Classic Chimichurri Sauce
You'll love this traditional chimichurri sauce recipe. Chimichurri verde is a popular parsley sauce in Argentina with bold, fresh flavor. It's easy to make!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 28, 2024
Itโs grilling season! Letโs talk all about chimichurri sauce. Chimichurri is a bold and refreshing herbed sauce hailing from Argentina.
There are two kinds of chimichurri sauce, green and red. This recipe is for the more common green variety (chimichurri verde).
Authentic chimichurri verde is made with parsley, garlic, red onion, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. These simple ingredients yield a spectacularly delicious green sauce.
Some chimichurri recipes call for fresh cilantro in addition to parsley. However, several Argentineans have told me that they donโt actually add cilantro in Argentina.
I took their word for it and made my chimichurri sauce with just parsley. Youโll also see some recipes with oregano, whether fresh or dried; I like it better without.
Uses for Chimichurri
Chimichurri verde is typically served on steak in Argentina and throughout South America. Itโs not just for steak, though. Chimichurri sauce is lovely in meatless preparations. It brightens up smoky grilled vegetables and hearty roasted vegetables, like Perfect Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Beets, and Roasted Cauliflower Steak. It goes well with mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes, no matter how theyโre prepared.
I love chimichurri on scrambled eggs or fried eggs, too, and whole grains like brown rice or wild rice, farro and quinoa. Itโs undeniably great with chickpeas, as shown in my Chimichurri Chickpeas recipe, and also nice with black beans. It might even be good as a salad dressing or spread onto grilled corn on the cob.
How to Make Chimichurri
Chimichurri is so quick and easy to make! I love how my chimichurri turns out after a whirl in my food processor.
Traditionally, chimichurri is made by hand in a mortar and pestle. I donโt have the patience or the time to make it by hand, and I think youโll be thrilled with the results if you make it in a food processor as directed in the recipe below.
Chimichurri Ingredients
Youโll find the full recipe below. Hereโs what youโll need to make chimichurri sauce:
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt
- Red pepper flakes
Please let me know how you put this delicious chimichurri recipe to use! I love to hear from you in the comments.
For more fresh, herbed sauces, donโt miss my recipes for basil pesto, tzatziki and shatta (herbed jalapeรฑo hot sauce). You might also enjoy my favorite guacamole and green goddess hummus!
Classic Chimichurri Sauce
Youโll love this traditional chimichurri recipe! Chimichurri verde is a popular parsley sauce in Argentina with bold, fresh flavor. Itโs easy to make, too. Recipe yields 1 ยฝ cup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (leaves from 1 large bunch, about 1.2 ouncesโa few small stems are ok)
- 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
- ยฝ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ยผ cup red wine vinegar
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
- ยฝ cup finely chopped red onion (about ยฝ small)
Instructions
- In a small food processor, combine the parsley and garlic. Process until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt and red pepper flakes to the food processor (donโt add the onion just yet). Process briefly to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a small jar or bowl and whisk in the red onion until the mixture is well blended. Let the sauce rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste, and if necessary, add additional salt (sometimes I add another ยผ teaspoon) and/or red pepper flakes (for more heat).
- The sauce tastes best when served fresh, but it keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days. To prevent the sauce from turning a darker color (which doesnโt affect flavor), press plastic wrap directly against the surface before storing. If the olive oil solidifies in the refrigerator, donโt worryโlet it warm up for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature and then whisk to recombine.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Complete Americaโs Test Kitchen Cookbook and Food and Wine.
Food processor notes: If you donโt have a food processor, you can finely chop the parsley (the finer, the better) and press or mince the garlic. Whisk the olive oil and vinegar together in a bowl until blended, then add the remaining ingredients and whisk again!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I serve this dressing on grilled Tofu that I baked the day before then let it coolโฆthe tofu become really firm then , almost texture of white chicken meatโฆ( but we donโt eat them anymore,)
Yumโthat sounds delicious, Corinne! Iโm so glad they paired together well.
