This cilantro chimichurri sauce with parsley is an incredibly flavorful condiment or marinade for everything from grilled meat to veggies. Add it to a bowl, drizzle it over tacos, or use it as a delicious dressing!
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Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Chimichurri Recipe
- What You’ll Need for Chimichurri with Cilantro
- Recommended Equipment
- How to Make Cilantro ChimichurriÂ
- Variations and Substitutions
- Storage and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
- How to ServeÂ
- Expert Tips
- More Condiment Recipes to TryÂ
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You’ll Love This Chimichurri Recipe
Honestly, I love this sauce. I'm a big sauce person in general, whether that's hot sauce, pasta sauce, or vinaigrette, but I can't wait for you to try this cilantro chimichurri. This unassuming green sauce will turn your dinner into something exceptionally delicious.
It's the best chimichurri I've ever tried!
Chimichurri originates from Argentina. Traditional Argentinian chimichurri is a sauce that typically does not contain cilantro. This cilantro version adds more fresh herbs to the mix, making the sauce bright and vibrant in a way I think you'll really enjoy.
This versatile sauce works with all kinds of different main dishes. It's wonderful paired with grilled meats and vegetables or added to a taco, grain bowl, or salad. Cilantro chimichurri is the perfect condiment to liven up a meal. Try it mixed with creamy mayo in this chimichurri aioli, too!
This cilantro chimichurri recipe is made with just a few ingredients: fresh parsley and cilantro, garlic, spicy red pepper flakes, oil and vinegar. It's a simple sauce that's truly easy to make.
Plus, you can make it in a variety of different ways. You can use a food processor, a hand blender, or you can chop and combine everything by hand depending on the texture you're looking for.
I also have a mini food processor (just a small food processor that's easier to clean) in my cabinet that makes cleanup quick and easy.
So pick up some fresh herbs this week and give this recipe a try! And be sure to let me know if you do. You can leave a comment below the recipe card in this post.
What You’ll Need for Chimichurri with Cilantro
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Parsley: Use fresh parsley for this recipe. I like to use Italian parsley (or flat-leaf parsley) because it is easier to measure. However, curly parsley will work just fine, too. I also love making this mint
Cilantro: Be sure to wash your fresh cilantro before chopping it to ensure you've removed any grit hiding in the leaves. Check out this link to learn more about how to properly clean and store fresh cilantro.
Dried Oregano: I like to use dried oregano for this recipe. You can also use fresh oregano if you have it on hand.
Garlic: Be sure to use fresh garlic for this recipe. If you can't find fresh garlic, grocery stores often have jarred chopped garlic that will work in a pinch.
Red Pepper Flakes: Adding just a pinch of red chili flakes adds a lovely kick to the sauce.
Olive Oil: A good quality extra virgin olive oil is nice to use here. The sauce doesn't contain that many ingredients, so it's nice to use a higher-quality oil if you have it available. If not, any olive oil will be just fine.
Red Wine Vinegar: This is what adds the tangy pop to the recipe. If you don't have red wine vinegar on hand, you can try using white wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar. It will taste a bit different but still be delicious.
Kosher Salt: I use kosher salt in all of my recipes. It is less salty by volume than table salt or sea salt, making it easier to taste as you go and harder to oversalt your food.
Black Pepper: I love to use freshly ground black peppercorns. These Malabar black peppercorns are what I use in my kitchen every day.
Recommended Equipment
Food Processor, Mini Food Processor, or Immersion Blender
How to Make Cilantro Chimichurri
Step One: Finely chop the parsley and cilantro.
Step Two: Mince the garlic.
Step Three: If using a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients in the pitcher of the blender or a glass jar. Pulse the ingredients until they are finely chopped and the olive oil and red wine vinegar are emulsified.
For a coarser texture, combine the hand-chopped herbs and garlic with the remaining ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Step Four: Taste for seasoning. Let it sit to allow the flavors to meld, or, if you can't wait to try it, serve it right away!
Variations and Substitutions
Fresh Oregano: If you grow fresh oregano or already have fresh oregano in the fridge, feel free to use it in place of the dried oregano.
Lime Juice: For added acidity, try adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice to your sauce.
Shallot or Red Onion: Shallot or red onion can be used in place of or alongside the garlic in this recipe. They can be slightly sharper but also somewhat sweeter than the garlic. Be sure to chop them incredibly fine so that you don't get a big bite of onion.
