Chimichurri is a condiment of Argentinean origin and it’s popular throughout Latin America. It’s a simple combination of parsley, olive oil, vinegar and spices. It’s typically served with grilled meat. Steaks, sausage, chicken and pork all benefit from a generous spoonful of chimichurri.
As mentioned, this popular sauce is mostly served with meat like on churrasco steak and chimichurri chicken. But you shouldn’t limit yourself, because this condiment goes great with several foods including chimichurri potatoes, on white rice or try a teaspoon over these Cuban-style black beans. You’ll be glad you did.
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Frequently asked questions
Chimichurri is a condiment widely used in Argentinian and Latin American cuisine. It’s made with parsley, olive oil, vinegar, and spices. This herby, oil based sauce is typically served with meat.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
It tastes fresh and crisp. The herbal flavor of the parsley is mellowed by the fruity olive oil then the flavors of the tangy red wine vinegar, garlic and herbs come through.
Both flat leaf parsley and curly parsley work well. Whichever you go with make sure it is fresh and crisp.
Ingredients
- Parsley – Italian flat leaf parsley, or curly parsley can be used to make the sauce.
- Oil – It is best to use extra virgin olive oil, so you get a smooth, fruity taste. Think of it as a dressing, and speaking of dressings, try this steak salad with chimichurri dressing.
- Spices – Fresh garlic, salt, dried oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper give it flavor and zip.
- Vinegar – I like red wine vinegar for this sauce because it works so well with the oil and spices. However, white wine and apple cider vinegar will still give the sauce the tang we need.
Instructions
Wash the parsley thoroughly, shake off the excess water and it pat dry. Remove the large stems and keep only the leaves.
Finely chop the parsley. Next, remove as much moisture as possible by squeezing it with good quality paper towels or a kitchen towel.
Add the chopped parsley to a medium bowl or jar. Then add the salt, dried oregano, black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes.
Next, add the garlic. Use a small zester to grate the garlic right into the jar. Or, mince it finely and press to create a paste.
Finally, add the add olive oil, red wine vinegar. Stir the sauce well until combined.
Refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors come together. Remove it from the refrigerator a few minutes prior to serving to let the chill come out of it. Stir well before serving.
Top Tip
For the best chimichurri hand chop the parsley instead of using a food processor. If it’s over-processed it will taste grassy. Chop it finely and grate the garlic so that there are no large chunks in the sauce. If you don’t have a small grater, then finely mince it, and press it with the side of a large knife or spoon to make a paste.
Storing instructions
Chimichurri sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Keep it in a sealed container like a canning jar, which is great for storing sauces and dressing. The sauce may lose its vibrant green color when stored, but it will still taste great.
Before using the sauce, remove it from the refrigerator a few minutes so the olive oil loosens. Then, give it a good stir right before using.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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Chimichurri
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Chopped Parsley 1 Large Bunch Parsley, which will be about 4 cups loosely packed after the stems are removed
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Large Garlic Clove grated or finely minced
- 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
Instructions
- Wash the parsley thoroughly, shake off the excess water and it pat dry. Remove the large stems and keep only the leaves.
- Finely chop the parsley. Then remove as much moisture as possible squeezing the parsley with sturdy paper towels or a kitchen towel.
- Add the chopped parsley to a medium bowl or jar. Add the salt, dried oregano, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, grated garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Stir the sauce well until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Refrigerate the chimichurri for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Before using the sauce, remove it from the refrigerator a little while before serving to get the chill out. Give it a good stir right before using.
Trudy Pais
This recipe was really good. How long can I keep the remaining sauce
Elizabeth
Hi, it will keep in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.