Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
Our mouthwatering chimichurri sauce recipe is the perfect way to liven up grilled beef, chicken, fish, and more. In addition to the traditional Argentinian combination of fresh parsley, olive oil, garlic, and salt, our recipe takes it over the top with the addition of bright and lively lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves (packed)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil mixed with fresh oregano leaves, or just one or the other, you decide the ratio (packed)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup inexpensive balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 small onion
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Method
- Prep. Remove the thick woody stems stems from the herbs leaving behind the tender stems. Measure the herbs by packing them into a measuring cup first, and then rinse in a colander to get any dirt off. Shake off the extra moisture, but you don't have to get the leaves perfectly dry.
- Peel the garlic clove.
- Peel and quarter the small onion.
- Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the green parts are small bits pushing down any leaves that crawl up the sides. You don't have to make this sauce homogeneous, chunks are OK.
- Serve. Grill the meat and spoon a small amount of sauce over the top or on the side when you serve it. Not too much, it is strong, and we don't want to cover that great steak taste. People can always add more if they want. And there's a good chance they'll want.
Notes
About the herbs. The parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic must be fresh. You can substitute for the basil and oregano with fresh thyme, cilantro, even mint. But not for the parsley. And just because cilantro looks like parsley doesn't mean you can substitute it.
About the paprika. If you can get smoked paprika, use it. But taste it first. If it is hot, as it often is, cut back on the crushed red pepper flakes. Remember, not everyone likes it as hot as you do.
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.
If it is too acidic for you, just whisk in more oil.
Color change. It will start bright green and fade slightly, but the goodness remains.
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