If there ever was a sauce that could make just about everything better, it would be Chimichurri, the Argentinian herb sauce that is commonly spooned over grilled meats.
The main ingredient is parsley, which in my opinion is one of the more underrated herbs. While it may bring back memories of bad 80’s garnishes, parsley manages to complement everything from light flaky fish to rich hearty steak. It also happens to be a nutritional powerhouse, packed with chlorophyll, vitamin C, iron, folic acid, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Parsley’s volatile oil components have all shown anticancer effects. (1)
Chimichurri
You’re probably thinking “Great, but do I really want to pour it all over my delicious rare grassfed steak?” The answer is YES. You do. Chimichurri’s flavor is bright, fresh, garlicky, and a touch spicy.
Traditionally, the ingredients are finely chopped so the end result is a chunky sauce. I prefer to throw it all in the food processor, which yields a coarse puree. If you prefer it to be completely smooth, make it in a blender or process it longer in your food processor.
Chimichurri
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
Description
The simplest + best sauce for just about everything.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, (leafy portions)
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, (minced)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and sea salt until evenly minced.
- Turn on the motor and pour the olive oil through the chute, until it is just incorporated.
- Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to one week.
(1) Murray, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, 2005
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Crystal says
This looks great! Is it stable for long in the fridge?
zenbellyblog says
I think the oil and vinegar should keep the herbs pretty bright for a week or so, maybe longer. If you want to make a lot, I’m guessing it would freeze well, similar to pesto!
charissaf says
I can confirm! It freezes fine. 🙂
Roberta says
Could the red wine be substituted with something else, like applecider vinegar or whatelse…? Really cannot have alcohol and so wine is totally out of discussion for us… whish this chimichurry could anyway be tried 😉
zenbelly says
Hi Roberta, the recipe calls for red wine vinegar, which isn’t alcohol, it’s vinegar. 🙂 But you can use apple cider vinegar if that’s what you’ve got!