Chimichurri is the only sauce an asado needs. Make it right, and every piece of meat that hits the grill for the next two weeks will taste better.
Chimichurri is the most misunderstood sauce in Argentinian cooking. Half the recipes online say to blitz it in a food processor. They are wrong. Chimichurri is chopped, not puréed. The texture should be coarse, with visible flecks of parsley and garlic held together by oil and vinegar.
The other half of bad chimichurri recipes reach for ingredients that do not belong. No cilantro. No lime. No tomato. Proper chimichurri is parsley, garlic, oregano, chilli, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt. Seven ingredients. That is it.
This is the recipe we make every week at Argentum, and the one we include with every baked catering order. It is also what we serve with our empanadas at market pop-ups. Make it a day ahead. The flavours need at least an hour to marry, and twenty-four hours if you can wait.
We include fresh house-made chimichurri with every baked catering order at Argentum. Same recipe, same proportions, same technique as this one.
See catering options or keep reading for the recipe.
What chimichurri actually is.
Chimichurri comes from the Argentinian pampas, where gauchos needed a sauce to wake up grilled meat that had been cooked hours earlier. Acid, herbs, salt, and oil. Every asado table has a small jug of it.
There is no single authentic chimichurri recipe. Every Argentinian family has their own proportions. What they all agree on is the method: chop, do not purée. And make it in advance. Fresh chimichurri tastes raw and harsh. Rested chimichurri tastes like itself.
The red version (chimichurri rojo) adds paprika and tomato paste. This recipe is the green version (chimichurri verde), which is the default and the one that pairs best with the widest range of meat.
Ingredients
For the chimichurri
- 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley (about 2 cups finely chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
- 180 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 60 ml red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp warm water (to help the salt dissolve)
Method
Nine minutes of active work. The rest is resting time.
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Prepare the parsley.
Wash and dry the parsley thoroughly. Moisture is the enemy — wet parsley makes watery chimichurri. Pick the leaves and finely chop them with a sharp knife. You want a fine mince, not a purée. Do not use a food processor.
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Mince the garlic.
Finely mince the garlic cloves by hand. Again, a knife is better than a press or processor. Crushing garlic releases different compounds than chopping it, and you want the cleaner flavour of a knife-cut clove.
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Combine the dry ingredients.
In a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the chopped parsley, minced garlic, dried oregano, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. Pour in the teaspoon of warm water and stir. This helps the salt dissolve evenly.
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Add oil and vinegar.
Pour in the red wine vinegar first, then the olive oil. Seal the jar and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. The mixture will emulsify briefly then separate, which is normal. Shake again before each use.
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Rest.
Leave the chimichurri at room temperature for at least one hour before serving. Overnight in the fridge is better, two days is best. Bring back to room temperature before serving so the oil is liquid again.
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Serve.
Spoon into a small serving jug or bowl. On the asado table, put it next to the bread and the meat. It pairs with almost every grilled protein, and also with roast vegetables, fried eggs, and grilled cheese.
Chef's notes.
Parsley only. The most common mistake we see in Australia is recipes using cilantro (coriander). Chimichurri is a parsley sauce. Cilantro changes the flavour profile completely and makes it something else entirely.
Fresh oregano vs dried. Counter-intuitively, dried oregano is better in chimichurri than fresh. Dried oregano has concentrated flavour that holds up against the acid and garlic. Fresh oregano tends to get lost.
Chilli to taste. Argentinians don't eat particularly spicy food. A teaspoon of chilli flakes gives warmth without heat. If you want more kick, go up to two teaspoons, but the balance tips quickly.
Keeps for weeks. Chimichurri lasts in the fridge for at least two weeks if covered in oil. If it runs low, top up with more olive oil. Some families keep a rolling jar that gets refreshed every couple of days.
What to serve with it.
Asado. Obviously. Every cut, every course. A small jug on the table, not on the meat.
Choripán. The Argentinian street food classic: a grilled chorizo criollo in crusty bread, with a generous spoon of chimichurri.
Empanadas. Especially our Carnivore (grass-fed brisket) and Habibi Yalla (open-top Árabe). The acid cuts through the richness beautifully.
Roasted vegetables. Pumpkin, carrots, capsicum, potatoes. Drizzle chimichurri over hot roasted vegetables as they come out of the oven.
Fried eggs. The weekend breakfast trick. Two fried eggs, toast, and a teaspoon of chimichurri. Better than any hot sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Is chimichurri spicy?
Not particularly. A teaspoon of chilli flakes gives warmth but not heat. Argentinian food in general is not spicy by Mexican or Korean standards. You can leave the chilli out entirely if you prefer a mild version, or double it if you want some kick.
Can I use a food processor?
No. Chimichurri is chopped, not puréed. Using a food processor turns it into green oil instead of a sauce with texture. If you find knife chopping tedious, use kitchen shears to cut the parsley into small pieces while still on the stems.
How long does chimichurri keep?
At least two weeks in the fridge, covered in oil. The flavour actually improves over the first three to five days as the ingredients marry. After ten days it will start to lose some brightness but remains safe and delicious.
Can I use white wine vinegar instead of red?
Red wine vinegar is traditional and gives the best flavour. White wine vinegar will work but the result will taste sharper and less rounded. Apple cider vinegar is also acceptable in a pinch.
What is the difference between chimichurri verde and chimichurri rojo?
Verde (green) is the default Argentinian version: parsley, garlic, oregano, chilli, olive oil, vinegar. Rojo (red) adds smoked paprika and sometimes tomato paste. Rojo is more common in Uruguay and in some Argentinian regions. Verde is what you will find in most Buenos Aires restaurants and home kitchens.
Where can I buy chimichurri in Sydney if I do not want to make it?
Rodriguez Bros in south-western Sydney stocks multiple chimichurri variants. The Argentinian Market online carries imported chimichurri spice mixes. We make fresh chimichurri at Argentum and include it with every baked catering order.
A pack of empanadas, our chimichurri.
Premium Argentinian empanadas delivered across Sydney, baked or frozen. Catering orders include house-made chimichurri with every delivery.