What is chimichurri?
Chimichurri is a popular uncooked green or red sauce that originated in Argentina and Uruguay. It is often used as a marinade for steaks and other grilled meats, as well as a cooking ingredient and table condiment. It has a sharp effect on its counterparts, adding a zing to anything charred on a barbecue, from crusty skinned whole fish and juicy steaks, to sweet roasted peppers.
What is chimichurri made of?
The ingredients for chimichurri sauce may typically include chopped parsley and/or coriander, garlic, onion, olive oil, red or white wine vinegar and chilli.
Red or white wine vinegar?
You can use either red or white wine vinegar to add the acidity to chimichurri. Red wine vinegar lends itself better to red meat in the same way you might pair it with red wine. Red wine vinegar also makes the chopped onions look pretty by staining them a delicate shade of pink.
How to serve chimichurri
Chimichurri works well with anything barbecued, especially red meat and steak. Try our classic chimichurri steak, or serve it as a relish on a steak sandwich. With its high levels of acidity, it's also a great partner to oily fish such as salmon or trout, which need a bit of a bite to cut through their oily flesh. The most important thing to remember is that it's a condiment, not a marinade; it doesn’t respond well to being cooked. It works as a salad dressing, too, especially on fresh sliced tomatoes, as in this black bean chimichurri salad.
Jennifer Joyce
Jennifer creates recipes, food styling and photography for leading publications including The Guardian, BBC Good Food, Waitrose and Olive, as well as brands such as M&S and Lee Kum Kee. Inspired by her travels and a love of bold, vibrant flavours, Jennifer is the author of 12 cookbooks and also teaches at Leiths School of Food and Wine.
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