Yum! this looks so good. I bet itโd be delicious on some grilled veggies โ perfect for summer!
Also, CONGRATS on the best cookbooks list!
Thanks so much, Aimee! I hope you try the chimichurri, too.
Hooray on โthe bestโ ! Iโm not surprised about this :D . Youโve created such a helpful and inspiring book! And chimichuri? Sublime! I usually throw cilantro in mine, but Iโll take note from the Argentineans. Now, about those cookiesโฆ we took them with us to Olympic National Park this past weekend. Although they didnโt last long, we loved soothing our sweet tooth after a few rigorous hikes! Thank you Kate! And congratulations!!
Thanks so much, Traci! Iโm glad you had the cookies to keep you going. Those hikes must have been beautiful!
We love chimichurri! It is good on just about everything:)
Agreed!
Chimichurri aka, best condiment/sauce everrrr!! Love this and the color is epic.
I love the color, too. So vibrant!
I love chimichurri! Actually mix it with hummus. Haha. Yes, itโs good! And I have seen your gorgeous cookbook recipes everywhere! Congrats! I definitely need to check it out.
Thank you so much, Lindsay! I hope you check out the book. And Iโll have to try the chimichurri+hummus comboโฆ do you just eat it like a dip, with pita chips, or as a topping?
I am not surprised at all about your book- your Vegan Kale Cesar Salad is already a family favorite! This chimichurri sauce looks like I want to pretty much put it on EVERYTHING! Yum!
Aww, so kind! Iโm so glad everyone loves the kale Caesar. I hope you try the chimichurri!
This is SO PRETTY! I want to add this sauce to everything this Summer! Also congrats on your cookbook success! So amazing!!
Thank you, Lexi! Iโm with you on saucing it up this summer, too. I have so much experimenting to do!
Looks delicious! I enjoy your website and am looking forward to trying this out this weekend! I had no idea you had a cookbook out. Nice!
Yes, it came out on May 16! I hope you check it out. My past couple of posts include links to recipes from the book that my friends + fellow bloggers madeโI hope you look through those, too!
This looks SO SO good, and perfect for easy summer cooking! Parsley is so delicious โ we used to always just eat it plain right from the garden as kids. Thanks for linking over to us โ and I love seeing your momโs website! :)
I love that you would just snack on it right from the garden! Thatโs so cute, Laura. And youโre welcome! Thank you for chatting with me and for sharing my cookies. :)
Congrats!! SO well deserved. Love your book and chimichurri :)
Thank you, Jeanine! Youโre the best.
Iโve always wondered what chimichurri sauce was made out of but never got around to looking it up, so easy! Love it!
Right? So simple and so delicious.
Yummy, i want to try and eat all by myself :)
Thanks for sharing.
Youโre welcome, John! I hope you try it.
I want to put this chimichurri on everything! Congrats on the best cookbooks list! Itโs well deserved. :)
Thanks so much, Erin! I hope you try the chimichurri.
Your cookbook is amazing! I have enjoyed your recipes online for a year and couldnโt wait to order your book. The Chimichurri made my assortment of veggies (potatoes, carrots, squash, green pepper, onions) tasty. The next day I used the left-over vegetables with more Chimichurri in a soup with a milk base. I love the possibilities of the Chimichurri as the left-over sauce can make almost anything better. Tomorrow, I am going to put what I have left in some breakfat eggs. Last night I made the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies to freeze and take to a party with some vanillla ice cream. Freezing them was a good ideato prevent me from consuming all of them. I used the 60% chocolate chips which I strongly recommend.The cookie scoop needed to be packed to keep the cookie together when baking. Unfortunately, we do not have a dog, but my husband is most happy to eat all that I cook from your recipes. Love the basil recipe suggestions!
Thank you so much for kind words about my book! I worked SO hard on it, so that really means a lot. I want to try that chimichurri soup!
