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!
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What does chimichurri taste like?
The flavor of chimichurri is tangy thanks to the vinegar and garlic, yet the parsley gives it a fresh taste that’s perfect for summer. While this popular sauce is most commonly served with meat like this churrasco steak, or this chimichurri chicken, don’t limit yourself. It’s great on vegetables too, like these potatoes and on rice and beans.
What type of parsley works best?
Both flat leaf and curly parsley work well. I’ve used both many times in the past. If flat leaf parsley is available and looks fresh I will go with that. But, if it’s not available, or if it looks limp, then curly parsley it is.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Chopped Parsley (1 Large Bunch Parsley, which will be about 4 cups loosely packed after the stems are removed)
- 1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Large Garlic Clove, grated or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, use a little less if you don’t like spicy but add at least a pinch to give the sauce a little zing
How to make chimichurri
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 placing the chopped parsley on two good quality paper towels or a kitchen towel. Bring up the ends and the sides and make a ball. Squeeze the ball of parsley a few times. The towel will absorb the moisture.
If you use a kitchen towel, make sure it’s not linty and one of your favorites because the parsley will stain the towel green.
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. I like using a microplane (zester) and grating it right into the jar.
Finally, add the add olive oil, 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. Remove from the refrigerator and let the chill come out of it and stir well before serving.
Tips for best results
- Hand chop the parsley instead of using a processor. If it’s over-processed it will get a grassy flavor.
- Finely chop the parsley and grate that garlic so that there are no large leaves or chunks in the sauce. If you don’t have a microplane/small grater, then finely mince the garlic.
How to store leftovers
Chimichurri will keep in the refrigerator for a least a week. Keep it in a sealed container. We store ours in canning jars which are super convenient. Keep in mind that after a few days it will lose its vibrant green color, but it will still taste great!
Before using the sauce, remove it from the refrigerator a little while before serving to get the chill out. Then, give it a good stir right before using.
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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 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 Large Garlic Clove grated or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
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.