Best Chimichurri Recipe

This best chimichurri recipe is all at once citrusy, tart, garlicky, herby, and a tad bit spicy and it makes a great marinade or topping for chicken, steak, fish, or pork as well as potatoes and vegetables. 

For more sauces and dips, check out my recipes for BBQ Sauce, Tzatziki, Chicken and Potatoes with Dijon Cream Sauce, and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

I love all the sauces. LOVE. However, I also consider myself a sauce connoisseur. What that means is I want only the best-tasting sauces making all my foods come to life. I’d wager that I’ve spent waaaay more time in the kitchen trying to perfect a sauce recipe than almost any other recipe.

This Argentinian chimichurri is no exception. I want it on all my meat dishes, my potatoes, my veggies, my sandwiches, my wraps, my eggs, as a salad dressing, as a dip…heck maybe even over my ice cream, I rule nothing out.  

Why This Recipe Works

Different – This chimichurri recipe is a wonderful way to mix up your condiment routine. It might sound a little “out there” if you’re a tried-and-true, store-bought, basic sauces kinda person (I love those too!), but trust me, this is one sauce you’re going to want to make again and again.

Fresh herbs and spices – Chimichurri isn’t just fun to type and say. It’s also chock full of some of my favorite fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley), spices (garlic, salt, Italian seasonings, red pepper flakes), olive oil, and just enough red wine vinegar to give it that leeetle bit of tang that just makes it complete.

Keeps well – You can keep this chimichurri sauce for a couple weeks in the fridge. Or you can even keep at room temperature right after you make it for up to 24 hours. Just cover and leave to set right on your countertop.

Good on everything – I have used this chimichurri sauce for steak, on top of chicken, shrimp, tuna steak, tilapia, salmon, potatoes – you name it! It truly is good on everything.

Recipe Ingredients

• Cilantro – Fresh cilantro from the produce section is key here. Dried herbs don’t (and won’t) work in this chimichurri sauce. Finely chop the cilantro, using as few stems as possible.
• Parsley – The same rules apply for parsley as for the cilantro. Use fresh, finely chop, and use mostly the leaves.
• Onion – Use any onion you like or have on hand. My preference is a white or yellow onion though.
• Salt – Any salt you have is fine here. However, I prefer a fresh grind of kosher.
• Pepper – Any pepper is good too, though, again, I prefer a fresh grind.
• Garlic – Because you put all of this sauce into a blender, you can just throw in whole garlic cloves.However, if you don’t have those you can use minced.  
• Italian Blend Seasoning – Any name-brand Italian seasoning blend works great here.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Crushed red pepper flakes are hard to mess up, any brand you have is good!
• Oil – I prefer extra virgin olive oil in this chimichurri sauce.
• Red wine vinegar – Use red wine (or apple cider) vinegar to add just a little bit of tart to this sauce. Any well-known brand is great!

Here’s How You Make It

Ready for this? Here’s how you make this delicious Argentinian chimichurri sauce:

1. Add all your ingredients to a blender or a food processor and pulse until smooth.
2. Serve right away or store, covered, at room temperature for up to 24 hours before serving. Or you can put it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Ta da! That’s it! Seriously? Seriously!

Storage Instructions

Chimichurri is easy to store! You can leave it right on the counter, covered for up to 24 hours if you’re going to use it soon. If not, cover it and put it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

I use a mason jar to store this condiment made of fresh parsley, extra virgin olive oil, and kosher salt. That way, when you want it for your grilled steaks, you can just unscrew the lid and spoon over. Plus, it creates a nice seal should the finely chopped sauce get knocked over in the fridge. 

What is Chimichurri Sauce?

Chimichurri is a popular green or red, Spanish “raw” sauce that originated in Argentina and Uruguay and is used for both marinades and to cook in and as a condiment you add on the side of your dishes. Its ingredients are mainly chopped parsley and/or cilantro, garlic, olive oil, and spices. It’s used to marinate any meat or fish, brush it on any protein as it comes off the grill or the stovetop, or serve it on the side as a dip or sauce.

What is the Difference Between Chimichurri and Pesto?

Pesto and chimichurri are both primarily made of herbs, garlic, and oil that you don’t have to cook. However, there are some key differences. Pesto’s primary ingredient is basil, while Chimichurri’s primary herb is parsley (and cilantro, in my case). Pesto also calls for both a cheese and nut component, typically parmesan and pine nuts. Chimichurri sauce, on the other hand, has a vinegar component while pesto does not. 

Expert Tips

• This recipe will yield about 1cup of chimichurri sauce. Double if you want to have some in the fridge for later (hint: you do).
• I like to make a full batch, divide it in thirds, and freeze two of the portions in half-pint jars for later. It’ll last a couple of months in the freezer! Just put it in the fridge overnight to thaw.
• While I prefer the resulting flavor and texture of the written method, combining all the ingredients in a food processor and blending until smooth. However, more traditional chimichurri sauce is simply stirred together with the oil stirred in last. Or you can make a hybrid version by pulsing all the ingredients in a blender or food processor except for the oil, then stir in the oil last. All three variations are delicious! 
• Sometimes parsley can taste rather bitter. To avoid making a batch of Argentinian chimichurri that’s bitter, I’ll taste test the parsley first before I ruin a whole batch of sauce.

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Did you try this delicious Chimichurri recipe? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!