This easy chimichurri sauce recipe is ready in just 5 minutes, so you can quickly enhance the flavor of your favorite grilled meats and vegetables.
Table of Contents
This healthy, vibrant green chimichurri sauce packs a flavor punch with minimal effort! Fresh herbs combined with aromatic vinegar, savory seasonings, and spicy pepper come together in minutes. Just grab a food processor or blender to do the hard chopping.
The key is to break down the leaves into finely chopped pieces first, then create an emulsified sauce by gradually incorporating olive oil until smooth. This process helps the sauce cling to flank steak with ease. With just a push of a button, you can spruce up boring pieces of meat or brighten up fresh vegetables with this easy-to-make condiment.
What is chimichurri?
Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce traditionally used in Argentinian cuisine as a condiment for grilled meat.
Green chimichurri is made with fresh herbs, tangy vinegar, garlic, olive oil for richness, and crushed red pepper flakes for heat. Red chimichurri may also include smoked paprika for color and cayenne or dried red chilies for heat.
Recipe Resources
Herb selection
This recipe is a green chimichurri, using fresh parsley and cilantro leaves as the base. Washing the produce is essential. The leaves can collect dirt and debris during harvesting. Handpick the leaves off the stem, or use a chef’s knife to trim them off.
Vinegar selection
Chimichurri sauce is prized for its herbaceous and spicy notes. My top choice is fermented red wine vinegar. The acidity heightens the sauce taste while adding depth with a lingering tanginess.
You can use other types of vinegar, like white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, for a milder flavor. Avoid distilled white vinegar because it will be too sharp.
Add in seasonings
It’s all about fresh ingredients combined with intense aromatics and spices to make this sauce shine. I use earthy ground cumin, spicy red pepper flakes, and fresh garlic cloves to balance the herbs and vinegar. Extra-virgin olive oil provides a fruity taste while adding richness to the sauce.
How to make chimichurri sauce
You can use a high-speed blender or food processor to make the sauce. Break down the leafy and chunky components with red wine vinegar, garlic, cumin, chili flakes, and salt. This combination helps to coat the leaves with the dried seasoning evenly.
Process until the leaves and garlic look coarsely chopped. Slowly drizzle the olive oil, breaking down the fat droplets to create a smooth emulsion. If you like a chunky texture, pulse the leaves a few times to chop before adding the oil.
Serve this with
- Grilled chicken breast
- Grilled strip steak
- Grilled flat iron steak
- Grilled shrimp
- Grilled portobello mushrooms
Frequently asked questions
It is fresh and herbaceous from the cilantro and parsley with a slight hint of spice from the red chili peppers and savory flavors from the garlic and cumin. The surprising taste is just the right amount of tanginess from the red wine vinegar. The olive oil makes the sauce smooth and creamy.
Yes! Use a chef’s knife to chop the herbs and mince the garlic finely. Mix with the vinegar, spices, and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until an emulsion forms. The sauce will be coarse in texture and less of bright green color without a blender or food processor.
Try it on barbecued meats like the classic pairing of grilled steak, chicken, or sauteed shrimp. It’s an excellent dip for fresh raw vegetables as an appetizer. I even top it on my eggs and potatoes in the morning.
Recipe Science
How the texture gets so smooth
The mechanical shear of the blades works diligently to break down all the ingredients into tiny particles. Then an emulsion is created with the oil and vinegar. This is when two immiscible components combine to create a consistent and smooth mixture like a sauce.
Five Minute Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, firmly packed
- 1 cup Italian parsley leaves, firmly packed
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons roughly chopped garlic
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Process the Ingredients – Using a blender or food processor, add the cilantro, parsley, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, cumin, and crushed red pepper. Mix for 20 seconds to break down the leaves, stopping to scrape the sides of the cup as needed.
- Add the Oil – With the machine running on low speed, slowly add the olive oil in a thin steady stream in the lid or feed tube opening. Cover and process on medium-high speed until smooth and slightly thickened, with some small herb pieces, for about 60 to 90 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Video
Equipment
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About ¾ cup
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- For a Chunkier Texture: Process for less time
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Mi says
Hi,
Can I substitute the red wine vinegar to balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar?
Thank you
Jessica Gavin says
I think apple cider vinegar would be the best swap.
Sheri says
This looks great, going to try it tonight with a flank steak. I just checked out some of your other recipes too, very educational, thanks for sharing your knowledge and cooking tips, very helpful!
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome, Sheri! Let me know what you think about the chimichurri sauce.
Julie says
Make it with spinach. Same way, just sub spin for parsley and cilantro. Sooooo good. AND you get a full bag of spinach so it’s super healthy!!!
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have the try the chimichurri sauce with spinach, sounds yummy and healthy!
Susana Banana says
I didnt have the parsley but i did have fresh oregano. It was amazing. Great recipe!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks, Susana! I’ll have to try the chimichurri with oregano.
Morganna Brown says
Love this quick and easy chimichuri sauce! Such a good and diverse sauce – not only for chicken and steak but great on pasta and salad! Highly recommend a try!
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for you’re feedback! I love the idea of using the chimichurri sauce for pasta!
Oleg says
Tried to make this sauce, went well. Maybe not enough cilantro / parsley and could taste vinegar a bit. But overall seems like a good result. Sadly I haven’t tried it before, so I do not know how it should taste 😉
Had trouble grounding the cumin. Initially I tried using mortar and pestle without heating cumin on a pan and it didn’t work out.
Here is the picture of my result:
https://imgur.com/RFtbDLE
Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
The sauce looks great Oleg! Does your local store sell ground cumin?
Sara Randolph says
Just wondering if regular parsley can be used in place of Italian parsley?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can use curly parsley or any type of flat-leaf parsley.
Margarita says
Love this recipe ♥️ .., came out fantastic! Thank you so much!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback, Margarita!
Tania Gorgius says
I’m so happy to have come across this recipe. The sauce turned out AMAZING! I’ll be referring to this in the future! Can’t wait to explore and feature more of your recipes!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Tania! Happy cooking!
Larry says
How long will it keep, refrigerated, frozen ?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Larry- It will keep for 1 day refrigerated in an airtight container. I haven’t tried freezing it before.
Greg Fly says
Wow, that looks great! I love the addition of cumin, I think that’s what I’ve been missing from mine, probably time to try another batch!
Scarlett says
Woe is me! What can I do, I am honestly one of those people who can’t abide cilantro? How could I adjust this recipe to achieve a reasonable facsimile? Or…is it hopeless?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Scarlett! It’s okay if you don’t like cilantro, I know some friends who either love it of hate it 🙂 You can use more parsley (1:1) to replace the cilantro. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
brita says
YUM!!! I’ve never tried making this at home. I honestly didn’t realize how incredibly simple it is!
Jessica Gavin says
This recipe is so speedy and I love how I can just add everything to the blender and go! I hope you enjoy it Brita 🙂
Cathy says
I’m in the same predicament, can’t stand cilantro. I’m going to substitute fresh basil!