Looking for an easy sauce you can make while dinner cooks? Chimichurri with cilantro and parsley is a bright, herby, uncooked green sauce that elevates your steak, fish, chicken, or roasted vegetables from good to something people will ask about, and it only takes 8 minutes!
This is my modified version of traditional chimichurri. A classic Argentine chimichurri typically includes red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and oregano. I tested it with all of those additions, tried different vinegars and lemon, and kept coming back to the same conclusion: I like it better without them.
What you get is a cleaner sauce that highlights the herbs rather than competing with them. Just enough olive oil to bind everything, one garlic clove so it doesn't overpower, and two herbs that work together.
For years, I used a mini food processor to make chimichurri. It works, but I think you're better off without one. The results were never quite right: half-cooked herb specks, uneven garlic chunks, and a texture that felt more blended than chopped. I switched to a knife and a microplane, and I'm not going back.
Chimichurri belongs on almost anything coming off the grill or out of the oven. Spoon it over grilled steak, sheet pan bone-in chicken breasts, pan-seared salmon, or grilled pork tenderloins. It's also at home over pan-roasted potatoes, eggs, grains, and a drizzle over any tomato-based soup just before serving.
A well-made sauce makes the plate. If you are exploring sauce ideas, browse my sauce recipes. The protein gets you halfway there. The sauce gets you the rest of the way.
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Why This Recipe is Different
- No vinegar. I tested the sauce with red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, and lemon juice. The version without acid tasted smooth and let the herbs shine.
- No food processor. The processor cooks the herbs and leaves the garlic inconsistently chopped.
- A microplane for the garlic. One clove grated on a microplane disappears into the sauce. No chunks, no sharp bites, just even garlic flavor throughout.
- Just enough oil. The goal is to moisten and bind the herbs, not pool across the plate. The ratio here keeps the sauce thick and scoopable.
Do I need a food processor?
For years, I used a mini food processor to make chimichurri. It works, but I think you're better off without one. The results were never quite right: soft herb specks from the heat of the blades, uneven garlic chunks, and a texture that felt more blended than chopped. I switched to a knife and a microplane.
If you use a mini food processor, add the garlic clove first and pulse until finely chopped, pausing to scrape down the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until combined but still chunky. Stop early to prevent overprocessing.
Ingredients
You only need 6 ingredients to make this fresh chimichurri sauce!
- Cilantro and flat-leaf Italian parsley: Try to use only the leaves. Some smaller stems are fine to include. Weigh your bundle of leaves if you have a small food scale: 9 grams each is the target. Volume measurements for herbs vary a lot depending on how loosely you pack them.
- Garlic: Real garlic, not the jarred stuff. One clove, grated on a microplane. That's the limit for an uncooked sauce. Raw garlic is sharp and pungent, and a second clove quickly overwhelms everything else. If your clove is very large, use half.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: It's important to use a smooth-tasting olive oil. Taste various olive oils to find the one that you like the best. My favorite is from California Olive Ranch.
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
Top tip
Rinse and dry the cilantro and parsley thoroughly. Pat them dry with a paper towel or spin them in a salad spinner. Do not chop wet herbs because it will tear and bruise them. We want the herbs to be light and fluffy, not clumpy.
Don't add the salt until right before serving if you're making this ahead. Salt pulls water out of fresh herbs, which softens them and dulls that bright green color.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Finely chop the cilantro and parsley with an 8-inch knife. You're looking for a fine, even chop - not a paste, but not large leafy pieces either. Transfer to a small bowl.
Step 2: Grate the garlic clove directly over the bowl of chopped herbs using a microplane.
Step 3: Stir in the olive oil, black pepper, and kosher salt. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Serve immediately.
Make Ahead & Storage Information
- Chop the herbs and grate the garlic up to 8 hours in advance. Store them together in a small covered container in the refrigerator.
- Stir in the oil, salt, and pepper when you're ready to serve.
- Once fully combined, the sauce is best eaten the same day but will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
FAQ
The knife works. Mince the garlic as finely as you can, then sprinkle a pinch of salt over it and drag the flat of the blade across it repeatedly. This turns it into more of a paste and distributes it more evenly.
I've tried replacing a microplane with a garlic press with poor results. The pressed garlic is too chunky.
I have never frozen chimichurri sauce. I'm guessing you can. Just make sure the herbs are completely covered with olive oil.
Use flat-leaf Italian parsley as half of the herb mixture, then add a mix of mint, basil, oregano, and/or chives. Pick one or all of the herbs for your mix. Be cautious about adding too much oregano; it has a spicy bite to it.
Yes. This sauce is very flexible. For the least amount of tartness, use lemon juice rather than red wine vinegar.
Did you try any of these tips? Leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out! Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Chimichurri With Cilantro And Parsley
Equipment
- 8-inch knife
- cutting board
- microplane
- if using a 3-cup mini food processor, see note below
Ingredients
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves (9 grams)
- ¼ cup flat-leaf Italian parsley (9 grams)
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
- Finely chop the cilantro and parsley, then add to a small bowl.
- Grate the garlic clove directly over the bowl of chopped herbs using a microplane.
- Stir in the olive oil, black pepper, and kosher salt. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chop the herbs and grate the garlic up to 8 hours in advance. Store them together in a small covered container in the refrigerator.
- Stir in the oil, salt, and pepper when you're ready to serve.
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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