Different Vinegar: Try using white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar.
Different Herbs: If you love this version, be sure to try our mint chimichurri too!
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Leftover chimichurri can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for about 2 weeks.
Freezer: You can freeze this sauce. I like to add the chimichurri to ice cube trays, freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for storage. Use within 3 months.
Reheating: There is no need to reheat this sauce. However, if you'd like to remove some of the chill, let it sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Traditional chimichurri does not contain cilantro. This recipe is an authentic chimichurri recipe but with fresh cilantro added.
Chimichurri is a combination of bold flavors. It is herbaceous and acidic, with richness from the olive oil and a bit of heat from the red chili flakes.
Chimichurri is similar to pesto in that they are both blended fresh herb sauces with olive oil and garlic. However, the taste is quite different. Pesto is richer and more savory, whereas chimichurri is brighter, more acidic, and a bit spicy.
How to Serve
Chimichurri is best served as a condiment, marinade, or dressing. Check out the following ways to use this classic sauce:
Steak: Drizzle this flavorful chimichurri sauce over grilled steak or steak tacos. We like to put this on skirt steak or flank steak, but any good grilling cut will work well! Try it with this carne asada recipe for an extremely flavorful meal.
Chicken and Fish: This sauce is perfect for simply prepared chicken and fish recipes. Try it with these cast iron chicken thighs, air fryer chicken leg quarters, or this pan-seared salmon.
Grilled Meats and Veggies: I love to make this recipe in the summer months when we're outside grilling. Grilled chicken and shrimp are great options, as is fish, like this grilled sockeye salmon. Grilled zucchini and summer squash are a few of my favorite vegetables to pair with this sauce.
Tacos: Use chimichurri on these spicy potato tacos.
Rice: Mix it into some bright, flavorful chimichurri rice for a delicious side.
Dipping Sauce: I also make chimichurri sauce to use as a dip. I love to dip crusty French bread into this sauce! It's also great with vegetables.
Salad Dressing: This sauce doubles as a delicious salad dressing. Just drizzle it over a green salad and protein of your choice for a fantastic lunch.
Expert Tips
- You can easily double or triple this recipe. Serving a crowd? Select the number next to "servings" in the recipe card below and drag to the number of servings you would like to make. This recipe easily scales up!
- Be sure to use a sharp knife. If you are chopping this recipe by hand, I always like to encourage the use of a properly sharpened knife. It is safer, as there's less likelihood of slipping while using it, and it will make chopping go much quicker.
- Taste as you go. This is my most important tip for leveling up your home cooking. Be sure to taste the chimichurri before serving and add more salt or vinegar as needed to suit your tastes.
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment 💬 and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! You can also tag us @twocloveskitchen on Instagram or follow us on Facebook!
More Condiment Recipes to Try
📖 Recipe
Chimichurri with Cilantro
Equipment
- Food Processor, Mini Food Processor, or Immersion Blender (Optional)
Ingredients
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley packed
- ½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, packed
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Blender, Food Processor, or Immersion Blender
- Mince the garlic and roughly chop the herbs. In a food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients. If using an immersion blender, add all of the ingredients to a glass jar.
- Pulse the ingredients until they are finely chopped and the olive oil and red wine vinegar are emulsified.
- Taste the chimichurri for seasoning. Add more salt if needed.
- Let it sit to allow the flavors to meld or serve right away.
By Hand
- For a more rustic tecture texture, peel and finely mince the garlic, finely chop the herbs, then combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until the olive oil and red wine vinegar are emulsified.
- Taste the chimichurri for seasoning. Add more salt if needed.
- Let it sit to allow the flavors to meld or serve right away.
Notes
- For a more traditional chimichurri, you can swap the cilantro for more parsley.
- Fridge: Leftover chimichurri can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for about 2 weeks.
- Freezer: You can freeze this sauce. I like to add the chimichurri to ice cube trays, freeze, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for storage. Use within 3 months.
- Reheating: There is no need to reheat this sauce. However, if you'd like to remove some of the chill, let it sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Kimmy says
Hi, I tried your recipe yesterday and it was delicious! I paired it with my Tuna Belly Grilled and it was a perfect combination! My parents will visit me today for a dinner gathering and I'm so happy to share this with them because I know they will surely love this too. Good job on sharing this I highly recommend this to everyone.
Genevieve says
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it, Kimmy! I hope your parents love it too.