Chimichurri is a herbaceous uncooked sauce originating in Argentina. Most typically it is used as a sauce or marinade for steak, sausages, or offal. But it works very well on seafood and chicken as well.

It is believed that chimichurri was invented by gaucho’s (Argentinian cowboys) to flavour meat that had been cooked over an open fire. It would make sense that they would use herbs and other ingredients that could be easily gathered while they were traveling.

What makes Chimichurri so great?

The brilliance of chimichurri, like most things I love, comes from its simplicity. It is composed of only a few ingredients balancing the fresh herb flavour with acid and a touch of heat. It cuts perfectly through the fat and rich flavour of a nice thick steak.

What’s in Chimichurri?

Like most foods that have hit the ever-expanding global awareness chimichurri has many variations depending on where it is found. However, in its most traditional form, it is made up of chopped parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, chili flakes, and red or white wine vinegar. A red version of the sauce also exists that has tomato and red bell pepper added. This version is slightly sweeter than the regular green version.

Variations

As I said, there are many variations of chimichurri. Some versions of the sauce are thick like a pesto while others are more like a loose dipping sauce. Some versions are slightly spicy while others are mild. Most American versions add cilantro to the mix which adds a nice flavour. And occasionally the wine vinegar will be substituted with balsamic or another type to alter the flavour and appearance.

Try it!

The next time you’re grilling up some steaks rather than grabbing the HP or whatever your sauce of choice is, whip up a batch of this stuff and give it a try. You won’t believe how delicious such a simple sauce can be and how you lived your whole life without trying it up until now.