Enhance your dishes with the vibrant and zesty flavors of our Salsa Chimichurri. This traditional Argentinian condiment is a perfect blend of fresh parsley, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, all brought together with tangy red wine vinegar and high-quality olive oil. Made in just 5 minutes!
Great for topping this Ribeye Steak Sandwich and roasted half chicken!
This is one of my favorite sauces to make for a steak! It also goes well with fresh peach mango salsa for chicken or for tacos, then round out the spread with a spicy guacamole perfect for tortilla chips.
Some describe salsa chimichurri as the pesto of Mexican cuisine. They are both uncooked sauces that utilize fresh herbs. Where pesto is basil, chimichurri sauce focuses on fresh parsley.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No cooking - just pop the ingredients in the food processor and go!
- Salsa chimichurri is easy and is made in just 5 minutes!
- You can easily adjust the heat or spice here to fit your preference.
- This chimichurri recipe is perfect for all types of protein, whether steak or fish, especially chimichurri on salmon and juicy braised pork shoulder!
Recipe Ingredients
- Parsley: I go for flat leaf in this salsa chimichurri recipe, sometimes called Italian parsley. This often has a stronger, more robust flavor and isn't often bitter.
- Olive oil: Don't use extra virgin here, as that will have a competing flavor profile. Regular olive oil will let the parsley truly shine.
- Garlic: Always use fresh, I can't stress this enough!
- Red wine vinegar: This adds a quick tang or bite to the final chimichurri salsa. I recommend adding this to pantry and also making a Mediterranean cucumber salad!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Can't find flat leaf parsley? You can try curly, but many people find it to be quite bitter.
- Add cilantro! Use half parsley, half cilantro for a flavorful cilantro chimichurri sauce.
- If you aren't like me with a bunch of vinegar options in the pantry, there are some things to try. Apple cider vinegar can work in a pinch, but I think the most similar option is to use two tablespoons of white vinegar with two tablespoons of red wine.
- Fresh jalapeno can be added in place of red pepper flakes. Add 1-2 jalapenos, depending on your spice level preference. Schug sauce is a similar condiment to chimichurri sauce that also uses jalapeno.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Salsa Chimichurri
Step 1: Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor.
Step 2: Pulse until chimichurri is combined but still chunky.
Expert Cooking Tips
- Give the garlic a rough chop before adding to the food processor so you don't end up with large pieces.
- Remove the bare stems from the bottom of the parsley sprigs, but don't worry about removing all of the leaves. The stems at the top are small enough to incorporate nicely into your chimichurri sauce.
- Worried about fresh herbs going bad? I like to select a few recipes at a time that utilize them, such as Garlic Herb Marinated Lamb.
Recipe FAQs
Chimichurri will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. Give it a quick stir each time before using.
Yes, this is meant to be a traditionally spicy salsa. However, you can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes used if you want it to be milder. Start with 1 teaspoon and let is rest for at least an hour for the flavors to combine before tasting for heat. Once you add more, again let it rest before tasting.
This is the perfect topping for so many things! Use it with ribeye steak, skirt steak, flank steak, smoked brisket or flat iron steak to make tacos. I love pan-seared salmon with chimichurri salsa. It's great over oven roasted vegetables, chicken, carne asada, and don't forget to add it to your eggs.
In summary, pesto is a creamy Italian sauce primarily made from basil and Parmesan cheese, while salsa chimichurri is a tangy, herbaceous sauce from South America made with parsley, vinegar, and garlic. Each sauce brings its unique flavors and textures to different culinary applications.
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📖Recipe
Salsa Chimichurri
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup parsley rough chop
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic rough chop
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
- ½ teaspoon black pepper coarse ground
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse several times until blended but still chunky.
Krista
This sauce is the best! Spicy, tangy and herby. I put it on everything!