Chimichurri

By J. Kenji López-Alt

Updated Jan. 22, 2024

Chimichurri
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(2,951)
Comments
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Chimichurri is a herbaceous and vinegary sauce from Argentina that’s classically paired with grilled meats, especially beef, but its uses don't end there. You can combine it with a dollop of mayonnaise to marinate chicken cutlets. (That same mayo-and-chimichurri mixture makes an excellent potato salad dressing, or toss it with sliced scallions and grilled or boiled corn cut from the cob.) Combine chimichurri with equal parts olive oil to use as a marinade and dressing for grilled vegetables. Add a few crushed cloves of garlic to that same mixture, brush it on a split ciabatta or baguette, and grill or broil it for an oregano-packed take on garlic bread. It may be tempting to think of a chimichurri as a sort of Argentine parallel to Italian pesto, but it is not: While pesto is made in a mortar and pestle and emulsified into a creamy mixture with a base mostly comprised of olive oil, chimichurri is made with chopped dried herbs that are steeped in hot salty water (the brine is called salmuera) and vinegar, with less olive oil added. Its texture comes from the dried herbs rehydrating in salt water. Chimichurri can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks; it will lose its bright green color, but it will improve in flavor with time.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1 cup
  • ¼cup dried oregano
  • 1teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
  • ½teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
  • ½cup hot water
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼cup red wine vinegar
  • 8medium garlic cloves
  • 2tablespoons olive oil (it need not be extra-virgin, but it can be), plus more as needed
  • ¼cup fresh oregano leaves, finely minced
  • 1tightly packed cup fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
  • Ground black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

193 calories; 15 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 3 grams protein; 369 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine dried oregano, paprika, red-pepper flakes and cumin, if using, in a large bowl. Add hot water and a big pinch of salt and stir with a fork. Add vinegar and stir to combine.

  2. Step 2

    Smash garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle to form a rough paste, then drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and work the garlic and oil around the mortar until it emulsifies and no loose oil remains. Scrape this garlic mixture into the bowl with the oregano mixture and stir to combine. (Alternatively, smash garlic cloves on a cutting board with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, then use the side of your knife to scrape the mixture back and forth until a paste forms. Drizzle a little olive oil over the paste and work it in with the side of the knife. Repeat until you’ve added about a tablespoon of olive oil, then scrape the mixture up and transfer it to the bowl with the oregano mixture, add the remaining olive oil, and stir to combine.)

  3. Step 3

    Add minced fresh oregano and parsley and stir to combine. Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator overnight, to allow the dried oregano to rehydrate and the flavors and texture to develop. Stir vigorously before tasting, then adjust seasoning with salt and fresh black pepper. Unused chimichurri can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several weeks.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,951 user ratings
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Comments

electricdestiny

The oddest chimichurri recipe I’ve seen. This is my go/to recipe: 1 bunch cilantro chopped fine 1 bunch parsley chopped fine 6-8 garlic cloves minced 1 jalapeño without seeds minced half a white or red onion minced Olive oil til herbs are covered 2-3 glugs/splashes of vinegar. Enough to make the herbs look wet. Then salt, I’d start with one table spoon then go tsp at a time, same w/ fresh ground pepper, maybe 1 tablespoon of cumin and dried oregano, I’ve put coriander before. Always a hit!

Emily

Followed the recipe to a T and quadruple-checked the steps and proportions after finding it *completely* inedible as written. (I normally *love* Kenji's recipes!) Did so much doctoring--mostly adding a ton of olive oil and more fresh parsley to mellow it out--and was able to get it to a good place but am left baffled by this! ...a little snooping reveals really different ratios by this same author on other sites. Less garlic, less dried oregano. Maybe this one's a mistake.

Grandmadoc

Food processor?

Denis

I have made other versions with fresh herbs and no water. They were too acidic but I was still taken aback at using so much hot water. But it worked brilliantly. Rather than cloying acidity, I got a more balanced flavor rich with oregano. Also used mint, tarragon, parsley and cilantro for a nice sweetness. This is a good platform for other add-ins too.

Hana

This is my go to Chimichurri 1/2 C. Finely chopped parsley 1/2 C. Olive oil 2 tbl red wine vinegar 1 tbl minced shallot 3 cloves grated garlic 1 tsp dried oregano or two tsp fresh 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp lemon zest 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper Whisk together and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Julio

I have been making chimichurri for decades, but I was willing to give this recipe a try. I should have read the notes first. I made the recipe exactly as written, and it is indeed bitter and harsh - too much garlic, vinegar, and dried oregano. Find a better recipe rather than trying to salvage this one.

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