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Home » Recipes » Sauce Recipes

Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Published: Feb 16, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

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If you love grilled meats, you’ll love my easy chimichurri sauce! This classic Argentinian sauce is packed with flavor that has been described as bright, pungent, spicy, and tangy. Just to give you an idea of how amazingly delicious this sauce is.

chimichurri sauce in a glass bowl


 

I promise you’ll love serving chimichurri sauce with your grilled and roasted meats. It’s that one sauce you’ll be making time and time again. It’s just that good!

Table of Contents:
  • Ingredients to make Chimichurri Sauce
  • How to make Chimichurri Sauce
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Ingredients to make Chimichurri Sauce

ingredients to make recipe

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Authentic Chimichurri Sauce. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Made with simple ingredients

  • flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
  • oregano leaves
  • garlic
  • red bell peppers
  • olive oil
  • red wine vinegar
  • salt and black pepper

If you like a little heat, add red pepper flakes to the sauce. Lemon juice can be used instead of red wine vinegar.

How to make Chimichurri Sauce

parsley in food processor

Add the fresh parsley leaves, oregano leaves, and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the parsley and other ingredients are finely chopped.

This flavorful green sauce from South America depends on fresh herbs for its flavor, don’t try to make it with dried herbs; you won’t be happy.

ingredients for recipe in glass bowl
  • Add the parsley mixture, diced red bell pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a medium bowl.
  • Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.

This sauce also makes a great marinade for skirt steak and chicken breast. Add extra olive oil and vinegar, and chopped red onion to make it a salad dressing.

chimichurri sauce in glass bowl.

Serve this sauce with well-seasoned grilled beef, lamb, chicken or pork. It’s the only accompaniment you’ll need.

After one bite, you’ll see why Argentineans use chimichurri sauce with grilled steak and basically every cut of grilled beef they serve.

Chef Tip:

Make extra and freeze the sauce in ice cube trays. Pop them out after they’re frozen solid and store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag, and you have chimichurri sauce when you need it.

chimichurri sauce served over roast lamb slices on a white plate.

This sauce is the perfect accompaniment to roasted or grilled meats. Here you see it with my grilled boneless leg of Lamb.

This sauce can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time but is best served when made. The longer it sits, you will notice color changes as it starts to darken and loses its bright green color.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is chimichurri sauce made of?

Chimichurri sauce is a green sauce that originated in Argentina. It’s made from parsley, oregano, garlic, red peppers, olive oil, and spices. The Argentineans are well known for their beef, and this sauce is served with the many variations of grilled beef they prepare. It’s also a delicious accompaniment to grilled lamb, chicken, or pork.

What does chimichurri sauce taste like?

The best way to describe the flavors are bright, pungent, spicy, and tangy. It’s a simple sauce made with simple ingredients that bring out the flavor of grilled meats.

Is chimichurri the same as Italian salsa verde?

No, it’s not. Although they are both made with parsley, garlic, and olive oil, chimichurri contains oregano and red wine vinegar. Italian Salsa Verde is made with the addition of capers, lemon juice, and sometimes anchovy.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

  • sliced and unsliced grilled leg of lamb on a white plate with chimichurri sauce.
    Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb with Chimichurri Sauce
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    How to Grill Ribeye Steak
  • grilled lamb chops with a mint pesto on a white plate with grilled vegetables
    Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops with a Mint Pesto
  • tomahawk pork chop on a white plate with mashed potatoes and greens
    Oven Baked Rack of Tomahawk Pork Chops

chimichurri sauce in a glass bowl

Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Chef Dennis Littley
If you love grilled meats, you'll love my easy chimichurri sauce! This easy-to-make Argentinian sauce is packed with flavor that has been described as bright, pungent, spicy, and tangy. Just to give you an idea of how amazingly delicious this sauce is.
5 from 38 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine argentinian
Servings 6
Calories 325 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 bunches Italian parsley finely chopped – leaves only, remove the stems
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic use more if you like a heavier garlic flavor
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper fine dice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes *optional – use more or none depending upon your tastes

Instructions
 

  • Add the fresh parsley leaves, oregano leaves, and garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the parsley and other ingredients are finely chopped.
  • Add the parsley mixture, diced red bell pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to a medium bowl. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
  • Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavors into the oil before using. Ideally, let it sit for more than 2 hours,if time allows.
  • *Chimichurri can be prepared and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.2gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gSodium: 391mgPotassium: 27mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 116IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!
5 from 38 votes (38 ratings without comment)

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My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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