I am always looking for easy ways to mix things up in the kitchen. Sure, we eat all kinds of different meals – to the point where my husband and kids complain that they don’t get to eat their favorite meals often enough – but when it comes to sauces and marinades, I tend to just do variations on the same theme.

Now this recipe is just another variation on a familiar theme, but the flavor is unique enough that it tasted completely new for all of us. Chimichurri is pesto’s Argentinian cousin. The two condiments look similar and use the same basic preparation method, but the tastes are definitely different. The parsley keeps the flavor subtle and fresh and the vinegar adds a great tang.

The best thing about Chimichurri sauce is that it is so versatile and it’s a great way to stir in a little punch of flavor to nearly anything. Use it to top a baked potato, as a meat or seafood marinade, stirred into rice or couscous or my favorite new use for it – spooned into scrambled eggs. That is an out-of-this-world breakfast delight that Eric and I have actually been enjoying for lunch. I used some chimichurri sauce in a dinner that turned out to be amazingly good over the weekend. I’ll share that recipe later this week.

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Table of Contents

Chimichurri Sauce

Prep Time8

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: sauce

Ingredients

1 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar (white, red wine, rice wine…pretty much any kind would work)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt, medium coarseness
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

Coarsely chop parsley. Finely mince garlic. Place both in a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients until well combined. Refrigerate until using.

Notes

As you can see, this is a little bit easier than a traditional pesto because it has a more rustic texture. However, if you’d prefer a more universal consistency, you can process it in a food processor or blender like you would pesto.