Chimichurri Verde

Sometimes referred to as Pico de Gallo, Chimichurri sauce originated in Argentina and Uruguay, and is a staple of South/Central American cuisine. The term itself loosely translates to “a mixture of several things in no particular order”.

It’s actually pretty incredible to see how many different takes are on this recipe. Some use cilantro, some don’t; others use lemons, others limes; and many use garlic, but some do not. Regardless, this is a fresh, delicious, and healthy sauce that pairs well with a variety of dishes, but is best known as a steak sauce – like we’ve used it in our Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri recipe.

The recipe is more in line with some of the chimichurri dishes we’ve experienced in Mexico and would not be considered “traditional” in any way. This version includes cilantro and uses a lime base – along with the dominant parsley and garlic flavours – which we find heightens the overall flavour profile of the sauce.

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Prep Time 20

Refrigerate 20

Total Time 40

Servings: 1

Course: Sauces

Cuisine: Central America

Calories: 1550

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1 cup fresh parsley stems included
1/2 cup fresh cilantro stems included
4 cloves garlic whole
1 shallot chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 limes juice + zest
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili flakes
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 cup olive oil

Equipment

food processor
spatula
citrus juicer
grater or microplane
measuring cups and spoons

Method

Mise en Place

Assemble equipment. Peel garlic, remove bottom third of the stems from parsley and cilantro, peel and chop shallots, juice and zest the limes, measure and separate all ingredients.

Bring it Together

Place all ingredients with the exception of the olive oil into the food processor and process until finely chopped and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and pulse rapidly (1-2 seconds).
Resume normal processing and slowly add oil to the mixture until fully combined. Empty completed chimichurri into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes prior to serving.

Notes

This is a Chimichurri “verde” (green), but there is also a “roja” (red) version. Just add tomatoes and red peppers. Yum!
Trim the ends of your fresh herbs and place them in a glass of water in the fridge to make them last longer.
The zest from citrus fruits can add an amazing amount of additional flavour to a dish. Whenever I see a recipe that calls for lemon, lime, or orange juice I almost always add the zest as well. Give it a try!

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Chimichurri Verde