Chimichurri is a raw herb sauce: parsley and garlic, olive oil, something sour and a pinch of chili. No cooking, no cream, nothing to hide behind. Every ingredient is doing a job, and that's exactly why it works on far more than steak.
What goes into chimichurri
[PHOTO TO SHOOT: raw ingredients laid out on bone or obsidian: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, garlic, halved limes, a pour of olive oil, crushed red pepper. Delete this line before publishing.]
It starts with herbs, chopped fine. Parsley is the usual base, and it brings the green, grassy backbone. Garlic goes in raw and in quantity, because the sauce needs something to push back against the herbs. Olive oil carries all of it and rounds off the edges.
Then comes the acid, and the acid is the whole point. Without it you have herb oil. With it you have something that wakes up whatever it touches. A little crushed red pepper finishes it with warmth rather than heat.
That's the frame. Everything past it is a choice: oregano or not, vinegar or citrus, coarse or smooth. We went with cilantro alongside the parsley and lime for the acid, because bright beats heavy.
Where chimichurri comes from
Chimichurri grew up at the grills of Argentina and Uruguay as a sauce for beef. Where the name came from is anyone's guess; every story about it is better than its evidence. In the Dominican Republic, a "chimi" is a burger, which is a different conversation entirely.
Where it started matters less than where it can go. Most of what people eat in a week isn't grilled beef, and a sauce this sharp has no reason to wait for one.
What chimichurri tastes like
Bright first, then garlic, then a slow bit of warmth. The acid cuts through fat, so a rich bite lands lighter and a plain one lands louder. That's the trick behind every good pairing, from ribeye to fries.
You'll see two styles. Green chimichurri is the herb-forward version most people mean. Red chimichurri trades some of the fresh herbs for paprika and chili, and tastes smokier and warmer. Cilantro-lime sits at the bright end of green.
How to use chimichurri
Steak is the obvious move. Keep going. In the morning it goes over scrambled eggs, avocado toast or a breakfast burrito, where it does what hot sauce does without flattening everything else. By lunch it's your dressing: toss it through a grain bowl or a salad, or spread it on a sandwich instead of mayo.
At dinner it finishes chicken, fish and roasted potatoes, or it works as a marinade if you give chicken or shrimp 20 to 30 minutes in the fridge first. Late at night it's a dip for fries, chips and empanadas, and it holds its own on pizza.
If you want a place to start, try our shrimp tacos, avocado toast or steak cheese fries.
Chimichurri vs. pesto
They look alike in a jar and behave nothing alike on a plate. Pesto is basil, pine nuts and cheese, so it's rich and it coats. Chimichurri has no nuts or dairy and leads with acid, so it cuts. Reach for pesto when a dish needs weight and chimichurri when it needs lift.
Is chimichurri healthy?
It's mostly herbs, garlic and oil, which makes a typical chimichurri vegan and gluten-free. Most of its calories come from the oil, so the oil is the part worth checking. Olive oil is the standard to hold a jar to.
How long chimichurri lasts
Homemade chimichurri is best within a few days in the fridge, before the herbs dull. A jar goes by its best-by date; once it's open, keep it cold and finish it within a few weeks. A thin layer of oil on top protects the herbs. To keep it longer, freeze it in an ice cube tray and pull out a cube when you need one.
Buying chimichurri: what to look for
Homemade is great if you enjoy mincing parsley every few days. Otherwise, buy a jar and be picky about it, because most of what's on shelves cuts corners. Turn it over and check four things: herbs listed first, olive oil rather than soybean or canola, no added sugar, and a color that's still green rather than olive-drab.
[PHOTO TO SHOOT: back of the OG jar, ingredient list sharp and readable. Delete this line before publishing.]
OG Chimichurri
We make one sauce. OG Chimichurri is cilantro, parsley, lime, garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, with no seed oils and no preservatives. It's vegan, gluten-free and mildly warm, and it pours straight from the jar onto whatever's on the plate. Get the OG.
Chimichurri FAQ
Is chimichurri spicy?
Barely. The crushed red pepper adds warmth, not heat.
Does chimichurri need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Homemade always, and a jar once it's open.
Is chimichurri the same as salsa verde?
Close relatives. Italian salsa verde usually adds capers and anchovies. Chimichurri doesn't.