This smoky red chimichurri sauce has become my new favorite sauce! It’s crazy easy and it goes on everything! I mean every.thing.
I’ve smoked baby potatoes with it, used it on shoulder tender and ribeye, smeared it on cod and baked it. It just wants to be friends with everything.
And while I do love, love green chimichurri, this one seems…simpler somehow. Not that the green one is difficult at all, but you do need a lemon for it and I don’t always have that around. I’m not gonna use bottled lemon for a fresh chimi. So then I have to go to the store, blah, blah, blah… You know the drill.
Holy mackerel! I just tasted this again with a cracker after sitting for about 8 hours and it is AMAZING. This sauce is a rockstar. – S. Evans
With this smoky red chimichurri I usually have everything on hand so I can whip it up anytime. And it gets better as it sits, with almost anything I’ve found. Except dead fish.
Make this one up head to head with the green chimichurri and see which one you like better!
Smoky Red Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 large shallots
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar sub white wine vinegar in a pinch
- 1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, or a mixture of both
- 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 – 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
If Using a Food Processor: (which is my preference)
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Add the garlic cloves and chunked shallots into the processor. Pulse until it starts to get chopped, but not too much. Keep it chunky.
Add the olive oil, vinegar, parsley/cilantro, paprika, chipotle powder, salt, cumin and red pepper flakes. Pulse until it combines and comes together. You don’t want to turn it into liquid, you just want to chop all this up but still has some texture.
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That’s it! It’s ready to eat now and is absolutely delicious, but the flavors will get better once they hang out and get to know each other.
Without a Food Processor:
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Finely mince the garlic, and shallots. Add to a large bowl. Finely chop the parsley/cilantro. Add that to the garlic and shallots. Add the oil, vinegar, and all the spices. Stir to combine well. As above, it’s delicious on the spot, but better when you let the flavors hang out a while.
Recipe Notes
This is a very, VERY forgiving recipe. The amounts are…loose. I never measure my herbs out. I just use what I have, or tear off a fist full of each and throw it in my processor. You can use all parsley, all cilantro, but the mixture of the two is my favorite!
The red pepper flakes are optional if you’re not into heat, but even at 1/2 tablespoon, it’s not too spicy at all. We put this on everything – everything!
This sounds great on some grilled buttered corn. I will try this out I may put some twists in there but I’ll let ya know how it goes.
We loved this with a salmon and black bean quinoa bowl. Served it for company. Everyone raved. Thanks.
Entonces lo de ahumado se lo da el pimentón dulce ahumado?
Exactly!
Looks delicious, going to give it a go…how long can it last in a jar?
I would say no more than 7, 8 days. I haven’t found it lasts that long at home, but I have accidentally left a small jar in the back of my fridge (I forgot about it!). When I went back to it it wasn’t “bad” as in it’ll make you sick, but it was a bit sad. Fresh herbs don’t take to long amounts of time.
Beautiful and Delicious
Sweet and Spicy and Smokey.
Can’t wait for dinner now.
Love green chimi’s too …esp Mexican style…so you can imagine this is right up my alley.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Happy to hear you enjoyed it Nikki!
We’re pretty perplexed by the number of quality of ratings for this recipe.
In what way does this perplex you?
I made this exactly and it was amazing!!! I’ll try the green one next.
Great to hear Kacey! Glad it was a hit!
Does this need to be refrigerated?
Yes, I would say. At least, I do. I don’t think it would keep if you didn’t.
It does not necessarily need to be refrigerated. If it’s in the oil, the pantry shelf is ok. I do this with smoked sundried tomatoes as it’s covered in oil and seasonings.
While technically, absolutely true, I do find if I leave it out it goes bad faster. It’s not that the oil goes bad, it’s the herbs in it – they just seem to stay fresher longer if stored in the fridge. But you can for sure leave it out.
Amazing sauce/condiment. I will keep this recipe / ready condiment in my fridge or freezer . So many uses!
Found you through Pinterest… This looks so tasty!
I’m from Indonesia. I think I’m going to try this recipe with Lombok chile peppers. But with all that garlic.. yum!
Great site, Jaxx. I’m want to try some of your instant pot recipes too!
Omg this is just amazing, I made it for Superbowl and everyone put it on everything. I had requests to make it the following weekend. I even made a beef jerkey with it. This is definitely in my go tos from now on
Thanks Melanie!
Beef Jerky!!?? You’re brilliant! That may be one of the only things I haven’t done with this sauce – but I will. Oh yes, I will.
How “hot”(spicy) is this? What would you suggest for “us” wimps when it comes to heat??
I would start with 1/4 red pepper. The flavor develops as it sits though, so let it hang around for at least a couple of hours before deciding you want or need more heat.
I just made this for my dinner tomorrow. Tasted great and was easy to make. I did change it up a little… I have a lot of flavored salts and used a couple of them – a smoked salt and a chili lime salt. I also put in 1/4 teaspoon dried lime and 1/4 teaspoon lemon thyme. Going to use it on mahi mahi-mahi and can’t wait. Thanks for the recipe!
Love the sound of your changes – chili lime salt!! Oh yeah! Fish is one of my favorite things to slater it on.
Looking very delicious. Which food can eat this? Thanks
It’s so delicious and so versatile!
I’ll tell you what I like to do… I put it on steak, I use it on chicken breast, shrimp, spread it on cream cheese and serve with crackers, add a tablespoon or so to soups and stews and it’s even tasty on tofu!
Made this on Thanksgiving to go with grilled rib-eye steaks. This will be a staple in our house. Absolutely loved it!
Rock on! I love it with rib-eye too!
No, sorry, I did not. This is actually a blended version of my own, from three different chimichurris I make. I would love to check out Bobby Flay’s though, if you would be kind enough to direct me.
I come from pinterest. I’m Argentinian,.. This is far away from an actual chimichurri…
You are very correct. Gold star, my friend!
Can this recipe be canned using a water bath ? What would be the time
I have absolutely no idea Teresa…but if you give it a try, I would love to hear how it turns out. There’s a Facebook group called Simply Canning – they might have some ideas about it.
Looks amazing! Using it tonight on flank steak but it tastes like it will work with everything…and so easy!!
It is good on everything! I even stir it in rice sometimes, but I LOVE it on flank steak!
Tried it on grilled pineapple with some feta cheese on.
A new kind of salad / sidedish was born.
Wauuuwwwww !
So far so good! I just put this together while my Duroc pork shoulder is on the smoker. I rubbed the pork with a similar spice mixture and brown sugar. Hoping the flavors will compliment each other!
What do you think the “shelf life” is on this chimi? I’m guessing if I store it in the fridge when not using it, I could keep it a little longer. After trying this recipe as written, I might try subbing the chipotle powder for chipotle in adobo…can’t see why that wouldn’t work as well and I always have some I need to use up.. So excited to try this…I’m going to try this on grilled corn!
Chipotle in adobo would be delicious!!!
I have kept this in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and was still delicious. After that point, I’ve found it’s not as…delicious. Not “bad” just not as fresh tasting. It typically doesn’t last that long though, unless I make a double batch.
I’ve had it on grilled corn and it’s amazing!!!!
I suspect we’ll never need to refrigerate it for that long because we’ll eat it all up before then! Making it for this weekend, and I can already tell this is going to be one of our favorite sauces! Thanks for the great recipe and your quick feedback.
My pleasure Judy! And I think you’re right – it won’t last long at all!
Very nice recipe. We have to try. So easy, flavorful and delicious.
So good…on EVERYTHING!
Glad you liked it Mohan!