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Chimichurri Sauce is a popular salsa in Argentina, Uruguay, and Nicaragua, and it couldn’t be easier to make. Fresh and herbaceous, this summertime sauce makes steaks, sides, and veggies pop with flavor.
Chimichurri Sauce is to Argentina, Uruguay, and Nicaragua what zhoug is to Yemen, what pesto is to Italy, and what chermoula is to Morocco.
All these countries (and more) have bright herby sauces cut with chili peppers and acid and tempered with oil. A fresh green sauce is a great way to start exploring a new cuisine because they are easy to make, full of flavor, and popular in any given culture.
Chimichurri is full of parsley, cilantro, oregano, and cumin, then blended with white vinegar, oil, and garlic. It’s absolutely packed with flavor and so delicious on steak, chicken, and shrimp or roasted vegetables, especially potatoes (I use it as a dipping sauce!).
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- White vinegar: I like to keep things simple with regular white vinegar, but red or white wine vinegar both taste great here, too.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a food processor or blender, add parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, vinegar, cumin, and pepper flakes.
- Pulse until finely chopped, about 3 to 5 times. Scrape down sides. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until a thick sauce forms, about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 cup chimichurri sauce.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Pour any extra chimichurri sauce into ice tray and freeze as cubes, then transfer cubes to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
This Spanish-inspired sauce is popular in Argentina, Uruguay, and Nicaragua.
Chimichurri sauce tastes like pesto but with cilantro instead of basil. And, it can be quite spicy depending on how you make it.
Favorite ways to enjoy Chimichurri sauce
Fish and Seafood Recipes
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Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
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Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh parsley stems removed (preferably flat-leaf Italian parsley)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar or more to taste (see note 1)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 1 red chili, stemmed and seeded
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, add parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, vinegar, cumin, and pepper flakes. Pulse until finely chopped, about 3 to 5 times.
- Scrape down sides. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until a thick sauce forms, about 20 to 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper).
Notes
- White vinegar: I like to keep things simple with regular white vinegar, but red or white wine vinegar both taste great here, too.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 cup chimichurri sauce.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: Pour any extra chimichurri sauce into ice tray and freeze as cubes, then transfer cubes to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.