Seriouslyโฆmy mouth is watering!
:) :) :)
Hands down the best cookbook ever!
I didnโt have vinegar so used lemon juiceโฆalso added cilantro! Perfection on grilled portobellos & baby potatoes! Thank-you for sharing your passion with us!
Thanks so much, Lindsay! Iโm happy you love the book and the chimichurri.
Yum!!!!
I love bold sauces like this, and Iโm really happy you left out the cilantro โ I love it, but my BF says he has that gene that makes it taste like soap, he hates it and is able to detect the littlest sliver in a dish (yes, Iโve tested this since I refused to accept I really had to leave the cilantro outโฆ). But your version is one we can enjoy both, with a steak for him (even though I donโt eat meat anymore, I still can only admire the brilliant combination that is almost raw steak with a bold flavoured sauce like chimichurri), and grilled portobello mushroom for me. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much, Evelyn! Thatโs hilarious about your boyfriendโs cilantro-smelling skills. Iโm glad the two of you ended up liking the chimichurri!
Any plans for a U.K./European version of the cookbook with weights rather than cups etc? I think it looks beautiful but converting everything is too much hassle!
Hi, Rosalyn. Iโm so sorry to hear that youโre disappointed by the measurements. Incorporating metric measurements isnโt as easy as it seems; itโs an extra layer of complexity, effort and length (some of the recipesโ ingredients lists already spill over to another page). And, it adds more room for human error. I hope to start offering metric measurements on the blog someday when technology makes it a little easier to do so. I think the German version of the book will include metric measurements, but Iโm not sure when that will be released. In the meantime, measuring cups are inexpensive and seem to be available cheaply on Amazon in other countries. Hope that helps!
YAY! Congrats on the book doing so well. I mean, Iโm not surprised. Itโs a gem! Great news to carry you into the long Holiday weekend! Chimichurri sauce is a favorite of mine. I might even like it more than traditional pesto (GAH!). Itโs so flavorful and good on everything in the Summer!
Thank you, Liz! Iโm so excited about the book. I hope you try the chimichurri!
Youโre right about the cilantro. I lived in Argentina and they donโt use it at all. We had to grow our own.
Aha! That makes sense. Thanks, Richard.
This chimichurri looks delicious โ and so versatile! Canโt wait to have a go this weekend. Also, congratulations on the new book! Whatโs the availability for your Australian fans?
Thank you, Paula! I hope you love the chimichurri. Right now, Love Real Food is available in Australia only in the Kindle version. Iโll update if anything changes!
I use grapeseed or canola oil as olive oil separates when refrigerated. I use white wine vinegar as opposed to red, I do not use the red onion and instead use a hot mustard. Red pepper only if I want heat but usually not. My fatherinlaw taught me this and it never lasts long as we could drink it, it so good.
Your version sounds delicious, Patrice.
Thank your receipt very essay to do
Thank you!
Many thanks for adapting the recipe for those of us who do not have all the kitchen machines etc. All I have is a stick blender as I have the tiniest kitchen ever and do not have the resources for buying all the stuff I see listed in must have kitchen appliances.
Welcome!
This is my first time posting here.
Many thanks for adapting the recipe for those of us without all the kitchen must have machines, etc.
Iโm glad you did! And, youโre welcome. I appreciate the review.
Delicious!
Thank you, Meg! I appreciate your review.
Hi just want to know if I can use either apple cider vinegar or white malt vinegar for my chimmuchiri salsa donโt have red wine vinegar
Regards
Roelof
Thank you for your review, Roelof!
Okay, so weโre under stay at home orders from our county and state governor. Weโre just cooking up whatever we have at home, and only going to the store only when we really need to โ ends up being once every 7-10 days when we run out of dairy, veggies or fruit. I bought a huge butternut squash from Berkeley Bowl (in Berkeley CA โ amazing store!) a few months ago. Itโs been sitting in the pantry all this time because I love all things butternut squash but my family does not love it. I pulled it out a few weeks ago onto the kitchen counter trying to figure out if I should cube it and roast it, make soup, etc.
