Chimichurri Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

FAQs

How do you get the bitterness out of chimichurri? ›

Chimichurri can become bitter if the ingredients aren't balanced properly. Thankfully, there are a few easy ways to fix bitter-tasting chimichurri. Adding more acidity, like citrus or vinegar, can counteract bitter flavors. You can also add a touch of sweetness in the form of honey or sugar.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

It's important to let the chimichurri rest for at least 20 minutes before using it; this allows the garlic, fresh herbs, and crushed red pepper flakes meld with the oil so your chimichurri is extra flavorful.

Chimichurri is a beautiful raw sauce that is used in several Mexican and South American dishes. There are two green chimichurri sauces, a Mexican chimichurri with parsley and cilantro (like in this recipe), or the Argentinian chimichurri that uses parsley and oregano.

Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce

But remember the flavours will get stronger after it's had time to rest for a while. If time allows, let it sit for more than 2 hours to release all of the flavours into the oil before using. If you don't have the time, wait at least 10 minutes.

Spices mask bitter flavors, so don't be shy. Add some spicy peppers or powders to your cooking, or sprinkle some onto your dishes for a little bit of extra heat. Black pepper in particular has compounds that counteract bitterness. Some other great spices include cayenne, red pepper, paprika, and chili powder.

Add Some Baking Soda

If your tomato sauce is too acidic and verging on bitter, turn to baking soda, not sugar. Yes, sugar might make the sauce taste better, but good old baking soda is an alkaline that will help balance the excess acid. A little pinch should do the trick.

If serving after being stored in the fridge, take the chimichurri out and let it come to room temperature first. Olive oil solidifies while in the fridge, so letting it come to room temp will allow the olive oil to return to liquid form.

Chimichurri sauce keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it! I like to portion it into ice cube trays so that I can thaw a little at a time. The cubes will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Dried-herb chimichurri can last up to a week unrefrigerated and 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. For a shortcut, consider our dried Chimichurri Spice Blend, which needs just olive oil, salt and vinegar to make a long-lasting sauce.

Authentic chimichurri verde is made with parsley, garlic, red onion, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. These simple ingredients yield a spectacularly delicious green sauce. Some chimichurri recipes call for fresh cilantro in addition to parsley.

Do you use parsley stems in chimichurri? ›

The bulk is parsley and oregano and we'll use a smaller amount of oregano as well. When you're cutting your herbs up, remember you can cut the parsley and cilantro stems and all- just give them a rough chop to measure, but for the oregano, you'll want to pull those little stems off the woody stem.

Chimichurri complements any number of meats and vegetables. Here are some of our favorite ways to use chimichurri sauce: Serve it alongside grilled steak or pork chops, roasted chicken, poached salmon or sauteed shrimp. Drizzle it over grilled vegetable kebabs or oven-roasted vegetables.

How long does chimichurri sauce last? Shelf life: Chimichurri evolves in its flavor as it ages. The fresh stage lasts about 2 to 3 weeks when refrigerated, and about 7 days if not. Chimichurri sauce is usually served aged.

Use the sharpest knife in your kitchen when making this recipe. A dull knife can pulverize the herbs making the chimichurri look kind of brown.

You can use chimichurri as soon as you make it, but the flavor gets stronger and better if you allow the sauce to sit for about an hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Like salt, acids such as vinegar or lemon juice compete with bitter flavor compounds, lessening our perception of these tastes as they “brighten” remaining ones. We use vinegar to enliven the flavor of everything from soups and stews to sauces.

Sweeten it: Adding a sweetener like sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar can help balance out the bitterness in certain dishes. Be cautious not to over-sweeten, as you want to mask the bitterness, not create an overly sweet taste. Acidify it: Adding an acidic ingredient can counteract bitterness.