Simple & Delicious Chimichurri
Learn how to make the only chimichurri recipe you’ll ever need to add an authentic Argentinian flare to any meal!
Jump to Recipe
Mmm chimichurri; it’s the perfect blend of acidity, heat, aromatics, and savory notes to kick your next meal up a notch and really impress your dinner guests. Put a spoonful of chimichurri on your grilled steak, chicken, chops, or fish to create dynamic and mouthwatering flavors, or use your chimichurri as a marinade to allow the flavors and acidity of the fresh ingredients to penetrate deep into the meat before grilling.
Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce traditionally found in Argentinian and Uruguayan cuisines, both as a cooking ingredient and as a condiment for grilled meats. There are several variations of this sauce which employ various ingredients, but most recipes simply start with fresh parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and some type of hot pepper. With these basic ingredients you can create a wonderful chimichurri that will elevate any of your dishes to the next level.
Food Processor or Hand Chopped?
I’ve seen some debate about the use of food processors and their place in “authentic” cuisines, but I’ll say this; do whatever you want! If you find it easier or more enjoyable to cook using a food processor, then do that. Cooking is all about having fun experimenting with ingredients. You can absolutely get good results tossing your ingredients in a food processor.
That being said, I do prefer to hand-chop my fresh ingredients for a couple reasons. First, I actually enjoy the process of finely chopping fresh ingredients. I find it rather therapeutic and meditative. Secondly, I honestly do think hand-chopping ingredients creates a more rustic and, dare I say, “authentic” chimichurri experience for those who will be enjoying your meal. The food processor tends to create a more uniform texture akin to applesauce or baby food. (It’s some flavorful baby food though! PSA- don’t feed this chimichurri to your baby!)
Chimichurri is about the Chop
To finely hand-chop parsley, peppers, and garlic does take some time, but the finer you chop them, the more flavors and aromas will be released into your chimichurri. This will allow the flavors to marry together wonderfully. So if you do decide to hand chop your ingredients like a traditional Argentinian chef, take your time and enjoy the process. It will be worth it!
One More Chimichurri Note
When adding fresh ingredients to your chimichurri, it’s always good practice to add a little bit, try it, and adjust from there. Do this until you land on the flavor your are looking for. I especially recommend this for the garlic and cherry peppers because too much of either ingredient can quickly overpower your sauce. (You’ll notice in the video I only used about half of the peppers that I chopped.) You can always add more of something, but you can’t take it away!
So, without further adieu, let’s jump into this simple and flavorful recipe for rustic chimichurri!
Rustic Chimichurri- Simple & Delicious
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves (finely chopped)
- 1-2 medium cherry peppers (or chili of your choice- finely chopped)
- 2-4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Clean seeds from cherry peppers (or leave a few for extra kick), pick parsley leaves and discard stems, peel garlic cloves. Finely chop all fresh ingredients.
- Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt & pepper in a medium bowl.
- Slowly mix in fresh ingredients. Add all of the parsley, but incrementally add in the garlic and cherry pepper, tasting frequently until you get the balance of flavors you desire. (Too much garlic or hot pepper can quickly overpower your chimichurri.)
- Once you're happy with the flavor profile, cover your chimichurri and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow the flavors to fully blend together.
- Finally, put your fresh chimichurri on absolutely everything- beef, pork, fish, chicken, or veggies. Enjoy!
Video
Conclusion
This chimichurri recipe is surprisingly easy and yields incredible, mouthwatering results. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients like various types of chili peppers, vinegars, etc. until you find the flavor profile that you are most happy with.
Depending on the dish you’re serving chimichurri with, you may decide to go heavier or lighter on any particular ingredient. For instance, you may want to lean more heavily on your parsley for seafood. Alternatively, you may choose to be a little more heavy handed on the chilis for Argentinian-style carne asada. The choice is yours!
Enjoy your chimichurri-making experience and don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments below.
Take care,
Cody
Thistle Downs Farm