Chimichurri is a steak sauce. It is also an egg sauce, a bread sauce, a cheese sauce, a corn sauce, a cocktail garnish, and (if you have committed properly) a popcorn seasoning. Here are 15 unexpected ways to use up a jar of Pedro's Chimichurri when the empanadas are already gone.
Quick answer
The 15 uses at a glance: fried eggs, avocado toast, pizza drizzle, roast pumpkin, marinated cheese, cocktail garnish, salad dressing base, popcorn seasoning, sandwich condiment, roast chicken final drizzle, buttered corn, halloumi topping, pasta twist, cheese board addition, breakfast burrito. Full detail below, plus which ones are the easiest wins.
The 15 uses
1. Fried eggs
The best-known non-steak use, but still surprising the first time. Spoon a teaspoon of chimichurri over the yolk of a fried egg on toast. The vinegar cuts the richness, the herbs read as breakfast-fresh. Works on scrambled too. Do this once and you will not go back.
2. Avocado toast
Sourdough, mashed avocado, chilli flakes, sea salt, teaspoon of chimichurri on top. Beats every other avocado toast garnish. If you are the person who makes avocado toast every Saturday, this is a permanent upgrade.
3. Pizza drizzle
Not on every pizza. On white pizzas or margherita specifically, once out of the oven, a light drizzle of chimichurri instead of extra olive oil. Adds acidity and herb hit without overwhelming the cheese.
4. Roast pumpkin
Cube pumpkin, roast at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes with olive oil and salt. Straight out of the oven, toss with 2 tablespoons of chimichurri per tray. The heat wakes the sauce, the sauce lifts the sweetness of the pumpkin. Best autumn side.
5. Marinated cheese
Cube feta or a firm cow's milk cheese, drop into a small jar, cover with chimichurri, add a splash of extra olive oil, refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve on a cheese board or over salad. The cheese takes on the herb flavour, the chimichurri gets creamier from sitting with the fat.
6. Cocktail garnish (Bloody Mary)
Half a teaspoon of chimichurri on the surface of a Bloody Mary instead of Worcestershire sauce garnish. The herbs float, the garlic pairs with the tomato. Weekend brunch signature. Also works spooned into a savoury espresso martini, but that is a specialised move.
7. Salad dressing base
Whisk 1 part chimichurri with 1 part extra olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Instant vinaigrette for a green salad, a grain bowl, or a shaved fennel side. Skip the mustard, the chimichurri handles the flavour.
8. Popcorn seasoning
The one that reads as strange until you try it. Pop plain popcorn, drizzle 2 tablespoons of chimichurri over the hot popcorn while tossing, sprinkle sea salt. Movie night. Do not overdo the sauce, the popcorn should be lightly coated not wet.
9. Sandwich condiment
Instead of mayo on a roast beef or grilled chicken sandwich, spread chimichurri thinly on the bread. Or use it in a tomato-mozzarella-basil sandwich as an alternative to pesto. Big flavour upgrade.
10. Roast chicken final drizzle
After a whole roast chicken has rested, carve, arrange on a platter, and drizzle 3 tablespoons of chimichurri over the top. Guests eat the chicken with the sauce clinging to it. Better than gravy for Sunday lunch.
11. Buttered corn
Grill or boil corn on the cob, butter the corn while hot, then spoon chimichurri over each cob. The butter carries the sauce into the kernels, the sauce brightens the corn. Australian summer BBQ side.
12. Halloumi topping
Sliced halloumi, pan-fried until golden, plated hot, spoon chimichurri over each slice. The salty cheese and the vinegary sauce together are a small revelation. Excellent as a starter or a light lunch with bread.
13. Pasta twist
Technically against the rules of green sauces (chimichurri is vinegar-based, so it can clash with pasta). But: cold pasta salad with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, feta, and a spoon of chimichurri whisked into olive oil as the dressing. Summer lunch box.
14. Cheese board addition
Small bowl of chimichurri on your next cheese board, alongside the quince paste and the honey. Works especially well with aged hard cheeses (manchego, aged cheddar, gruyere) and with soft cheeses (fresh goat's cheese, brie).
15. Breakfast burrito
Scrambled eggs, black beans, avocado, grated cheese, wrap in a tortilla. Spoon of chimichurri inside before the wrap goes together. Doubles as the salsa. Instant Argentinian-Mexican fusion breakfast.
The easiest wins to start with
If you only try three of the fifteen, make them these.
- Fried eggs on toast (number 1). Zero prep, instant improvement.
- Roast pumpkin (number 4). Cheap, uses up half a jar, side dish for a week.
- Cheese board (number 14). Turns a Friday-night snack into an actual moment.
Chimichurri as a home cooking staple
The reason chimichurri travels so well beyond its traditional use is the fundamental structure: herb + garlic + acid + oil. That is a shortcut to lifting any dish. Anywhere you would reach for pesto, a herb butter, or a vinaigrette, chimichurri probably slots in.
The key rule is temperature. Chimichurri hates being cooked. Add it after the pan is off the heat, after the roast is out of the oven, after the pasta is drained. It is a finishing sauce, always.
Storage tips for the long game
An open jar of chimichurri keeps 2 weeks in the fridge. If you are not going to use a jar in that time, freeze the excess in an ice cube tray. Each cube (roughly 1 tablespoon) is a single-portion of chimichurri, ready to defrost onto eggs or roast vegetables. Cubes keep 3 months frozen.
Where to get the jar
Pedro's Chimichurri is $14 for a 200 ml jar, prepared with fresh parsley, dried oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and chilli. Vegan and gluten-free.
Order alongside any Argentum empanada box to meet the $48 minimum. The Chef's Box (20 empanadas across 5 flavours plus a chimichurri jar) is the fastest way to try the sauce with everything it is intended to sit alongside. Or grab a Carnivore 12-pack with a jar and you are set.
For the deeper cultural context on how Argentinians use chimichurri, see chimichurri with steak. For the recipe if you want to make your own, see Pedro's family recipe.
FAQ
Can you cook with chimichurri?
Chimichurri is a finishing sauce, not a cooking sauce. Add it after the pan is off the heat. Heat destroys the fresh parsley and dulls the vinegar. Room temperature over hot food is the intended technique.
What is the weirdest use of chimichurri that works?
Popcorn seasoning. Sounds strange, works surprisingly well. A light drizzle over hot popcorn with sea salt is a proper movie-night snack once you have tried it.
Can chimichurri replace pesto?
In some uses yes, in others no. On roast vegetables, cheese boards, and eggs, chimichurri is an easy substitute. On pasta, pesto is usually the better fit because chimichurri's vinegar can clash with pasta.
Is chimichurri good for meal prep?
Excellent. A tablespoon on a grain bowl, roasted vegetables, or lunch box protein transforms the meal. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated, so covers a full meal prep cycle.
How long does a 200ml jar of chimichurri last?
Depending on use, one household typically finishes a 200ml jar in 2 to 3 weeks. If you are cooking with it daily, faster. Frozen in ice cube portions, up to 3 months.
Where can I buy Pedro's Chimichurri in Sydney?
Order online through Argentum with any empanada box. Delivered across Sydney, with pre-arranged pickup available in Bondi Beach and Waverley. $14 per 200 ml jar.
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