Chimichurri sauce is a versatile condiment that brings together fresh herbs like parsley, garlic, tangy vinegar, and a touch of hot peppers. This oil-dried herb mixture is a great sauce for fish, grilled steaks to roasted vegetables, and sandwiches, and delicious addition to many dishes. No Cilantro, naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
There are numerous variations of authentic chimichurri sauce, featuring different ingredients such as cilantro, red pepper flakes, or chili. However, I have developed my own version of an easy chimichurri sauce that pairs wonderfully with Cod, Tilapia, or grilled meats.
Its flavor rivals that of a restaurant, surpassing the taste of store-bought options. Give it a try and I hope you enjoy it!
⭐ Need more delicious sauce recipes? Try our tangy honey mustard sauce, 15-min enchilada sauce, basil pesto next.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients
My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!
The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.
Making this green sauce is easy and a healthier option than store-bought or restaurant. The sauce will look fresh, and full of aroma and there are no artificial additives in homemade sauces.
If you can, try to use high quality ingredients for the best flavor and nutrition.
So what is chimichurri made of?
- Fresh Parsley - flat-leaf parsley (Italian) is the go-to, but curly works too. Italian parsley offers a stronger flavor, while curly parsley is milder. If desired, fresh cilantro can be used as a substitute for parsley.
- Garlic - fresh and not powder. Minced garlic adds aroma and a pungent kick to the sauce, and without garlic, this would not be a ‘’real’’ chimichurri sauce. So don’t skip this!
- Oregano - I used dried oregano for convenience's sake, but if you have fresh that would be great too. You’d need to change the amount and increase the fresh oregano about 3 times.
- Hot peppers - same as garlic, don’t skip it! Alternatively, you can use crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, cayenne, or fresh jalapenos.
- Red wine vinegar - adds a tangy flavor to chimichurri sauce. You can substitute it with other mild vinegar such as white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or sherry vinegar. If you are not sure of the flavor or using other vinegar than stated in this recipe, I recommend starting with just 1 tablespoon first.
- Shallot - chopped very fine. Perfect for adding texture and mild onion flavor. Shallots work best here, I wouldn't substitute it with regular brown or red onion as these would be too overpowering.
Instructions
Learn everything about how to make your own chimichurri sauce in 2 easy steps. It’s quick to make, I promise!
To start, chop the parsley very finely and combine it with the rest of the ingredients.
You can also mix everything together In a blender or food processor.
Allow the flavors to rest, chilling the sauce for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
For the best flavor, I like to keep it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Although for serving, allow it to come to room temperature first.
If you need it faster, it is fine, you can serve it right away or at least slightly chilled.
Serve it as a delicious fish sauce, in burgers, marinate meat with it, or as a dipping sauce for vegetables. Enjoy!
What Does Chimichurri Taste Like?
Homemade Chimichurri sauce is a flavorful sauce that consists of fresh, herbal-tasting notes with hints of garlic, smoky and spicy chili, and tangy vinegar. You can make it as mild or spicy as you’d like by adjusting the red pepper flakes, chili peppers, garlic, and vinegar.
Tips
- To balance off the acidity from the vinegar, you can add a pinch of sugar or honey. Alternatively, you can adjust the flavor with lemon or lime juice or use it instead of vinegar.
- Chopping the ingredients, especially parsley, very thinly will create a more pleasant texture without overpowering herbal flavor. It also allows the herbs to release their flavors and aromas. If it is too much of herbal notes you can use less or increase the amount of olive oil.
- Allow the flavors to blend - the key to best-tasting chimichurri is leaving the sauce to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This allows the olive oil to soak up all the herbal and spicy flavors. Although for serving, allow the sauce to come to room temperature.
- Use fresh ingredients - herbs should be fresh, with vibrant green color, aroma, and parsley leaves should be free of blemishes and not wilted.
- To bring out all the flavors in the sauce be generous when seasoning with salt. I recommend using kosher salt or sea salt as it gives the best natural flavor rather than using table salt.
- To fix thin chimichurri sauce, add more olive oil or a splash of water. For the thick sauce, add more herbs and shallots. Adjust slowly and taste along the way until it reaches your desired consistency.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to Chimichurri pairing with other dishes it’s all about quantity and if you are used to ''hot'' sauces. You can start with a small amount of sauce and increase it if needed.
