Spicy Chimichurri
How many times have you simply looked at a bottle of sauce and known from its appearance that is packed from top to bottom with intense flavor?
Chimichurri is definitely one such sauce — it’s one of my top five sauces to make and serve with different sources of protein. This fresh sauce is a perfect contrast to charred meat!
Chimichurri is a deliciously herb-based Argentinian sauce that pairs perfectly with meat — especially beef, chicken, and fish. This sauce is made from fresh herbs, olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and spicy peppers.
What Is In Chimichurri?
Chimichurri is a type of sauce you can make at any time, as it is made with simple ingredients you can find at the local grocery store. You probably have all of them in your pantry already!
Here is what you need to whip up a quick chimichurri sauce:
- Fresh Parsley. Make sure you have a lot of it!
- Olive Oil. Make sure you are using a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and always choose reliable brands.
- Garlic. Use only fresh garlic as the granules will not work.
- Shallots. These give some extra flavor and complexity to the sauce.
- Desired Type Of Acid. We recommend choosing lemon juice or red wine vinegar.
- Salt And Pepper. Choose table salt or salt flakes, and always use freshly ground black pepper.
- Chili Peppers. Add some extra spiciness with fresh chili peppers or red pepper flakes — optional and to taste.
How To Use Chimichurri
As already mentioned, the chimichurri is often served straight as a condiment or as a topping for charred beef, fish, or chicken thanks to its amazing flavor.
Did you know you can also use it as a marinade? It is great for marinating meats, vegetables, and even tofu!
To make a marinade, just add a few more tablespoons of olive oil (or your desired acid) and a hearty pinch of salt — this makes a stronger marinade and leaves you with plenty of chimichurri to serve alongside the cooked meat!
You can also fold some chimichurri into Greek yogurt to use it as a cold sauce, and you can even combine chimichurri with mayonnaise to use as a spread when making sandwiches or wraps.
How To Make Mild Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a sauce that is been around for a while. Traditionally, it is made with mortar and pestle, but in these modern days, we have so many easier options.
Making the chimichurri with a mortar and pestle takes much more time than with a food processor. So, if you are in a rush, grab that food processor and make your life easier!
The easiest way to make the chimichurri is just to process all ingredients and chill them before serving.
If you want to make your chimichurri a bit more mellow, follow these steps:
- After chopping garlic and shallots, toss them with your desired acid (red wine vinegar or lemon juice) and let them meld together for 10 minutes. The acid will reduce the sharpness of shallots and garlic.
- After the shallots and garlic have rested, add them to a food processor along with parsley, chili peppers, and red pepper flakes. Process the chimichurri, but remember, we are not aiming for a perfectly smooth texture — do not run the processor continuously.
- While the processor is running, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil. The olive oil will make the sauce a bit thicker.
- After that, season the sauce to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How To Make Spicy Chimichurri
If you’re hoping for a spicier recipe than the one above, you’re in luck! This blend will deliver all the classic chimichurri flavors of your dreams, but with some added kick.
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2-3 chili peppers
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Chop your parsley if you haven’t already. Make sure to remove the stems before chopping.
2. Place parsley, garlic, chili peppers, red pepper flakes, and shallots in a food processor.
3. Process until you have coarsely chopped ingredients.
4. While the food processor is running on low, drizzle in the olive oil. You can also transfer the chopped ingredients into a bowl and whisk in olive oil.
5. Refrigerate chimichurri for 30 minutes before serving.
6. To serve, bring the chimichurri to room temperature and use it as desired.
Spicy Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a delicious herb-based Argentinian sauce that pairs perfectly with meat, especially beef, chicken, and fish. This spicy sauce is made from fresh ingredients, olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, and chili peppers.
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup chopped parsley
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2-3 chili peppers
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Chop your parsley if you haven't already. Make sure to remove the stems before chopping.
- Place parsley, garlic, chili peppers, red pepper flakes, and shallots in a food processor.
- Process until you have coarsely chopped ingredients.
- While the food processor is running on low, drizzle in the olive oil. You can also transfer the chopped ingredients into a bowl and whisk in olive oil.
- Refrigerate chimichurri for 30 minutes before serving.
- To serve, bring the chimichurri to room temperature and use it as desired.
Related Questions
Now that I’ve shared how to make both mild and spicy chimichurri sauces, here are some additional questions I thought you might have!
Can I use other herbs?
Of course you can! I think parsley is an essential component of chimichurri, but you can throw in other fresh herbs like cilantro, oregano, and dill.
Can I make chimichurri in advance?
Chimichurri can be made in advance, and it will stay fresh for 5 days in a fridge. Good luck not eating it before you need it!
Can I freeze chimichurri?
Yes, you can freeze chimichurri. However, I do not recommend freezing chimichurri — the fresh herbs tend to turn brown/black when frozen. Be careful to follow the correct steps if you do need to freeze some.
Can I use chimichurri as a marinade?
Chimichurri can be used as a marinade for meat, vegetables, and tofu, but do not use it all when marinating! The point of chimichurri is to bring the flavors of fresh herbs to your table, so make sure to save some for when you’re dishing up.
