Want an easy way to take a meal from meh to stunning? Try Chimichurri! This Argentinian sauce is simple to whip up and adds bright, garlicky flavor to grilled meats, chicken, fish or vegetables. It takes grilled salmon to new heights, and makes grilled or roasted vegetables sing. Really, there’s nothing this sparkling green sauce can’t do. Here’s a bit more about the background on this classic sauce and a recipe inspired by an Argentine chef.
What is chimichurri?
Chimichurri is a classic Argentinian sauce often served with grilled meats, chicken or fish. It’s made of chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and red wine vinegar. Per Francis Mallman, Argentine celebrity chef and restaurateur, every home cook and chef in Argentina has their own version of this classic sauce, which is served everywhere from gaucho campfires to weddings. But the main ingredients stay constant: parsley, olive oil and oregano.
Ingredients in this chimichurri recipe
This chimichurri recipe takes inspiration from Argentine chef Francis Mallman himself (who you may remember from the documentary Chef’s Table). His classic method uses a salmuera or brine to bring flavor and body to the sauce. It may sound counterintuitive to add water to oil, but it makes a lovely silky body. This sauce is rustic and hand chopped: no blenders or food processors required! Here’s what you’ll need for this chimichurri recipe:
Fresh Italian parsleyFresh oreganoGarlicRed wine vinegarRed pepper flakesOlive oilWaterKosher salt
The basic idea? Make the brine by dissolving the salt into the water on the stovetop, then let the water cool. Meanwhile chop the fresh herbs and mince the garlic. Mix everything together with red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and the brine water. The brine brings a punch of flavor and luxurious body to the sauce.
A few ingredient notes
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you make a chimichurri sauce:
Parsley and oregano are traditional. That’s right, not cilantro! If you can’t find enough fresh oregano, you can substitute more parsley and a bit of dried oregano (see the notes below). The oregano adds a depth in flavor and it shouldn’t be omitted. Add more red pepper flakes for more heat. We prefer this sauce mild, but if you’d like a spicy version, add more red pepper flakes to taste. The sauce has a chunky, rustic texture. Don’t expect it to be fully pureed and smooth (like some versions of this sauce). The traditional rustic method is hand-chopped.
Ways to serve chimichurri sauce
Chimichurri sauce is traditionally serve with grilled meat (asados), but the applications for this sauce are infinite! We love it with seafood and vegetables. Here are a few great ways to serve chimichurri:
SteakGrilled meat ChickenSalmon like baked salmon or grilled salmonWhite fish like grilled cod, grilled halibut or grilled tilapiaShrimp like sauteed shrimp, grilled shrimp or shrimp skewersVegetables like grilled vegetables, grilled veggie kabobs, roasted broccoli or roasted cauliflowerBread like grilled breadEggs like scrambled eggs or omelettes
Another idea: salad dressing
While draping this green sauce over meat or fish is the most common way to use it, you can also add it into recipes. For example, we used it to make a creamy salad dressing. Add a dollop of chimichurri to Greek yogurt (or sour cream), mayo, and Dijon mustard and it makes a killer dressing.
More sauce recipes
A great sauce can transform a meal! Here are a few great sauce recipes to try:
Go for Horseradish Sauce or Sour Cream Sauce Try Lemon Butter Sauce or Romesco SauceGrab melty, easy Cheese SauceGo for Honey Garlic Sauce for salmon and moreOpt for Chipotle Crema, Avocado Crema, Lime Crema or Cilantro Lime CremaGo for Classic Aioli, Pesto Aioli, Chipotle Aioli, Sriracha Aioli, Truffle Aioli or Lemon Aioli
This chimichurri recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free. 5 from 3 reviews Recipe inspired by Francis Mallman in Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way.
