Step-by-step instructions for how to make chimichurri sauce in minutes! Make the freshest, most delicious homemade chimichurri sauce to use on grilled meats and veggies, in sandwiches or on burgers and more!
❤️ Why you'll love this easy recipe
Quick! This sauce takes only a few minutes to make.
Fresh! Made with fresh garden herbs, garlic, shallots, oil and vinegar, this is an easy but incredibly flavourful sauce.
Versatile! Traditionally served with grilled beef, chimichurri sauce is also delicious on other meats and veggies.
🛒 Ingredients
You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below.
Homemade chimichurri sauce is made with fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, basil, cilantro and ground coriander combined with olive oil, lemon juice and red wine vinegar.
🔪 How to Make Chimichurri Sauce Step-by-Step
- Start by marinating roughly chopped garlic and shallots in a little red wine vinegar and fresh lemon juice, for about 5 minutes or so. While it's marinating, set up your food processor (or cutting board and knife) and assemble the remaining ingredients.
- Next, add the parsley, basil, cilantro, coriander, and salt to the food processor and pulse a couple of times to coarsely chop the herbs.
- The garlic and shallots go in next. Pulse only until roughly chopped.
- With the machine running, drizzle in olive oil, pulsing a few times, until emulsified. The chimichurri sauce should not be smooth like a purée. It's best to leave it coarsely chopped. It's ready to use!
🔁 Possible Variations
If you like lots of heat, feel free to add a pinch or two of dried chili flakes.
🍳 Equipment
A food processor will be your best friend for this recipe. However, you can certainly use your knife skills and chop the herbs and aromatics by hand. Of course, traditionally the herbs and aromatics in chimichurri sauce were always chopped with a knife!
🍽 More ways to use chimichurri sauce
Once you start using chimichurri sauce, you'll find a host of ways to use it besides slathering it on grilled meat.
- Add a spoonful or two to your favourite vegetable side dishes.
- Drizzle it over pizza once it's baked.
- Use it as a spread on burgers or sandwiches.
- Brush it on skewered veggies and chicken kabobs.
- Spice up your breakfast with a dollop of chimichurri on your morning eggs!
⏰ Storage Instructions
To store: Chimichurri sauce stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator will last up to a week.
To freeze: You can also freeze the sauce for up to a month. I often double the recipe and freeze half for another meal. If I don't have fresh garden herbs and have to buy them, doubling the recipe is a good way to use them up, as they are often sold in large bunches.
Freeze small amounts in ice cube trays, pop the cubes out and store in a resealable freezer bag. Your homemade chimichurri will be ready to use in sandwiches, on burgers or on your favourite vegetables.
🗒 More recipes for homemade sauces
When you make this easy chimichurri sauce recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing from you! Thanks in advance. Subscribe to my newsletter and receive new recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
📖 Recipe
How to Make Chimichurri Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ½ cup fresh Italian leaf parsley, packed, tough stems removed
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed, stems removed
- ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Roughly chop garlic and shallot. Combine with red wine vinegar and lemon juice and set aside.
- Add parsley, basil, cilantro, coriander and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to roughly chop.
- Add the garlic and shallot mixture and pulse.
- With the machine running on low, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream until well incorporated. Take care not to chop it too finely. The chimichurri sauce should be slightly chunky.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Jackie
Elaine, I am so happy to learn how to preserve this sauce for the future. I hate to throw out those bunches of leftover herbs. Very tasty and versatile sauce!!
Elaine
Yes--that's a great idea to avoid waste, Jackie! Love this sauce. I could eat it by the spoonful lol!