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Classic Chimichurri Sauce in 5 Minutes
Instructions
Rinse the fresh parsley and cilantro thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels – wet herbs will dilute the oil with water. Chop the herbs into small pieces with a sharp knife or scissors.
Place all the herbs in a blender bowl. Add the garlic (sliced beforehand for easier blending), honey, lemon juice, wine vinegar and part of the oil. Blend until smooth for 30–60 seconds, but do not turn it into a paste – the herbs should keep their texture, visible against the light.
Cut the red bell pepper into very small cubes of 3–4 mm – it is not puréed but added in pieces for a nice texture. This is the little "twist" of the sauce.
Combine the blended dressing, the remaining olive oil and the chopped red pepper in a glass jar. Salt to taste and add pepper. Let the sauce rest for 15 minutes at room temperature – this is the key moment for the aroma to develop – and serve.
Tips
- 1
Let the sauce rest for 15–20 minutes – this way the aromas of the herbs and garlic fully develop and the sauce becomes a "classic Argentinian" one.
- 2
Serve it with steaks, kebabs, grilled fish, vegetables and seafood – a universal sauce for everything cooked over fire.
- 3
Store it in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days – fresh herbs quickly lose their flavour and aroma. A similar principle applies to pesto sauce.
- 4
For more heat, add a pinch of ground chilli pepper or some finely chopped hot pepper – an authentic Argentinian "spicy chimichurri".
FAQ
What can replace cilantro in the sauce? +
If you do not like cilantro or are allergic to it, use only parsley (a double portion) and add fresh basil or tarragon. Without cilantro the authenticity will be incomplete, but the sauce is still tasty. You can use a mix of parsley and dill for a Russian version, or parsley with oregano and thyme for an Italian one. Never replace it with dried herbs – the sauce will lose all its "freshness" and character. Fresh herbs are the basis of this sauce.
Can the finished sauce be frozen? +
No, after thawing the texture and flavour suffer greatly: the herbs darken and become watery, the garlic loses its aroma, and the oil separates. Make it fresh every time – it only takes 5 minutes. If you really need to make a batch, freeze the individual ingredients separately: chopped herbs in ice cube trays with oil (keeps for 2 months) and minced garlic on its own. Thaw them and assemble the sauce again. Fresh sauce is always tastier than frozen.
Is Chimichurri sauce suitable as a meat marinade? +
Yes, it works great as a marinade – especially for beef, pork and chicken. Marinate the meat for 2–4 hours in the refrigerator (large cuts overnight), and the steak or kebab will take on a characteristic Argentinian flavour. After marinating, shake off the excess sauce (it can burn on the grill) and serve freshly made chimichurri with the cooked meat. This double use makes the dish especially aromatic.
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