What is Chimichurri?
Have you ever made a chimichurri sauce? It’s an Argentinean sauce or condiment, similar to pesto, that is popular throughout South America. This basic version uses fresh parsley, oregano, garlic, oil and vinegar and a little bit of chili pepper, though the variations on this theme are endless.
What I love about it is that it makes use of the parsley that is growing like crazy in our garden, and everything else we are either growing or have in our pantry.
Uses for Chimichurri Sauce
In Argentina, chimichurri is used both as a marinade and a sauce for grilled steak, but you can use it also with fish, chicken, or even pasta. Check out the links at the bottom of the recipe for some different takes on how to make chimichurri sauce from fellow food bloggers.
If you have a favorite dish with which you use chimichurri sauce, please let us know about it in the comments.
Chimichurri Recipe
- Prep time: 8 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Method
1 Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.
2 Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.
