Chimichurri Recipe: Sharp, Garlicky, The Real Thing
Chimichurri is made by finely chopping fresh parsley, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, then stirring in red wine vinegar and olive oil until combined. It takes about 10 minutes and requires no cooking —? just a sharp knife or a food processor and a little patience with the garlic.
I went to an Argentine steakhouse with a group of coworkers for someone's going-away dinner and the chimichurri arrived in a little ramekin alongside the steak before anyone ordered anything else. I put some on the steak without looking at it too carefully and then had to stop eating for a moment because I couldn't figure out what I was tasting. Sharp. Herby. Garlicky. Vinegary. Nothing about it was soft or vague. It was the most awake condiment I had encountered.
I went home and tried to make chimichurri by blending fresh parsley, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil in a blender until smooth, which produced a bright green sauce that tasted fine but was not what I had eaten at dinner. It was too smooth. Too uniform. The texture had disappeared and with it most of what made the restaurant version interesting.
Chimichurri is made with a knife, not a blender. The parsley gets roughly chopped, not processed. The garlic gets minced fine, not pureed. The vinegar and oil go in after, and everything gets stirred rather than emulsified. The result has texture — you can see what's in it, and the individual components stay distinct enough to taste separately even while they work together. That's what you're eating when it's right.
The resting time matters too. Let it sit for at least thirty minutes before serving so the garlic mellows and the vinegar integrates. Fresh chimichurri tastes raw and sharp in a way that settles into something much better with time. That's the dish. Not a sauce. A condiment that earns its place next to serious grilled meat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed (leaves and tender stems only)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1Finely chop the parsley and fresh oregano by hand with a sharp knife. You want small pieces, not a paste —? aim for roughly 1/8-inch bits. This step makes the whole sauce. Do not skip the hand-chopping.
- 2Mince the garlic as fine as you can. If you have a microplane, use it. The garlic should disappear into the sauce, not announce itself in chunks.
- 3Combine the chopped parsley, oregano, and minced garlic in a medium bowl.
- 4Add the red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- 5Add the red wine vinegar and stir. Let it sit for two minutes —? the vinegar starts to soften the garlic's raw edge.
- 6Pour in the olive oil and stir everything together until well combined. The sauce should look loose and chunky, not smooth.
- 7Taste and adjust. More salt, more vinegar, more red pepper —? this is yours now. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving so the flavors can introduce themselves to each other properly.
Pro Tips
- Use flat-leaf Italian parsley, not curly. Curly parsley has a bitterness that will make your chimichurri taste like it has something to prove.
- Let the sauce sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. Fresh chimichurri is good. Chimichurri that has had a few minutes to think about what it wants to be is significantly better.
- If you make it ahead and refrigerate it, the olive oil will solidify. Pull it out 20-30 minutes before you need it and give it a stir. It will come back around. The sauce knows what it's doing.
Substitutions
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The oil will solidify when cold —? bring to room temperature for 20-30 minutes and stir before serving. The flavor actually deepens after the first day.
Make Ahead
Chimichurri is an excellent make-ahead sauce. Make it up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. The garlic mellows and the herbs bloom into the oil in a way that honestly improves the sauce. Just don't add salt until the day you're serving —? salting too early can turn the parsley dull.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use a food processor to make chimichurri?
You can, but use it carefully. Pulse in very short bursts —? two or three seconds at a time —? just to break down the parsley. Stop the moment it looks chopped, not pureed. Over-processing turns the herbs into a dark, bitter paste that loses the bright color and texture that makes chimichurri what it is. If you have ten minutes and a sharp knife, use them.
What's the difference between red and green chimichurri?
Green chimichurri (chimichurri verde) is the classic: parsley-based, bright, and herby. Red chimichurri adds dried red chilies, smoked paprika, and sometimes roasted red pepper, making it earthier and more deeply flavored. Both are authentic. This recipe is for the green version, which is the most widely used and the one most people are looking for.
Why does my chimichurri taste bitter?
A few likely causes: you used curly parsley instead of flat-leaf, you over-processed it and broke down the cell walls of the herbs, or your olive oil is old or low quality. Bitterness can also come from including too many parsley stems. Use the leaves and the very tender upper stems only, and taste your olive oil before you pour it in —? it should taste grassy and mild, not sharp.
Can I make chimichurri ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually gets better. Make it up to three days ahead and store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. The garlic mellows, the vinegar integrates, and the whole thing becomes more cohesive. For longer storage, up to two weeks is safe. Just bring it to room temperature and stir before serving —? the olive oil solidifies in the fridge and needs a moment to loosen back up.
How do I serve chimichurri with steak?
Spoon it generously over sliced steak right before serving —? not during cooking. Chimichurri is a finishing sauce, not a marinade, though you can absolutely use it as a marinade too. For serving, slice the steak against the grain and spoon the sauce directly over the top. Set extra on the table. People will want more. People always want more.
Is chimichurri gluten-free and vegan?
Classic chimichurri is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free. The only ingredients are fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and spices. There's nothing in a traditional recipe that would concern most dietary restrictions. If you're using dried spice blends, check labels for additives, but in this recipe everything is whole ingredients.
What else can I put chimichurri on besides steak?
Grilled chicken, lamb chops, roasted potatoes, scrambled eggs, grain bowls, roasted vegetables, fish tacos, crusty bread, pork tenderloin, pizza —? the list goes until you run out of food. Chimichurri is less a condiment and more a way of life. It belongs on anything that benefits from brightness, acidity, and garlic, which is most things.
How much garlic should I actually use?
This recipe calls for four cloves, which produces a noticeable but not aggressive garlic presence. If you want something more mellow, use three and let the sauce rest longer before serving. If you are the kind of person who minces extra garlic 'just to be safe,' you know who you are and you don't need my permission. Stay in the four-to-six-clove range and you'll be fine.