Add a pop of zesty flavor to meat, veggies, salads and more with a quick and easy recipe for the best Homemade Chimichurri Sauce.
Pesto is to Italian cuisine what chimichurri sauce is to Argentinian cuisine. Both sauces are flavor powerhouses, with the latter lending a citrusy, herby zing to just about anything you can imagine.
I first fell in love with chimichurri sauce when I was living in Chicago during college. Dining out didn’t happen often, but my then-boyfriend (now husband) took me to a well-known restaurant called Carnivale in the city’s West Loop neighborhood for date night. It’s a South American steakhouse with an eclectic menu, and of course, steak with a side of chimichurri sauce is a signature dish.
It wasn’t long before I was attempting to recreate this incredibly versatile sauce in my apartment kitchen. Fast-forward 15 years and to page 184 in my new cookbook, and you’ll find a recipe for Julio’s Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. (That version has a very special surprise ingredient!)
Chimichurri has become synonymous with my husband, and I could think of no better way to honor his love of the flavor-packed sauce than to give it the primetime spotlight in my book.
The key to perfect chimichurri comes down to a delicate balance of fresh herbs, acidity (in the form of citrus and vinegar), a little heat, and most importantly, a little sweetness. We serve it on just about everything in our house, from flank steak to veggies to my go-to Extra-Crispy Roasted Potatoes!
Craving more? Subscribe to Just a Taste to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
- 2/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
- 1 Tablespoon lightly packed fresh oregano leaves
- 1 small jalapeño (seeds optional; See Kelly's Note)
- 2 Tablespoons roughly chopped shallots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add the parsley, cilantro, oregano, jalapeño, shallots, garlic, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey, ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
- With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Continue blending until combined, scraping down the sides as needed. Taste and season the chimichurri with salt and pepper then serve or store, covered in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Kelly's Note:
- For a spicier sauce, leave the jalapeño seeds intact.
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
Made this yesterday to dip and dunk bread into (my husband’s fave way to eat chimichurri). This recipe was just like his favorite restaurant’s; it’s a keeper! :)
I’m so thrilled to read this, Jacki!
Love this recipe but I almost left out the jalapeño entirely because while it’s listed in the ingredients, it’s not in the instructions. It tasted like something was missing and I had to re-read through the list lol
Thanks so much for catching that, Reena! I’ve updated the instructions to include the jalapeño. :)