Homemade chimichurri keeps for about four days in the fridge. A jar keeps until its best-by date unopened; once open, refrigerate it and finish it within a few weeks. Frozen, either one lasts a few months.
Homemade chimichurri
Fresh herbs fade fast once they're chopped, and raw garlic sitting in oil needs to stay cold. Keep homemade chimichurri in a sealed container in the fridge and use it within about four days. It's at its brightest on day one and gets a little quieter each day after.
Don't leave homemade chimichurri out at room temperature for more than a couple of hours, and never store garlic in oil on the counter.
Jarred chimichurri
Before opening, go by the best-by date printed on the jar and follow any storage instructions on the label. Once it's open, keep it in the fridge. We recommend finishing a jar of OG Chimichurri within a few weeks of opening for the best flavor, though most jars don't last that long anyway.
Why it looks different in the fridge
Extra-virgin olive oil turns cloudy and can firm up when it's cold. That's normal, and it isn't a sign anything's wrong. Let the jar sit out for 10 minutes or so, give it a stir, and it loosens right back up.
How to keep it fresh longer
- Use a clean spoon. Crumbs and double-dipping shorten its life.
- Keep a thin layer of oil on top. It protects the herbs from air, which is what dulls their color.
- Close it tightly and put it back in the fridge right after you use it.
Can you freeze chimichurri?
Yes, and it's the best way to keep a big batch. Spoon it into an ice cube tray, freeze until solid, then move the cubes into a freezer bag. Each cube is roughly a serving.
Frozen chimichurri keeps its quality for about three months. Thaw cubes in the fridge, or drop one straight onto something hot, like a steak resting on a board or a bowl of rice. The herbs will be a little softer than fresh, but the flavor holds up well.
How to tell when it's gone off
Throw it out if you see mold, if it smells sour or fermented rather than fresh and garlicky, if it fizzes, or if the jar lid has bulged. Dulled color on its own just means the herbs are past their peak. Anything beyond that, don't risk it.
The easiest fix
The simplest way to keep chimichurri from going bad is to use more of it. If you need ideas, here are 25 things to put it on, or start with the complete guide.
OG Chimichurri
Cilantro, parsley, lime, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, with no seed oils and no preservatives. Get the OG.