Red chimichurri Sauce Recipe (Chimichurri Rojo)

Red Chimichurri Sauce (chimichurri rojo) with roasted red pepper and smoked paprika is perfect served with grilled meat, veggies or you can even use it as a delicious marinade. This Argentine sauce is made from roasted red pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, crushed red pepper flakes and a blend of other ingredients that create a delicious condiment that adds a smoky depth of flavor to everything else on the table!

Ingredients

The key to making a good chimichurri is using fresh ingredients and quality oil and vinegar.

• roasted red peppers – I used jarred red bell peppers but you can easily roast your own.
• fresh parsley – you can use fresh cilantro instead if you want for a bit of different flavor.
• garlic the cloves of garlic have to be fresh for the best results and you can add more if you like that garlic spiciness to come through.
• shallot – you can substitute red onion but shallot creates a more delicate result with less of that raw onion forward bite to it.
• red wine vinegar – red wine vinegar is truly the best here. Some versions use lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar and you can substitute those if you must but prioritize using a good quality vinegar.
• smoked paprika – can substitute regular paprika but smoked really is excellent. I especially recommend smoked paprika if pairing with grilled or smoked meats and vegetables.
• crushed red pepper – optional if you want it spicy but using just a little adds a subtle kick that really enhances the sauce. You can just add more black pepper if you want or substitute chili crisp oil for a tasty Asian twist!
• extra virgin olive oil – evoo is a must here! You can sub in another mild flavored oil like avocado oil, but I recommend using extra virgin olive oil for it’s mild taste. Avocado oil can act as a substitute since it has mild flavor. Regular, non-extra virgin olive oil will give off a stronger flavor and any other oil type does not work as well in chimichurri.

How to Make Red Chimichurri

Making chimichurri is as easy as can be. I use a mini food processor or blender but I’ve also done it solely with a knife before which was fine too.

1. Add everything except olive oil to a mini food processor or blender.
   
2. Pulse until all is well chopped but not puréed. A little chunk is good here. If you don’t have a food processor you can finely mince the red pepper, parsley, shallot and garlic and just stir the remaining ingredients in.
   
3. Pour the mixture into a small bowl using a rubber spatula to scrape the insides of the blender.
4. Drizzle in olive oil, adjust salt and spice level to taste and serve.
   

Storage and Freezing

One of the best parts about chimichurri is how well it keeps. It’s the gift that keeps giving!

Refrigerator Storage: Store in a glass jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Remove from refrigerator half hour before serving. This allows it to come to room temperature since the olive oil may solidify. To prolong the life of the chimichurri, you can drizzle more olive oil on top before placing back in the refrigerator.

Freezing: Chimichurri can be frozen in ice cube trays. Once frozen, store frozen cubes in a tightly sealing freezer bag for up to 3 months. Remove as much of the air from the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn and make it last longer.

Recipe Notes, Tips and Tricks

What to Serve it With

Chimichurri is an undoubtedly versatile sauce. It pairs well with everything and can elevate the flavor of pretty much any dish. Some of the best things to serve it with are:

• The Argentine way – steak of course! It goes well with flank steak, skirt steak, a good ribeye or any good steak
• Other grilled meats (chicken, fish, pork, lamb, Shrimp, etc.) as a sauce or even a marinade
• Roasted or grilled veggies
• Eggs and breakfast dishes
• As a sauce for sandwiches wraps – it’s excellent mixed with aioli or mayonnaise
• Served over rice or quinoa bowls
• As a dipping sauce for bread

Recipe

Recipe

5 from 2 ratings

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Smoky, Easy Red Chimichurri Sauce (Chimichurri Rojo)

Created by: Christy Gurin

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Print Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

10 servings

Red Chimichurri Sauce (chimichurri rojo) with roasted red pepper and smoked paprika is perfect served with grilled meat, veggies or you can even use it as a delicious marinade. This Argentine sauce is made from roasted red pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, crushed red pepper flakes and a blend of other ingredients that create a delicious condiment that adds a smoky depth of flavor to everything else on the table!

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Equipment

• 1 Mini food processor Can use chef knife and cutting board instead to chop ingredients
• 1 Small bowl
• 1 Rubber spatula
• 1 Measuring cups and spoons set
• 1 Spoon

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ ½ cup roasted red peppers with skin removed can use jarred or roast your own*
• ▢ ½ cup parsley loosely packed (2 Tbsp. chopped if chopping)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon minced garlic 2 medium cloves; has to be fresh, not pre-minced
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons minced shallot about 1 shallot
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt I use himalayan, taste and adjust salt to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1/2 – 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper Optional if you want it spicy
• ▢ 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Add all of the ingredients, except the olive oil, to a mini food processor or small attachment for your blender.
• Pulse blender until all is well chopped. If you don’t have a food processor you can finely dice the red pepper, parsley, and shallot and mince the garlic and just stir the remaining ingredients in.
• Pour the mixture into a small bowl using a rubber spatula to remove it all from the inside of the blender.
• Drizzle in olive oil, adjust salt level and spice to taste and and stir well. Serve as a sauce with meat, vegetables or use as a sauce.

Notes

 Refrigerator Storage: Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Remove from refrigerator half hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature since the olive oil may solidify. Drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top if needed before refrigerating to prolong the life of the sauce.

Freezing: Chimichurri can be frozen in an ice cube tray and then once frozen, store frozen cubes in a tightly sealing freezer bag for up to 3 months. Remove as much of the air from the bag as possible to prevent freezer burn and make it last longer.

Roasting red peppers: Roast seeded and halved red peppers cut side down at 450° F (232° C) for 15-20 minutes. Gently peel away skin and discard.

To use as a marinade: Marinade meat in chimichurri for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for chicken, steak, or pork. Seafood and vegetables should be marinated for under 1 hour before cooking as desired. When using as a marinade, I typically double the sauce and reserve half to serve alongside.

Nutrition

Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 336mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 477IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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