Chimichurri is Argentina's answer to the question of what grilled meat actually needs — parsley, garlic, chilli, and vinegar, loosened with good olive oil. No blender, no cooking, just chopping and patience. The resting time is the recipe: the garlic mellows, the oregano blooms, and the sauce becomes more than its parts.
Ingredients
- 30 g Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tsp Dried oregano
- 40 g Red wine vinegar
- 1 Red chilli, finely diced
- 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 6 g Fine sea salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 tbsp (30g) Water, warm
- 80 g Extra virgin olive oil
Combine the parsley, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, red chilli, garlic, fine sea salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir well and leave for 10 minutes.
Add the warm water and extra virgin olive oil. Stir thoroughly and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Notes & Substitutions
Serving: Chimichurri belongs with grilled beef first — it is the sauce for the Argentine bavette steak with corn ribs — but it earns its keep across the grill: chicken, lamb, pork, and charred vegetables all take it well. Spoon it over anything straight off the coals.
Seasoning: Taste after the full rest, not before — the salt needs time to dissolve and the garlic to mellow, so an early taste reads harsh and underseasoned. Adjust the seasoning only once the sauce has had its 30 minutes.
Heat: One red chilli with the seeds in gives a moderate, building warmth. Deseed it for a gentler sauce, or add a second chilli if you want real heat — the oil and parsley soften it considerably.
Storage: Keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. The oil will firm up when cold — bring the sauce back to room temperature and stir before serving. It is at its best on day two.
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Chimichurri
COOKED
PROPERLY
Ingredients
- 30 g Flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
- 2 tsp Dried oregano
- 40 g Red wine vinegar
- 1 Red chilli (finely diced)
- 4 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
- 6 g Fine sea salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)
- 2 tbsp Water (warm)
- 80 g Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Start the chimichurri
30 g Flat-leaf parsley · 2 tsp Dried oregano · 40 g Red wine vinegar · 1 Red chilli · 4 cloves Garlic · 6 g Fine sea salt · 1 tsp Black pepper
Combine the parsley, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, red chilli, garlic, fine sea salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir well and leave for 10 minutes.
Chop the parsley by hand rather than reaching for a blender or food processor. Blades bruise the leaves and turn the sauce into a dark, muddy paste — a knife keeps the parsley in distinct pieces and the sauce bright.
Finish and rest
2 tbsp Water · 80 g Extra virgin olive oil
Add the warm water and extra virgin olive oil. Stir thoroughly and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
Making the chimichurri the night before or the morning of is even better — the flavour develops significantly as it sits, and the garlic and chilli mellow into the oil.
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Equipment worth having
One bowl per ingredient. It sounds simple. It changes everything.
£25-£75
One bowl per ingredient. It sounds simple. It changes everything.
£25-£75
One bowl per ingredient. It sounds simple. It changes everything.
£25-£75
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