Chimichurri
intro
Bright, zesty herby sauce traditionally served with grilled meats, featuring fresh parsley, tangy vinegar, and a subtle garlic and red pepper kick.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep fresh herbs
Rinse the 60g flat-leaf parsley and 10g fresh oregano under cold running water (60°F / 15°C) for 30 seconds per bunch to remove trapped dirt or grit. Pat completely dry with paper towels or 2-3 spins in a salad spinner to remove all surface moisture—excess residual water will make the sauce watery and dilute its bright flavor. Pick all leaves from tough, woody stems, discarding stems entirely; this prep step takes roughly 3 minutes total.
Mince aromatic base
Place the peeled 12g garlic cloves and 30g small shallot on a clean cutting board. Chop into very fine, uniform pieces (roughly 1mm dice) over 2-3 minutes of careful chopping — avoid mashing garlic into a smooth paste, as this releases harsh, bitter compounds that will overpower the sauce’s fresh flavor. Transfer the minced aromatics to a small 1-quart mixing bowl.
Chop herb leaves
Gather the fully dried parsley and oregano leaves into a tight, compact pile on the cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to chop the leaves into coarse, uneven pieces (roughly 3-5mm in size) over 3-4 minutes of gentle chopping. Do not over-chop into a mushy pulp, and never use a food processor for this step, as high-speed blades bruise herb cells and create a bitter, grassy off-flavor.
Mix vinegar base
Add the chopped herbs to the mixing bowl with the minced aromatics. Pour in 60ml room-temperature red wine vinegar, then add 1 tsp (5g) kosher salt, 1/2 tsp (1g) freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tsp (2g) red pepper flakes. Stir to fully combine over 30 seconds of mixing, then let the mixture rest for 5 minutes at room temperature (68-72°F / 20-22°C) to allow the salt to dissolve and flavors to begin melding before adding oil.
Emulsify with olive oil
Slowly drizzle the 120ml room-temperature extra-virgin olive oil into the bowl over 60 seconds while whisking constantly in a steady, circular motion. This slow, gradual addition creates a light, evenly combined sauce rather than a separated, greasy mixture. Stop whisking as soon as the oil is fully incorporated into the vinegar and herb base — do not over-mix, which can make the sauce bitter.
Rest before serving
Let the finished chimichurri rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow all flavors to fully meld. Do not refrigerate the sauce immediately, as cold 40°F / 4°C refrigerator temperatures will cause the olive oil to solidify and dull the bright, fresh herb flavors. Taste and adjust salt by 1/4 tsp increments if needed before serving.
Tips
2.Store leftover chimichurri in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; let it come back to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to let the olive oil liquefy and flavors brighten.
3.Customize the heat level to your preference: reduce red pepper flakes to 1/4 tsp for a mild sauce, or add 1 finely diced seeded jalapeño for extra bright, fresh heat.
Made this for my son’s high school graduation cookout this weekend and it was the first empty bowl on the table! I did add a tiny extra pinch of red pepper flakes for a little more heat, and it paired perfectly with the churrasco we grilled over oak. 10/10, will be making this all summer long.
Super easy recipe even for a guy who burns toast half the time! I didn’t have fresh oregano so I used dried, and it still turned out pretty good. Drizzled it over some cheap grocery store steak and it made the whole meal feel fancy. Only knock is I wish it lasted a little longer in the fridge, mine got a little mushy after 4 days.
Game changer for my weekly meal prep! I make a big batch on Sunday and drizzle it over grilled chicken, roasted veggies, even grain bowls all week. It adds so much bright flavor without a ton of extra calories, I’m obsessed. How long would you say this stays good in an airtight container in the fridge?
Brought this to my church potluck last Sunday alongside a platter of grilled tri-tip and people were literally scraping the bowl clean. My 7 year old even asked for extra on his plate, which is a miracle because he turns his nose up at anything green usually. SO good!
Just whipped this up to top our post-hike grilled steak dinner and wow, it’s even better than the chimichurri we had at that Argentinian spot in Phoenix last month! Super fresh, zingy, just the right amount of garlic.
Made this for date night last night with my partner, we had grilled churrasco, roasted potatoes, and a simple side salad. We both agreed this sauce made the whole meal feel like a fancy steakhouse dinner without the crazy price tag. The balance of vinegar, parsley, and garlic is spot on, didn’t adjust a single thing.
This is a lovely recipe! I’ve been making a version of chimichurri for my family for 40 years, and I really liked how bright this one is with the red wine vinegar. I did cut the garlic back a little because my husband has heartburn, but otherwise followed it exactly. Tasted wonderful on our grilled pork chops too!
Taste was great, but I messed up and blended it way too smooth the first time. I know the recipe says to chop it fine by hand, but I was in a rush and tossed it all in the food processor, ended up with more of a green paste than the chunky sauce I love. Still tasted good, just wrong texture.
As a vegan, I’m always looking for bold sauces to make plant-based meals more exciting, and this is perfect! I drizzled it over grilled portobello steaks and roasted corn for dinner tonight, and it was so flavorful I didn’t even miss the actual steak. Will absolutely be adding this to my regular recipe rotation.
This is my new go-to quick weeknight sauce! It takes 10 minutes max to chop everything up, and it turns boring old chicken thighs or even frozen burger patties into something that tastes like a weekend cookout. My kids loved it too, which is always a win.
OMG, just finished making this for a cookout I’m heading to in an hour, and I had to stop myself from eating half the bowl with a spoon while I was prepping. The garlic and vinegar combo is so addictive, I know my friends are gonna lose their minds over this.
Took this camping last weekend and tossed it with some grilled skirt steak we cooked over the campfire, and it was chef’s kiss. The best part is you can chop all the herbs ahead of time and mix it up at the campsite, no fancy equipment needed. Even my friend who ‘hates green sauces’ went back for seconds.
Really good recipe! I made it to go with some grilled flank steak for Father’s Day, and my dad said it was the best chimichurri he’s ever had. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is I felt like it needed a little more salt, but that’s just personal preference, super easy to adjust.
I’ve tried so many chimichurri recipes over the years and this one is hands down the best. No weird extra ingredients, just the classic, fresh flavor you want. I’ve already shared this link to three of my grill-obsessed group chats, everyone needs this recipe.
Made this to go with grilled shrimp skewers for our beach day picnic and it was *chef’s kiss*. I packed it in a little mason jar and kept it in the cooler, and it stayed perfect all afternoon. Bright, zesty, didn’t get soggy or weird in the heat. Will be making this for every beach trip this summer.
I made this for our weekly Sunday family dinner and my picky 10 year old asked if we could put this on ‘literally everything’ from now on. I’ve used it on steak, roasted cauliflower, even scrambled eggs this week and it slaps every time. Why didn’t I find this recipe sooner?!