This easy recipe for the best Spicy Chimichurri Sauce will become your new favorite dressing to give a garlicky, tangy kick of flavor to your steak, chicken, fish, pork, pasta, grains, or vegetables! This simple, yet versatile sauce can be put together in less than 10 minutes. Add everything to the food processor, blend, and enjoy!
Chimichurri sauce is a super easy way to add instant flavor to almost any dish you’re cooking up. This spicy, herby, garlicky, tangy sauce not only works great as a sauce, but can also be used as a dressing or marinade. Make a large batch and use it all week long for a variety of flavorful gourmet tasting meals.
Chimichurri sauce originated in Argentina and is traditionally served with steak. Authentic chimichurri has just a few ingredients…parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, crushed red pepper, vinegar, and oil. This recipe is a slight variation with a few extra ingredients added for a bolder flavor.
HOW TO MAKE SPICY CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
To a blender or food processor, add 1/2 bunch of roughly chopped Italian parsley, 1/2 bunch of roughly chopped cilantro, 1 roughly chopped shallot, 1 roughly chopped serrano pepper, 2 roughly chopped cloves of garlic, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp capers, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, and 1/2 cup oil.
Pulse the blender or food processor, scraping down the sides as needed, until a sauce is formed. Do not blend too much. The sauce should be slightly chunky.
Pro Tip: For a less spicy sauce, omit the serrano pepper and add only 1 clove of garlic.
OTHER METHODS FOR MAKING CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
A blender or food processor is not necessary. You could also finely chop the herbs, shallot, pepper, garlic, and capers, add everything to a jar, seal it with a lid, and shake. Shaking the jar will emulsify the sauce just as a blender or food processor would do.
Another, more authentic way to make chimichurri sauce is to use a mortar and pestle. Add the dry ingredients and grind them up by twisting back and forth, then add the vinegar and oil and mash until the sauce is formed.
HOW LONG DOES CHIMICHURRI SAUCE KEEP
Because of the vinegar, which acts as a preservative, chimichurri will keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator. As the sauce sits in the refrigerator, the herbs may become a darker color, but it will still be just as flavorful as when freshly made.
To freeze, add the sauce to ice cube trays, once the cubes are solid, store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter at room temperature.
USES FOR CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Although chimichurri is traditionally served as a sauce for grilled meats, it is delicious on just about anything.
- Marinate steak or chicken
- Use as a sauce for any protein
- Stir into pasta salad
- Add to any grain
- Use as a dressing for grilled or roasted vegetables
- Use as a spread for crusty bread
- Add to greek yogurt or sour cream for a dip
- Use as a salad dressing
Brighten up the flavor of almost any dish with this simple Spicy Chimichurri Sauce recipe! If you have other uses for this super versatile sauce, please share in the comments below 😋.
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Spicy Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 bunch Italian parsley roughly chopped
- 1/2 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 shallot roughly chopped
- 1 serrano pepper roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp capers
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides as needed until the sauce is formed
2 Responses
How could you possibly go wrong with all the yummy ingredients? I’m gonna have to make something to drizzle this sauce on!! Your photos look amazing Niki.
Looks good