Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar come together in a tangy sauce that works wonders on steak, contrasting the heavier flavors and textures inherent to beef.

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated May. 06, 2020
20110611-156186-chimichurri.jpg
Joshua Bousel

Why It Works

  • A food processor makes quick work of fresh herbs.
  • Whisking in the olive oil by hand prevents the bitterness of oxidation.
  • A splash of red wine vinegar keeps the sauce tangy and bright.

Chimichurri's etymology is steeped in lore, with some claiming it originated with an Irishman named "Jimmy McCurry" or a British meat man named "Jimmy Curry," while others say it's a mangled version of the phrase "give me the curry." All we know for sure is that this tangy Argentinian sauce is a revelation with flank steak, complementing its hearty flavor with the herbal notes of fresh parsley and olive oil.

Recipe Facts

4.8

(4)

Prep: 10 mins
Active: 15 mins
Total: 10 mins
Serves: 8 servings
Makes: 1 cup

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed fresh parsley, washed and dried

  • 5 medium cloves garlic, peeled

  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Place parsley, garlic, and oregano in the workbowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

    20110611-156186-chimichurri-step-1

  2. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in oil, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

    20110611-156186-chimichurri-step-2

Special Equipment

Food processor

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
127 Calories
14g Fat
1g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 127
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 199mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 12mg 58%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 57mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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