Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce found in Argentina and Uruguay. It is mostly made up of fresh parsley, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Often times it can be found as a condiment to grilled meats, but I also love it as a dipping sauce for empanadas or crusty bread.
No blenders, please!!!
I’ve seen a lot of Chimichurri recipes out there that use a blender. I’m not here to discount any of those recipes, but I am here to say it’s not really Chimichurri you are making if you throw everything into a blender. Chimichurri is meant to be a loose oil-based condiment, not blended like a pesto turning it into more of a paste. I’m sure that would be delicious, but it’s not Chimichurri!
How to make homemade Chimichurri:
My homemade Chimichurri comes together with only a few fresh ingredients and is super tasty. First, you need fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley. Be sure to get the flat-leaf kind, not the curly kind that you might be familiar with. Often times it shows up as a garnish on your plate in a restaurant. Next, you will need to finely mince it. After that, finely mince some garlic.
Now it’s time to grab a medium bowl. To this bowl add the garlic, some red wine vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Give all that a good stir. Now add your parsley and stir it again. Last, but not least drizzle in the olive oil and stir to fully combine. That’s it. I like to let it sit for at least 30 minutes to really allow the flavors to marry and come together. Do not put it in the fridge unless you are storing it for another day. If that’s the case take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to eat it. Because the cold refrigerator will cause the oil to harden and you don’t want that!
Here are some dishes that pair well with Chimichurri sauce.
Stovetop Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
Homemade Chimichurri is made up of fresh parsley, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Stir these fresh ingredients together and serve it alongside grilled meat or dip empanadas or crusty bread into it.
Ingredients
- 1 oz or about 1/2 bunch of Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more if needed to thin out)
Instructions
1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients up to the olive oil. Stir together to combine.
2. Next, whisk the olive oil in until fully combined.
3. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Add more oil if you want a thinner consistency.
4. Enjoy!
Notes
- It's best to let the sauce sit for about 30 minutes before serving- this allows the flavors to marry and fully develop.
- Be sure to use Italian flat-leaf parsley in this recipe and not the curly more common kind of parsley that you are used to seeing on the side of your plate as a garnish!
