Chimichurri sauce red, also known as chimichurri rojo is my absolute favorite sauce for grilled meat. It's lovely and vibrant, full of fresh ingredients and smoky flavor.
It's naturally gluten free, dairy free and vegan. Easy to make and ready in 5 minutes without any cooking required.
In this red chimichurri recipe your garden herbs, garlic and chili's really gets brought into life. When you have excess herbs and chili's growing in your garden, making a batch of this amazing Chimichurri rojo sauce is always a good idea! You will want to use it on everything! Read more about homegrown food here
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What is red chimichurri sauce?
Red chimichurri sauce is an uncooked sauce, dressing and marinade, a magical blend of fresh roughly chopped herbs, chili and garlic mixed with olive oil, red wine vinegar and smoked paprika.
It's a bright, garlicky, tangy and robust fresh sauce mainly used as a table condiment for grilled meat popular in South American cuisine. Excellent for dressing up just about anything.
Ingredients in chimichurri sauce red
- fresh red chili
- fresh parsley
- garlic cloves
- fresh oregano
- ground paprika
- red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- fresh lemon
- salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Chimichurri sauce red
No need to buy ready made Chimichurri sauce. Making it yourself is very simple and doesn't take long at all.
- Step 1: Combine all the ingredients into a food processor.
- Step 2: Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are chopped.
- Step 3: Check seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
- Step 4: All the ingredients should be well chopped but still coarse.
Hint: If you don't have a food processor, you can finely chop the ingredients by hand instead.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spicy - add more chili to enhance heat into the sauce.
- Extra Veg - add chopped tomatoes and or roasted chopped bell pepper for a more substantial salsa like chimichurri
- Make it Verde - add green chili instead of red and skip the paprika for a Chimichurri Verde
Equipment
Food processor or knife and chopping board
Storage
Store in a sealed jar in the fridge. Make sure all the ingredients are covered with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation. Add more oil if needed. Good for 3-4 weeks.
The oil will solidify in the refrigerator but will become liquid again when brought back to room temperature. Bring out to room temperature before serving.
Chimichurri red sauce can be frozen up to 3 months. Pour into small freezer bags. Top with a thin layer of olive oil. Defrost again in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature.
Top Tip
- Let the sauce stand for an hour or more before serving to let all the flavors infuse together. It needs hours for the flavors to settle and blend together, leaving it to rest overnight i best.
- Use a mild or neutral olive oil. A robust extra virgin olive oil, can completely overshadow the other ingredients.
FAQ
Verde: Green vibrant and herbaceous focuses on fresh green herbs.
Rojo: Deep red/orange adds red chili and paprika, is smoky and earthy.
No, red chimichurri contains chili for flavour, but it's not meant to be spicy hot.
Use fresh ingredients: The key to a vibrant chimichurri is using fresh garlic, chili, and herbs. Dried herbs can be substituted in a small amount but don't over do it, fresh herbs offer the brightness and freshness that chimichurri is known for.
Chop the ingredients in a blender or food processor until pureed - The herbs should be finely chopped and rustic, not liquefied.
Dried or powdered parsley - use fresh. Dried and powdered parsley won't give you the freshness that you are looking for.
Olive oil to strong - use a mild or neutral olive oil rather then a robust extra virgin olive oil to prevent it from overpower the other ingredients.
Yes, chimichurri can be frozen up to 3 months: Pour into small freezer bags. Top with a thin layer of olive oil. Defrost again in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature.
Related
Looking for other sauce/ dressing recipes like this? Try these:
Sour cream lemon and herb dressing
When your garden produce a good amount of herbs and chili peppers. Try making this amazing rojo chimichurri. You won't regret it! It's a fresh and flavorful addition to grilled meat, seafood and vegetables.
If you made this rojo chimichurri recipe. Please leave me a comment and rating below. I really appreciate it and I love hearing from you!
Chimichurri sauce red
Ingredients
- 3 fresh red chili
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1½ cup fresh or dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground paprika
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 cup olive oil
- ½ fresh lemon juice only
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients into a food processor.
- Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are chopped.
- Check seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
- All the ingredients should be well chopped but still coarse.
- Let the sauce rest for an hour or more (overnight is best) before serving to let all the flavors infuse together.
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