So glad I came across this recipe. This soup was so delicious! Used Better than Bouillon veggie version. We didnโt use the butter but might try it next time. Itโs just so good as is. Just topped ours with freshly cracked pepper. My teenaged son asked me if I used a new recipe because he doesnโt remember liking Butternut Squash soup. Thank you!!
So incredibly good! I made this for salad dressing!
Iโm glad you love it, Jenn!
Added a little cilantro and served over Cajun roasted cauliflower steams! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!
YOuโre welcome! That sounds like a delicious combination, Lisa. Thank you for sharing!
I made this last night and it was so delicious. I will definitely be making this again. The only thing I did differently was cut the oil by half because my husband needs to eat very low fat; however, it was still fantastic. I served with with cauliflower steaks for dinner, and my husband is using it on veggie burgers for lunch today. Yum! I had tried other chimichurri recipes before, but I think this is my favorite. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Luisa!
Just made this for the first timeโ would go lighter on the red wine vinegar to start โ maybe 2-3 the prescribed amount โ and add more to taste. Added a good 1/4-1/2 tsp more red chili flakes. Put this sauce over cauliflower steak and brown rice โ super tasty and imagine even tastier with an adjustment on the vinegar. Great foundational sauce that one can adjust to taste!
Thank you for sharing, Drew! I appreciate your review.
Honestly thereโs no need for a food processor. Itโs quicker/easier if you have one, but I donโt, so I went ahead with it by hand. Itโs still delicious, there are more texture variations bc Iโm good, but Iโm not a machine lol; and Iโm just really proud of the result. I mean, a fair amount of work went into it after all, plus I roasted my garlic first bc I wanted that specific flavor. Tbh itโs getting a little bit irritating how much cooks are relying on โthe kweezโ to do most of the work, when all it requires is solid knife skills (& a really sharp blade). (I also do that myself on a whetstone & yeah, I do take that extra measure of pride in my food bc of all the by-hand work that goes into it!) enjoy this bc itโs good (although I just looked up a rough outline of ingredients bc I had my own recipe in mind & this one has been adjusted way too much to ever say yeah this recipe was delicious when I didnโt bother to follow any recipe instructions. So bc of all the adjustments & hand work I canโt really leave much of a ratingโฆIโll give it a couple stars for the ingredients. Thx-bye
Dear Katie, Thank you for this lovely, yet simple classic Chimmichurri sauce recipe without Oregano (which Iโm not overly fond of). Your recipe sounds ideally suited to my needs. Itโs also extremely versatile from your description. Canโt wait to get home and try it out ! (Am presently in Rehab, after a total knee replacement last week; but have been checking recipes here that I didnโt have time to look for, when I was always busy earlier with my daily routine !!) So glad I found your recipe. If you have any OTHER sauce-recipes you could perhaps share, Iโd be delighted to see them too.
Thank you so much again. Be well and may God bless you.
All my best, Vasantha
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Youโre welcome! Iโm glad you enjoyed it.
We use to use it on our chimichurri quesadilla with feta and mozzarella cheese mix.
Thank you for all your great recipes.
Jean
I just made this: easy & DELICIOUS! A great way to utilize all the parsley in one grocery-store bunch. Thanks for sharing.
This sauce is delicious. I used it with the chickpea recipe and itโs just what I needed for some protein with fresh flavor. Excellent.
Iโm excited you enjoyed it, Karen! Thank you for your review.
Made the chimichurri sauce this weekend and loved it on chicken and eggs! I was expecting the final product to be a bright green, and instead it was muddy looking, Iโm guessing because of the red wine vinegar? Do you think substituting white wine vinegar would result in the same taste but keeping the bright green?
Sure, you could try that.