This quick and easy chimichurri sauce is a great addition for any steak or poultry. It has a vibrant green color and the fresh citrusy, earthy flavors and a little bit of heat will have you coming back for more.Â
There is nothing better than a good chimichurri sauce especially on some steak. I fell in love with this sauce when I was out to dinner with a friend and she ordered her steak with chimichurri on the side. That was the first time I had ever had it and it was right then I decided to make a great version to put on my own steaks at home.Â
What's in chimichurri?
Chimichurri normally contains parsley and/or cilantro, olive oil, garlic, onion, and peppers. That however is about as far as the similarities go. Some recipes will have shallots, like mine. Others will use pepper flakes and some will use fresh whole peppers. While this recipe uses red wine vinegar others might include lemon juice. There are many ways to customize to suit your tastes and needs.Â
Save yourself some time
There are different ways chimichurri has been made. Some will use a mortar and pestle, others will chop the ingredients by hand, and others will use a food processor. I personally think chimichurri made with a mortar and pestle tastes the best. However I don’t want to spend the amount of time necessary to pulverize the ingredients to maximize the flavor. Using the food processor is the fastest way to make the sauce and save yourself some time.Â
Let it sit for an hour
While this sauce is great to eat right after you make it, the taste will only improve if you let it sit for an hour. This will help the flavors to develop. Also if you are like me this will allow the heat from the peppers to intensify and evenly distribute.Â
Storage tips
When storing you want to use an air tight container. It can last about 2-3 weeks if it is in the refrigerator. The best part about that is as time progresses the sauce flavors will become more and more complex and taste even better. This sauce also freezes well. The best way to freeze it is to pour it into ice cube trays. If you do freeze it when it thaws it might not have the same vibrant colors as before. It will last about 3 months frozen.Â
Looking for other sauce ideas?
Authentic Chimichurri Sauce
Equipment
- Food processor optional
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 shallot minced
- 1½ tbsp garlic about 4 cloves, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oregano chopped
- 1 serrano pepper chopped
Instructions
Using a food processor
- Add the cilantro, parsley, garlic, shallots, serrano pepper, and oregano. Pulse until the herbs are chopped finely. Slowly add the red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil. Pulse to mix.
Chopping by hand
- Combine the all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Allow the sauce to rest at room temperature for at least an hour before using to allow the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
