Chimichurri Recipe (Authentic and Easy)

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If plain grilled chicken and steak have started to feel boring, this chimichurri recipe is for you. It takes 10 minutes, needs no cooking, and turns simple protein into something you actually look forward to eating.

This is the classic Argentinian and Uruguayan style: fresh parsley, garlic, red chili, oregano, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. No blender required, and a little goes a long way.

Key Takeaways

• Ready in 10 minutes with 8 simple ingredients
• Hand chopping gives the best texture, not a blender
• Let it sit at least 15 minutes so the flavors come together
• About 70 to 80 calories per tablespoon, almost all from olive oil
• Keeps in the fridge for up to a week and freezes well

What Is Chimichurri?

Chimichurri is a fresh, uncooked herb sauce from Argentina and Uruguay. It is served with grilled meat at an asado, the South American version of a backyard cookout.

Think of it as a bright, garlicky cousin of salsa or pesto. It is tangy from the vinegar, a little spicy from the chili, and fresh from the parsley.

Why This Chimichurri Recipe Works

• Balanced acid: just enough red wine vinegar to cut through rich meat without making it sour.
• Fresh plus dried herbs: fresh parsley for brightness, dried oregano for that classic earthy flavor.
• Real chili: fresh red chili gives cleaner heat than flakes.
• No cooking: chop, stir, rest, and you are done.

Chimichurri Ingredients

Makes about 1 cup, or 8 servings of 2 tablespoons.

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
• 2 small red chilies, or 1 larger red chili, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Ingredient Tips

Parsley: use flat-leaf (Italian) parsley. It has more flavor than curly parsley. Dry it well after washing so the sauce does not get watery.

Red chili: fresh chili gives bright heat. No fresh chili? Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead.

Olive oil: a regular extra virgin olive oil is perfect. You do not need anything fancy.

How to Make Chimichurri

Step 1: Chop Everything Fine

Finely chop the parsley, garlic, and red chili with a sharp knife. Add them to a bowl with the salt and pepper.

Hand chopping keeps each piece separate, so the sauce stays bright and textured instead of turning into a paste.

Step 2: Add the Oil, Vinegar, and Oregano

Pour in the olive oil and red wine vinegar, then sprinkle in the oregano. Stir until everything is coated.

Step 3: Let It Rest

Let the chimichurri sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. The garlic mellows, the oregano softens, and the flavors blend together.

Taste it and adjust. Add a pinch more salt if it tastes flat, or a splash more vinegar if it needs brightness.

Step 4: Spoon It Over Your Food

Stir well right before serving, since the oil and herbs separate as it sits. Spoon it over grilled meat, chicken, fish, or vegetables.

What to Serve With Chimichurri

Steak is the classic pairing, especially flank steak, skirt steak, or sirloin sliced thin against the grain. But chimichurri works on almost anything:

• Grilled chicken breasts or thighs
• Salmon, shrimp, or white fish
• Roasted potatoes, zucchini, or bell peppers
• Scrambled or fried eggs
• As a salad dressing. Try it in place of the dressing on our healthy Cobb salad.

If you love South American flavors with beef, our Lomo Saltado recipe is another one to add to your rotation.

Is Chimichurri Healthy?

Yes, with one thing to keep in mind. Chimichurri is made from herbs, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil, with no added sugar and almost no carbs.

The calories come from the olive oil. This batch works out to roughly 70 to 80 calories per tablespoon, so portion matters if you are working on your first 10 pounds.

The good news: one tablespoon packs a lot of flavor. Spoon it on instead of pouring it, and a plate of grilled chicken and roasted vegetables goes from boring to steakhouse good for under 100 extra calories.

Easy Variations

• Milder: remove all the chili seeds, or use half the chili.
• Extra fresh: swap a quarter of the parsley for cilantro.
• Brighter: add a squeeze of lemon juice with the vinegar.
• Smoky: add a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Red chimichurri: stir in a spoonful of finely chopped roasted red pepper.

How to Store Chimichurri

Fridge: store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Because it contains fresh garlic in oil, always keep leftovers refrigerated.

Freezer: spoon it into an ice cube tray, freeze, then move the cubes to a freezer bag. Each cube is about one serving, ready to thaw whenever you need it.

Before serving: the olive oil firms up in the fridge. Let it sit out for 15 to 20 minutes, then stir.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried parsley?

Fresh parsley is what makes chimichurri taste like chimichurri. Dried parsley will work in a pinch, but the sauce will be much less vibrant.

Can I make chimichurri in a food processor?

Yes, but pulse only a few times. Too much blending bruises the parsley and turns the sauce into a dull green paste.

Can I use chimichurri as a marinade?

Yes. Set aside some fresh sauce for serving first, then use the rest to marinate meat for 30 minutes to a few hours. Never reuse marinade that touched raw meat.

Is chimichurri spicy?

This version has a gentle kick from the red chili. Remove the seeds or use less chili if you want it milder.

What is the difference between chimichurri and pesto?

Chimichurri uses parsley and vinegar and has no cheese or nuts. Pesto uses basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts, so it is richer and higher in calories.

Bottom Line

This chimichurri recipe is one of the easiest ways to make healthy dinners taste exciting. Ten minutes of chopping gives you a week of bright, garlicky flavor for steak, chicken, fish, and vegetables.

Make a batch this weekend, keep it in the fridge, and use a spoonful whenever dinner needs a lift. Then try it on our healthy Cobb salad for lunch.

Shine Bright.