It’s no secret that we love green sauce, and this Argentine chimichurri recipe is no exception. For the best chimichurri, using fresh herbs is key. Our version combines fresh parsley, oregano, and cilantro, with a heavy pour of red wine vinegar, for a punchy condiment that’s as good spooned over grilled steak as it is drizzled on a bowl of lentils (it’s also an excellent marinade).
Chopping everything by hand (as opposed to using a food processor) gives you dynamic texture—and prevents the herby sauce from turning into a paste. Allowing the shallot, chile, garlic, and salt to sit with the vinegar for 10 minutes before adding the herbs softens the aromatics and tames their raw sting.
Chimichurri is best served just after it’s made, but the sauce will hold in the refrigerator for a few days. If you have any left over, use it to top roast chicken, grilled tofu, oven-roasted potatoes, fried eggs, or almost anything else that’s simply seasoned. Toss it with roasted veggies like a salad dressing. Mix it with Greek yogurt to create a dip, or work in a bit of mayonnaise for a creamy, herb-packed spread for sandwiches and tacos.
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What you’ll need
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
$26 At Amazon
13x9" Baking Dish
$20 At Amazon
8-Inch Chef's Knife
$47 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
15 minutes
Yield
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
1
1
3–4
½
1
½
¼
2
¾
Preparation
Step 1
Combine 1 shallot, finely chopped, 1 Fresno chile or red jalapeño, finely chopped, 3–4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or finely chopped, ½ cup red wine vinegar, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl. Let sit 10 minutes. Stir in ½ cup finely chopped cilantro, ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, and 2 Tbsp. finely chopped oregano. Using a fork, whisk in ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil. Transfer ½ cup chimichurri to a small bowl; season with salt and reserve as sauce.
Step 2
If using as a marinade, place beef, chicken, or pork in a glass, stainless-steel, or ceramic dish. Toss with remaining chimichurri. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Remove meat from marinade, pat dry, and grill; spoon reserved chimichurri over grilled meat.
Do ahead: Chimichurri can be assembled up to 3 days in advance; refrigerate in an airtight container.
Editor’s note: This chimichurri recipe was first printed in our July 2011 issue. Serve it alongside a batch of our favorite beef empanadas →
Nutrition Per Serving
Leave a Review
Reviews (763)
Back to TopTHIS IS THE EASIEST AND MOST DELICIOUS SAUCE EVER! GREAT! PUT IT ON EVERYTHING!
Anonymous
Montclair, NJ
10/24/2017
This really is great chimichurri sauce...
Anonymous
12/1/2017
Excellent marinade! I've used this twice, and the third time, I added 1 tbsp of cumin and poured over the steaks while they were resting instead of using it as a marinade. Excellent!!
MrChilly
St Louis
12/17/2017
This sauce is absolutely fantastic! & Fresh is always the way to go. Make it love it...
Anonymous
JaxFL
4/29/2018
Why can we only see 4 reviews? Would love to hear if this is a great recipe but I have all kinds of distracting ads to the right and above - I understand you need to make money but the site is unusable!
hildrelt
6/17/2018
This is good but make it great by using white Balsamic in place of the red wine vinegar. It’s so much better! Personally not a fan EVOO just to much bite.
Nate.watts
Juneau
7/5/2018
Waaaaaaaay too much vinegar! That vinegar overpowers the herbs; all you can taste is vinegar so you miss the flavors of the beautiful fresh herbs, garlic, and shallots. I suggest vinegar and fresh lemon juice to taste.
Anonymous
San Diego, CA
2/24/2019