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Looking for the best chimichurri sauce recipe? This fresh, herb-packed chimichurri is made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and red wine vinegar – and it comes together in just 5 minutes with no cooking required. A family recipe passed down through generations, it’s the perfect condiment for smoked picanha, grilled steak, grilled shrimp, and steak sandwiches.
Our Favorite Sauce for Steak
Some of the best recipes don’t come from cookbooks, they come from people. That’s exactly the story behind this chimichurri sauce recipe, and it’s one we’re really excited to share with you today.
A good friend of ours and longtime YouTube viewer, Bob, passed this recipe along to us a while back. Bob’s family has deep Italian roots – so deep, in fact, that there’s actually a street in the Little Italy section of Boston named after his family. Let’s just say when someone with that kind of culinary heritage hands you a recipe and says “you need to try this,” you don’t hesitate. You grab a bowl and get to mixing.
We’ve been putting this chimichurri on just about everything, and it has quickly become one of our go-to sauces for grilling season.
If you’ve been following along here, you know we love our Smoked Picanha – and let me tell you, this chimichurri is an absolute dream alongside it. We’ve also been drizzling it over our Cowboy Steak Stir Fry on the griddle, and it never disappoints. Bob, this one’s for you, brother.
What Is Chimichurri?
Chimichurri is a bright, herb-packed sauce that originated in Argentina and Uruguay, traditionally served with grilled beef. It’s oil-based, tangy from red wine vinegar, punchy with garlic, and has just the right amount of heat. Think of it as the South American answer to salsa verde – bold, fresh, and incredibly versatile.
The beauty of chimichurri is that it comes together in about five minutes with no cooking required. No smoker, no grill, no stovetop. Just a bowl, a knife, and a handful of fresh ingredients.
What Makes this Chimichurri Recipe Special?
A lot of chimichurri recipes lean hard on parsley and leave it at that. Bob’s version adds fresh cilantro, which gives it a little extra brightness and a flavor that pairs beautifully with beef. The jalapeno adds a mild kick without being overpowering, especially once you remove the seeds and devein it. And if you can get your hands on Mexican oregano instead of the standard dried variety, do it. Mexican oregano has a slightly more citrusy, earthy character that takes this sauce to another level.
This is not a fancy recipe. It’s a simple, honest sauce made with quality ingredients, and that’s exactly why it works so well.
How to Make Chimichurri
This couldn’t be simpler.
Just add all of your ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. That’s it. No blending, no processing, no cooking. The chunkier, hand-chopped texture is what gives this chimichurri its character – you want to taste the individual herbs, not end up with a smooth paste.
Give it a taste and adjust as needed. Want more heat? Add a bit more red pepper flakes. Want more tang? Add just a splash more red wine vinegar. This recipe is forgiving, and it’s easy to make it your own.
Pro Tip: If you have the time, let it sit for 20–30 minutes before serving. As the ingredients meld together, the garlic mellows slightly and the herbs really open up. It’s worth the wait.
What to Serve With Chimichurri
We’ve already mentioned that this sauce was practically made for Smoked Picanha – and if you haven’t tried that cook yet, you are seriously missing out. The rich, beefy fat cap on a picanha combined with this bright, herby sauce is one of those pairings that just makes sense.
Beyond picanha, here’s where else we’ve been putting this chimichurri to work:
- Grilled steaks — ribeye, strip, skirt, flank. Any cut benefits from a generous spoonful.
- Cowboy Steak Stir Fry — on the griddle, this sauce adds a fresh pop that cuts right through all that savory goodness.
- Steak sandwiches — pile sliced steak on a toasted roll and drizzle chimichurri over the top instead of your usual condiments. Game changer.
- Grilled chicken or shrimp — it’s not just for beef. Try it as a marinade or finishing sauce on grilled chicken thighs or shrimp.
Easy Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup good quality olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar, see notes
- ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ jalapeño, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican oregano preferred
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Taste and adjust. Want more heat? Add a few extra red pepper flakes or leave some jalapeño seeds in next time. Want more tang? Add a small splash more red wine vinegar. Need more salt? Season to taste.
- Rest before serving. *For best results, let the chimichurri rest at room temperature for 20 – 30 minutes before serving. This allows the garlic to mellow slightly and the herbs to fully infuse into the oil and vinegar. Stir once more before serving.
Notes
- Mexican Oregano vs. Regular Oregano: If you can find Mexican oregano, use it. It has a slightly more citrusy, earthy flavor compared to Mediterranean oregano and really elevates this sauce. Look for it in the Latin foods section of your grocery store or at a Latin market.
- Red Wine Vinegar vs. White Wine Vinegar: We have made this chimichurri recipe with both types of vinegars, and both are great. We find the white wine vinegar to give a more delicate, crisp flavor. The red wine vinegar is more robust and tangy. Use your favorite or use a mixture of both.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made Bob’s chimichurri? Leave a comment below and let us know what you put it on! And don’t forget to follow along on YouTube for more recipes, how-to’s, and everything pellet grilling.
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