Chimichurri Butter Compound (5-Minute Recipe)

This easy, decadent chimichurri butter is made in just a few minutes with fresh herbs, garlic and red wine vinegar in the food processor. It’s delicious slathered on bread, topping steaks, rubbed on salmon, as a sauce for veggies, tossed with pasta, cooked with eggs, or pretty much any other savory way you would normally use butter. The recipe calls for a mix of fresh parsley and cilantro paired with dried oregano. It’s easy to freeze and slice off as needed too so perfect for gourmet meal prep!

If you’re obsessed with chimichurri like I am, you’ll fall head over heals for chimichurri butter! It’s zesty, absolutely bursting with fresh herbal flavor perfectly complemented by buttery richness. Plus it’s so simple and easy to make.

You’ll find yourself wanting to use it on everything you make. Scrambled eggs? Oh yeah. A thin layer under avocado toast? Bring it on. So many uses for this tasty condiment!

Chimichurri is an herb and garlic vinegar mixture that is normally emulsified into olive oil and served as a sauce. It’s traditionally served alongside grilled meats and veggies but it’s excellent paired with all kinds of dishes. In this recipe, the butter stands in for the oil making it a rich herb butter compound that can be used in so many ways.

If you haven’t had chimichurri you’re missing out! I first tried this delicious South American sauce visiting my mother-in-law in Argentina. That was over 15 years ago and I’ve been making it at home ever since.

What Makes this Recipe so Good

Ingredients

This easy recipe is mostly about the butter and herbs. Adding a few extra simple ingredients gives it that classic chimichurri flavor that . Here’s what you’ll need:

• fresh parsley and cilantro – the ratio doesn’t really matter here and is up to your preference or what you’ve got. I like using a 50/50 blend but you can use all parsley or all fresh cilantro, or a variation of both – whatever you prefer. In this recipe, choose flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley) over the bushier garnish style parsley.
• garlic – fresh is definitely best here. I like adding two medium sized cloves but you’re spice or garlic sensitive, you can just do one clove.
• red wine vinegar – the acidity gives it tanginess to offset the herbs and richness of the butter. Red wine vinegar has a delicate flavor profile that works well here but you can substitute with fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or another acidic citrus or vinegar if needed.
• dried oregano – this pungent herb gives it depth. I like using dried since it doesn’t impact the end taste and I rarely have fresh oregano on hand. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of fresh oregano though if you prefer.
• salt – I used salted butter in the recipe but you can adjust the amount to taste. Salt in some form is necessary here for full bodied flavor.
• black pepper – pepper adds a little more robust flavor without being too too intrusive or spicy. Finely ground is best here.
• crushed red pepper – this is optional if you want it spicy. If not, just stick to black pepper. I personally love the slight kick it gives the butter.
• salted butter – I used salted but you can use unsalted butter and plan on adding about an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt to account for the difference. The big thing here is that the butter is the proper temperature. You want it to be softened to room temperature but not melty. Letting it sit on the counter for about an hour or pulling it out the night before works. To make it vegan, you can use your favorite dairy-free butter instead.

How to Make Chimichurri Butter

This recipe is easy to make. No chopping needed if you use a food processor or blender. I have a mini food processor that is perfect for this recipe and so many others.

1. Put the herbs, garlic, vinegar, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper into your food processor. Pulse a few times until chopped. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the food processor bowl to ensure everything gets evenly chopped.
   
2. Add softened and pulse food processor in quick bursts until it’s thoroughly mixed and cohesive. You may to use that rubber scraper again to make sure it gets evenly mixed.
   
3. Scrape chimichurri butter our of food processor and use or save for later. Enjoy!

Refrigeration and Freezing

You can store this compound butter in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. Unwrap and slice off butter as needed, re-wrapping after each use.

For freezing though, you’ll want to wrap it tightly. To do this, form it into a log with parchment paper and twist the ends to seal it up. Chimichurri butter will last in the freezer for up to 3 months like this. For longer storage, You can cover the wrapped butter roll with plastic wrap or a freezer safe bag to protect it from frostbite for longer.

If frozen, use a sharp knife to slice off the amount you need and place the log back in the freezer. You may need to let it sit on the countertop for 15 minutes before slicing. It’s the perfect way to get a little of that South America flair into every day meals!

Variations

There are endless ways you can do this:

• Make a red version by adding paprika and a small amount (under 1/4 cup) of peeled roasted red pepper to the food processor.
• Make it lemony by replacing the vinegar with lemon juice and adding some lemon zest.
• Add a tiny amount of shallot for a more onion forward flavor.
• Replace half of the vinegar with lime juice, use mostly cilantro instead of parsley, a bit of lime zest and add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin for a latin flavored twist.