Put chimichurri on anything rich, anything plain and anything that came off a grill. That covers most of what people eat in a week. Steak is the opening move, not the whole game.
The reason it travels so well is the acid. It cuts through fat, so a rich bite lands lighter, and it wakes up food that has nothing to say for itself, like rice, eggs or a chicken breast. Here are 25 places to prove it, in the order a day usually goes.
Morning
- Scrambled eggs. Fold a spoonful in right as they set, then add more on top. It does what hot sauce does without drowning the eggs.
- A fried egg on toast. Let the yolk run into it. That's the whole recipe.
- Avocado toast. Avocado is rich and quiet, which is exactly what chimichurri is for. Our version.
- Breakfast burritos. Eggs, potatoes, cheese and a heavy pour before you roll it. More in our breakfast guide.
- Breakfast potatoes. Toss crispy potatoes in it straight out of the pan, while they're hot enough to drink it in.
Midday
- Grain bowls. Rice or quinoa, a protein, whatever vegetables are around. Chimichurri is the dressing and the sauce at once.
- Sandwiches. Spread it where the mayo would go. Turkey, roast beef and grilled vegetables all improve.
- Wraps. Same logic as the sandwich, less structural risk.
- Salads. Loosen a couple of spoonfuls with extra olive oil and you have a dressing with more going on than most bottles.
- Chicken salad. Stir it into the mix with a little mayo. The herbs keep it from tasting like a deli counter.
- Soup. A spoonful on top of white bean, lentil or tomato soup, right before you eat it.
Dinner
- Steak. Still the best pairing there is. Here's how to cook it.
- Roast chicken. Spoon it over the carved bird, or rub some under the skin of the thighs before roasting.
- Salmon and white fish. Fish wants acid. Chimichurri brings it with herbs and garlic attached.
- Shrimp. Use it as a 20-minute marinade, then again at the table. Our grilled shrimp.
- Pork chops. Pork and citrus have always gotten along.
- Roasted vegetables. Cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, squash. Roast them hard, then dress them while they're hot.
- Smashed potatoes. Crispy edges, soft middles, a pour of chimichurri over the top.
- Grilled corn. Brush it on instead of butter, or on top of butter, if you're being honest.
Late
- Fries. A better dip than ketchup, and it isn't close. Or go all the way with steak cheese fries.
- Chips. Straight from the jar. Nobody's watching.
- Pizza. Drizzle it on a slice after it comes out of the oven. It cuts through the cheese the way it cuts through steak.
- Tacos. Shrimp, steak, chicken or fish. Our shrimp tacos.
- Burgers. Under the bun or over the patty, ideally both.
- Empanadas. Built for dipping.
Three rules that make it work
Add it at the end. Chimichurri is a raw sauce. High heat dulls the herbs, so it's best spooned on after cooking, not cooked into something.
Use it twice. A short marinade before cooking and a fresh spoonful at the table is how you get the most out of it on chicken and shrimp.
Be generous. A drizzle is decoration. A spoonful is a sauce.
New to it? Start with what chimichurri is and why it works.
OG Chimichurri
Every idea on this list starts with the same jar: cilantro, parsley, lime, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, with no seed oils and no preservatives. Get the OG.