Get your green on! Chimichurri Verde is a brilliant green sauce of fresh herbs to spoon over or into all sorts of savory dishes. It's bright, flavorful, and quick and easy to make. Vegan, oil-free, refined sugar-free, gluten-free, whole-food plant-based.
I love the vibrancy of a chimichurri, and I love that it meets my weeknight criteria of quick & easy. It's wonderful on potatoes, grilled veggies or mushrooms, proteins like tofu, tempeh, and beans, salads, sandwiches, soups, grains, buddha bowls - I could go on! I specifically created the tofu steaks recipe to enjoy with this chimichurri.
Although the origin is difficult to hunt down (I've read many contradictory versions), the consensus seems to be that chimichurri is an Argentinian condiment typically served over grilled meat. As mentioned, it can be used with so many other dishes!
I've found this sauce to be a meal-saver, quickly and easily bringing leftovers together with a fresh twist for another meal. Three cheers for Chimichurri!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this delicious, fresh chimichurri.
Parsley and cilantro: Fresh parsley is a traditional chimichurri ingredient. In this recipe, I'm using equal amounts of fresh cilantro. If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can replace it with more parsley.
Red onion: This adds flavor and color to the sauce. Shallot makes a good substitute.
Garlic granules: Because this is not a cooked recipe, I usually make it with garlic granules. That's because fresh garlic can be spicy and leave an after taste (and garlic breath). If you don't mind, go for the fresh garlic, which will likely be more flavorful. If you want to reduce your chances of the flavor being overboard, remove any green centers.
Jalapeno: The recipe calls for one large. You'll notice in the picture that I used two because they were small, and they'd been frozen. Peppers freeze well, so I buy loads of jalapenos in season at the farmers market and freeze them on a tray so that I can have them anytime.
Lemon juice: This brings a nice, bright flavor.
Balsamic vinegar: Another acid that has a deeper, rich flavor. The balance is nice.
Salt: Use any you'd like. I tend to use iodized because I know we need iodine daily.
Crushed red peppers: I like to add these for a smoky kick that isn't over-the-top. Totally optional.
Fresh oregano: Another traditional ingredient, tI often make it without (so didn't picture it); if you're going to use it, I don't recommend dried here. Optional.
Coconut aminos: Some find the flavor almost too bright, so add this if you want to soften the acidic ingredients. Also not pictured, optional.
Filtered water: You may need this if you find you need a bit more liquid to bring it together.
Equipment
Here's what you will need to make this recipe.
A knife and cutting board
A juicer
Measuring cups and spoons
A food processor
A jar or other sealed storage container
Instructions
We will basically be combining all the ingredients in a food processor and pulsing until well combined. Below are the steps.
Always wash ingredients well before starting.
Juice the lemon and coarsely chop the onion and pepper.
Coarsely chop the parsley and cilantro.
Place all the ingredients in a food processor.
Pulse until well combined, yet with some texture remaining.
Serving and storing
Chimichurri is traditionally served over meats, but it doesn't have to be restricted to that use! As mentioned, it's wonderful over savory dishes like salads and potatoes, grilled veggies or mushrooms, beans, grains, stirred into soups, as a spread in sandwiches or burgers. Here, we're serving it over tofu steaks! So delicious.
The recipe makes about a cup, so store it in a sealed container about that size (with as little air space as possible). Best used within a day or two.
Pairing
These recipes go great with chimichurri!
The Recipe
Chimichurri Verde Recipe
Equipment
- food processor
- measuring cups and spoons
- knife and cutting board
- juicer manual is fine
- jar or other sealed container for the fridge
Ingredients
- 1 cup parsley fresh, about ½ bunch
- 1 cup cilantro fresh, about ½ bunch
- 1 large jalapeno or equivalent
- ¼ cup red onion or shallot
- 1 teaspoon oregano fresh, optional
- ¼ cup lemon juice fresh preferred, about one lemon
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar not the thick kind; or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules or 2-3 medium garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon crushed red peppers optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspooon coconut aminos to balance the acid, optional
- 1 tablespoon filtered water if still needing liquid, optional
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the fresh ingredients and juice the lemon, then place them in a food processor.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and pulse until it comes together well but still has some texture. Stop and scrape the sides, if necessary. Add the water if needing more liquid.
- Serve immediately, or store in a sealed refrigerated container. Best eaten within a day or two.
Notes
general food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands and ingredients well before using
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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