Chimichurri Sauce is that friend who is always invited.  A savory sauce or marinade that can be spicy, should you so desire, and brings with it fresh herbs as well as a delicious bite of red wine vinegar.  The silky smooth base of olive oil – delivers it harmoniously.

 

Chimichurri sauce is Argentina’s gift to the world…….in my humble opinion.  It can take a steak from good to OMG THAT IS AMAZING in two seconds flat.  Seriously, it is that condiment.  The one I won’t go without and always have stashed in my freezer for the instant flavor bomb when my meal needs “something” or I feel like I need a grilled steak taco.  Let’s be honest – that’s every day in my dream world

 

So where did Chimichurri Sauce come from?

Oh, the legends are great and are spread far across the lands.  Every food historian, world-renowned chef, and (ahem) self-proclaimed foodies have the version they tell and hold dear to their heart. I think most can agree that this is a specialty of Argentina and Uruguay.  Chimichurri sauce is typically served with grilled meats – steak, pork sausage, roasted beef, etc.  The sauce, from what I gather, was originally made of parsley, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil.  As with all foods around the world, recipes change and evolve by region, palate, and basically what people have on hand.  This is what I love about food – we have the freedom to adapt what ingredients, flavors, and combinations we love to achieve a meal we can share with those we hold dear.

The word Chimichurri…

This one is up for great debate.  As far as I can tell, there is no real definitive answer to these questions.  However, there are a few speculations: One lore that I have heard is that the word originates from British prisoners who were captured in Rio de la Plata in the 1800s.  The British prisoners asking for things to accompany their food came up with a mix of words from several different languages and hence “Chimichurri” was born.

Another story plays to the settlement of Basque people in Argentina somewhere in the 19th Century.  Then, there is also a story of a meat purveyor whose name closely sounded like the word Chimichurri.

No matter how the word came about it is just a fun conversational piece.  The result is pure flavor – and we are all about that over here in my house.

Let’s make Chimichurri Sauce!

Start by assembling your ingredients.  Here, you see I missed my onion in the photo.  I had my onion – no worries lol

 

Place each bunch of parsley and cilantro in the bottom of your blender. Measure out your other ingredients and rough chop your Fresno Chile and red onion.

Place all ingredients into your blender…

 

…blend until you have reached your desired consistency.

As you may or may not be able to tell, I am using a Ninja blender which has tiered blades and differs slightly from a true blender.  For this reason, I do not have to rough chop my parsley or cilantro and throw them in as whole bunches.  If you have a regular blender, I would advise a quick rough chop of both herbs to give them a head start.

Also, if you have no blending device on hand, finely chop all of your ingredients and mix them together.  I’ve done this before as a loose sauce and it is just as flavorful.

 

That is IT, you guys!  See, super simple, easy but the payoff is worth it.

 

Chimichurri Sauce Notes:

1. Once your sauce has blended, place it in an airtight container or a dish with plastic wrap.  Let the sauce chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This will help the flavors meld together.
2. If you are using you’re Chimichurri Sauce for a marinade – I advise waiting at least 30 minutes prior to marinating with your newly blended sauce.
3. Chimichurri Sauce is an EXCELLENT sauce to make and freeze.  I freeze mine in 1/2 cup containers which makes it very convenient to pull out and defrost for a quick weeknight meal.
4. Should you prefer more of a loose sauce, add additional olive oil in 1/2 cup increments.  Also, add in 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar per half cup of oil that you add.  Once your sauce is as fluid as you want it, taste and adjust additional seasoning to your liking.  I generally find myself adding additional salt only however every palate is different.
5. Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun and experiment! Make this sauce your own signature at family cookouts or potlucks.  Add in some cumin for a deep Latin flavor or if you’d like more of a bright note, squeeze in a lemon.  This sauce is so versatile and soon to become a household favorite.

Looking for a great chicken recipe to try this sauce on?  Check out our Balsamic Orange Chicken With Basil and replace the balsamic reduction with your Chimichurri sauce.  This would also be good with our oven-roasted chicken.

However you prefer to enjoy it, I do hope you enjoy it!

Live, Love, Eat!

xoxo