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How to Make Chimichurri Sauce

Name: How to Make Chimichurri Sauce
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley; 3-4 garlic cloves; 1/2 tsp salt; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1/2 cup olive oil; pinch black pepper; pinch red pepper flakes

Chimichurri is Argentina's green sauce made from parsley, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Chop everything by hand, mix with oil and acid, then let it sit for at least thirty minutes. The herbs stay bright, the garlic mellows, and you get that perfect balance of sharp and herbaceous that makes grilled meat sing.

Total time: 1 hr 30 min
Hands-on: 15 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
pinch black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes

Step by step

Prep your herbs. Remove thick stems from one large bunch of flat-leaf parsley. You want about two cups of leaves and tender stems. Roughly chop them with a sharp knife — don't worry about perfection.
Mince the garlic. Peel three to four garlic cloves and mince them fine. If you're sensitive to raw garlic, start with two cloves and taste as you go.
Combine the base. Put the chopped parsley and minced garlic in a bowl. Add half a teaspoon of salt and mix with your hands. The salt will start breaking down the herbs immediately.
Add the acid. Pour in three tablespoons of red wine vinegar. White wine vinegar works too, but red wine vinegar gives you that traditional tang. Stir everything together.
Stream in the oil. Slowly add half a cup of good olive oil while stirring. You want enough oil to coat everything generously but not so much that it's swimming.
Season and rest. Add a pinch of black pepper and red pepper flakes if you want heat. Taste and adjust salt. Let it sit for at least thirty minutes before serving. An hour is even better.

Tips & troubleshooting

Hand chopping keeps the herbs from getting bruised like they would in a food processor
Make it a day ahead — the flavors meld beautifully overnight in the fridge
If it tastes flat, add more salt before adding more acid or oil
Save the thick parsley stems for stock — they have tons of flavor
Room temperature chimichurri tastes better than cold, so pull it from the fridge thirty minutes before serving

Variations

Cilantro Chimichurri. Replace half the parsley with cilantro for a brighter, more citrusy flavor. Popular in Mexico and parts of South America.
Oregano Chimichurri. Add two tablespoons of fresh oregano or one tablespoon dried. This gives it a more Mediterranean feel while keeping the Argentine spirit.
Spicy Chimichurri. Include half a minced jalapeño or serrano pepper with the garlic. Remove seeds if you want less heat but more pepper flavor.
Lemon Chimichurri. Replace one tablespoon of vinegar with fresh lemon juice. Adds brightness without overpowering the herbs.

Questions

How long does chimichurri keep?: In the fridge, it stays fresh for up to a week. The herbs will darken slightly, but the flavor remains good. Give it a stir before using since the oil separates.
Can I use a food processor?: You can, but pulse it carefully. Process too long and you'll get green mush instead of a chunky sauce. Hand chopping gives you better texture control.
What else can I put chimichurri on besides steak?: Grilled chicken, fish, roasted vegetables, eggs, bread, potatoes. It's basically Argentina's ketchup — good on everything.
My chimichurri tastes too acidic. How do I fix it?: Add more oil and a pinch of salt. The oil mellows the acid while the salt balances everything out. Taste as you go.