simple ingredients, let’s make some sauce!
How to Make Chimichurri Sauce:
Chop the cilantro, shallot, jalapeno, garlic, and oregano, and add them to a small bowl or measuring cup.
Pour in the rice vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and stir well until everything is combined. Stir in the sea salt and adjust the amount to your personal taste.
As an alternative to whisking everything in a small bowl, you can add the ingredients to a small food processor or a blender (like a nutribullet or a magic bullet) and blend until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
If you own a mortar and pestle and fancy the traditional method for preparing chimichurri, feel free to put it to use!
I personally love the blended version of chimichurri sauce, as I find the smoother consistency to be lovely.
Here are some recipes that would benefit from a generous pour of chimichurri.
How to Use Chimichurri Sauce:
- BBQ Tri Tip
- Perfect Grilled Steak
- Grilled Salmon
- Orange Ginger Baked Halibut with Blueberry Salsa
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Perfect Grilled Pork Tenderloin
And that’s it! A big, beautiful sauce that makes a statement anywhere it’s invited.
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped*
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped*
- 1 shallot
- 1 jalapeno**
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar***
- 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped****
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Chop the cilantro, shallot, jalapeno, garlic, and oregano, and add them to a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Pour in the rice vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and stir well until everything is combined. Stir in the sea salt and adjust the amount to your personal taste.
- Note: As an alternative to whisking everything in a small bowl, you can add the ingredients to a small food processor or a blender (like a nutribullet or a magic bullet) and blend until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Use immediately as a marinade or a sauce for any cut of steak, chicken, pork, or fish, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
Nutrition
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