We like to serve it with grilled steak (the most popular way of serving Chimichurri in Argentina), seafood, or top or as a dipping sauce.
For more chimichurri serving ideas try these yummy ideas:
- Chimichurri Marinade - chimichurri sauce works well for marinating pretty much any meat or seafood. The most common use is for popular chimichurri steak, grilled chicken breast, or shrimp. Coat the meat or fish generously with chimichurri sauce and let it marinate for a few hours or overnight before grilling or cooking.
- As a meat or fish sauce - use it as a sauce for steak, lamb, meatballs, or seafood (we like Barramundi, Cod, Halibut, Tilapia, salmon, and shrimp.
- As a spread or sauce for sandwiches, quesadillas, or burgers.
- For roasted vegetables - drizzle the sauce over baked sweet potato, smashed potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, veggie kabobs.
- For pizza topping - like your pizza with hot sauce? This chimichurri will taste delicious instead of more traditional chili oil.
- As a dipping sauce for vegetables.
- As a topping for rice bowls or quinoa bowls - to add more flavor to rice and veggie bowls such as Buddha Bowl.
- Salad dressing - add this chimichurri sauce to your favorite salad. If you feel that some flavor is missing, you can mix the sauce with lemon juice, vinegar and sweetener of choice (honey, agave nectar, maple). We like it with simple lettuce and chicken salad.
Storing Instructions
Keep the sauce in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.
FAQs
The closest Chimichurri alternative would be pesto, or salsa verde, or melted herbs and butter sauce.
Yes , this recipe is 100% gluten free.
With lots of stuff! Marinate meat with chimichurri, serve it as a spread in sandwiches or burgers, as a salad dressing, as a dipping sauce or drizzle over roasted or grilled vegetables.
Chimichurri and pesto may seem similar, but they're not the same. Chimichurri is an Argentine sauce with parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings, great for grilled meats. Pesto, on the other hand, is Italian and features basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It's often paired with pasta. They're both tasty and versatile, but with distinct ingredients and origins.
No, chimichurri is not American. It actually hails from Argentina. It's a super popular sauce in Argentine cuisine, especially with grilled meats. It adds a zesty and tangy kick to the dishes. Although it has spread its deliciousness worldwide, it's firmly rooted in Argentina.
Easy Sauces and Condiments
For more easy sauces and condiments, check out my recipe list here.
💗I hope you'll enjoy this easy chimichurri sauce recipe, please leave a rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo of your food and tag me on Instagram @theyummy_bowl. I love seeing your creations! 💗
Happy Cooking,
Love,
Julia
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Recipe
Easy Parsley Chimichurri Sauce (Great Sauce For Fish)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil or regular good quality olive oil
- ¾ cup parsley (finely chopped)
- 2 teaspoon garlic (freshly minced)
- 2 small red chilis (seeds and membrane removed)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup shallot
INSTRUCTIONS
- Chop the parsley very finely and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
- You can also mix everything together In a blender or food processor.
- Allow the flavors to rest, chilling the sauce for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, I like to keep it in the fridge for 1-2 hours. If you need faster, it is fine, you can serve it right away or at least slightly chilled.
- Serve it as a delicious fish sauce, in burgers, marinate meat with it or as a dipping sauce for vegetables. Enjoy!
NOTES
- To balance off the acidity from the vinegar, you can add a pinch of sugar or honey. Alternatively, you can adjust the flavor with lemon or lime juice or use it instead of vinegar.
- Allow the flavors to blend - the key to best-tasting chimichurri is leaving the sauce to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This allows the olive oil to soak up all the herbal and spicy flavors. Although for serving, allow the sauce to come to room temperature.
- Use fresh ingredients - herbs should be fresh, with vibrant green color, aroma, and parsley leaves should be free of blemishes and not wilted.
- To fix thick chimichurri sauce, add more olive oil or a splash of water. For the thick sauce, add more herbs and shallots. Adjust slowly and taste along the way until it reaches your desired consistency.
PRIVATE NOTES
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
This recipe was inspired by Cafe Delites
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
We love to serve this fresh sauce with less traditional way - with baked fish and veggies, it's delicious!