Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
Fresh, tangy, and garlicky chimichurri sauce comes together in minutes with parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, and olive oil. Use it as a marinade, dipping sauce, or finishing sauce for steak, chicken, veggies, and more.
Servings: 8 servings (makes about 1 cup)
Calories: 169kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped parsley - flat-leaf parsley
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 small shallot - finely minced, optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 small red chile - seeded and diced (or 2 tsp red pepper flakes)
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients: Finely chop the parsley and mince the garlic (and shallot, if using).
- Combine: Add parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, red chile (or red pepper flakes), salt, and black pepper to a medium bowl.
- Add oil: Pour in the olive oil and stir until everything is evenly mixed and the sauce looks spoonable and glossy.
- Rest: Let the chimichurri sit for 15 minutes at room temperature so the flavors meld.
- Serve: Stir again and serve as a sauce, dip, or marinade.
- Food processor option: Add parsley, garlic, shallot, oregano, vinegar, chile, salt, and pepper to a small food processor and pulse just until chopped (do not blend into a paste). Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil by hand.
Notes
- Yield: Approximately 1 cup
- This chimichurri recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, Whole30-friendly
- Do not over-blend: Chimichurri should be chunky and spoonable, not smooth like pesto. If using a food processor, use short pulses and stop early.
- Parsley: Flat-leaf parsley is best. Curly parsley works if needed, but the flavor is a bit sharper. Try removing as much of the stems from your parsley as possible (so you're using the leaves only).
- Shallot: Optional and not traditional, but adds a mild sweetness. Swap with finely minced red onion if preferred.
- Oregano: From what I've learned, dried oregano is the more popular/authentic choice. However, you may also use fresh oregano leaves in place of dried. For every 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, substitute with 1 tablespoon of fresh.
- Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is the classic choice. Substitute with white wine vinegar if needed.
- Heat level: For mild chimichurri, use a small pinch of red pepper flakes. For more heat, add extra minced red chile or a pinch of cayenne.
- Best when fresh: Chimichurri tastes brightest the day it’s made (after resting). It will keep in the fridge up to 1 week, but for peak flavor, enjoy within 1 to 3 days.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving and stir well. A thin layer of olive oil on top helps keep it fresh.
- Freezing: Some people have frozen leftover chimichurri sauce in ice cube trays, but I have not tried this personally. Should you give this a try, be sure to transfer the frozen cubes to a ziplock bag once they are frozen and enjoy within 1-2 months. Thaw your desired number of cubes in the refrigerator before using - do not microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
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