5-Minute Chimichurri Sauce Recipe - Little Broken (2024)

FAQs

What is a chimichurri sauce made of? ›

Chimichurri sauce hails from Uruguay and Argentina. It's commonly made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, finely chopped parsley, and dried or fresh oregano.

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.

You just put all of the stuff (well almost all) into the food processor, pulse it up and then while the processor is running you want to stream in the oil slowly. By streaming in the oil you're actually blending the oil into the mixture so when it rests, it doesn't break (separate).

One possible cause is an overuse of parsley stems or garlic, which can have a slightly bitter taste. Another reason could be the use of spoiled ingredients. So, make sure you use fresh ingredients and stick to the listed amount in the recipe.

Picture chermoula as being somewhat similar in nature to chimichurri, the popular Argentinian herb sauce. Both have a base of olive oil and fresh herbs (commonly parsley and cilantro), and are flavored with garlic and red pepper flakes.

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. The ingredients cause a natural pickling process.

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.

And from a health standpoint, chimichurri is loaded with good-for-you benefits, including calcium, carotenes, iron, and vitamins A and C (from the parsley) and calcium, fiber, iron, and vitamins E and K (from the oregano), as well as heart-healthy garlic and the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, which may help to ...

Recipe Tips

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.

How runny should chimichurri be? ›

The chimichurri sauce should not be pureed into an herb mash or thick paste. Rather, the parsley should still have body and texture and there should be enough oil (because it's not pureed) to be a loose, oil-based condiment. Don't over-process the olive oil.

Don't over-puree the ingredients, and you will have a wonderful homemade chimichurri. Make sure the herbs aren't wet – After washing your herbs, make sure to dry them thoroughly. Excess water will make the sauce watery and less flavorful, and the oil and water won't mix.

The Fix Is Simple—Add Water Back.

A generous splash of water is all it takes. Here's how fix a broken sauce: Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and reheat the sauce to a vigorous simmer, whisking constantly. The bubbling action will help re-emulsify the butter and bring back that thick, glossy sauce.

There are many answers to the painful question of 'Why did my sauce break? ' Common reasons include adding the fat too quickly, which means the fat and the liquid in the sauce you're making struggle to combine. If the sauce is on too high a heat, sometimes the ingredients will lose their ability to emulsify.

The first step to preventing a sauce from breaking is to be sure you're cooking at the right temperature. Most sauces shouldn't be cooked over high heat. A simmer is usually enough, and a lower temperature will give you more control over how fast the sauce cooks. This helps you get the consistency just right.

If we could only use one word to describe chimichurri sauce, it would be “bright.” The combination of fresh cilantro and parsley pack an herbaceous flavor, while the red pepper flakes bring a hint of spice. Add in the garlic's spicy, pungent flavor and the vinegar's acidic tang, and that's chimichurri.

The origin of its name is uncertain, though it is probably derived from the Basque tximitxurri, which means something like “a hodgepodge.” It has long since been internationalized, however, with a taste that reflects the manifold flavours brought by immigrants from different European countries.

And from a health standpoint, chimichurri is loaded with good-for-you benefits, including calcium, carotenes, iron, and vitamins A and C (from the parsley) and calcium, fiber, iron, and vitamins E and K (from the oregano), as well as heart-healthy garlic and the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, which may help to ...

Pesto is an Italian sauce made with basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. Chimichurri is an Argentine sauce made with parsley, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and red chili peppers or flakes. Chimichurri doesn't contain nuts or cheese. Basil pesto is smooth, salty, and slightly nutty.