A finger-lickin' good Chimichurri sauce with cilantro and parsley! It's easy to make in the food processor and takes just a few minutes! Once you make it, you will want to slather on absolutely everything!
It's garlicky, spicy, citrusy, and slightly spicy. I like to pair it with any meat, seafood, or veggies! Though my go-to is this chimichurri and mussels sheet-pan recipe, or on a good ol' crab roll.
All you'll need to make it is a food processor, and the fresh ingredients.
And, OOOWEEE. Is this good stuff, friends.
If I could, I would sneak it into every dish possible, but for now, I'll tame myself and type about it. This Chimichurri is extremely versatile, and seriously great on any meat, and of course most seafood!
I've used it on salmon, mussels, veggies, and even as a dip for crackers! It will add a hit of freshness from the lemons and limes, and herbs from the parsley, cilantro and oregano, to truly transform any dish with this Mediterranean sauce.
From traditional chimi, I've also substituted the chili for Aleppo pepper. Aleppo is a spice used in most Mediterranean cuisines, it has a bright red color to it - that's what is turning this into a red Chimichurri.
And if you're carb sensitive - like my kiddo is - this is naturally a keto chimichurri recipe. She sure loves it, and anything that has parsley, cilantro, lemon, lime and that much garlic for that matter!
Table of Contents
CILANTRO PARSLEY CHIMICHURRI
This is a cilantro parsley chimichurri combo, I love the way cilantro adds so much great flavor that goes really well with most dishes that I tend to make. And, parsley is a must in chimi as well as in Mediterranean cuisine.
Cilantro is an easy herb, there's only one type of it. However, with parsley, there's a couple. I tend to always go for flat-leaf parsley when I can, however, they're out of stock at my local store from time to time, so curly is a great alternative.
And, hey, though it's not traditional, it has the same exact flavor, with an extra crunch. I'll take it!
I also like to use lime and lemon for a well-rounded citrus flavor, and the right choice of acid for a truly Mediterranean sauce.
Yes, that may sound like it's a bit of ingredients, but I promise this is a minimal effort sauce, because all these wonderful ingredients for this Mediterranean cilantro chimichurri get blended in a food processor leaving you will less work, and less mess.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Parsley. Use Italian or curly. I typically go for Italian flatleaf, but living in a more rural town, I end up with no other option but curly most of the time - so at the end of the day, they're both packing the same flavor. Parsley is a powerhouse ingredient in this chimichurri recipe with cilantro, of course.
- Cilantro. You will definitely want to make chimichurri with cilantro. It adds such great flavor, and truly transform this sauce. If you're not a fan of cilantro, try doubling up on parsley, or add half the amount of cilantro and the other half parsley.
- Oregano. A little fresh oregano goes a long way. Adding all fresh herbs provides the freshest sauce!
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Don't substitute for another oil, you will lose such great flavor. If you had to, I would use avocado since it's a healthy option.
- Garlic. Use about 8-10 cloves. I did 10 in my recipe. If the cloves are small, double up.
- Red Onion. Adding red onion to this recipe creates another element that was missing for me. This seals the deal for sure! If you had to substitute, I would use yellow onion.
- Aleppo pepper. This is a Middle Eastern spice that's bright red in color and has great flavor. It adds a warmer spicy taste than a traditional red pepper spice. If you had to substitute Aleppo, do 1 tablespoon Paprika and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Lemon. Fresh squeezed. I would avoid packaged lemon juice, or any substitutes for fresh lemon for this sauce.
- Lime. Fresh squeezed. If you don't have limes, you can substitute for lemon.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
FAQ
Yes, Chimichurri is traditionally spicy. Substituting the chili used for a more tame option such as Aleppo will provide more flavor with less heat.
Chimichurri sauce is a garlicky, spicy, acidic sauce made with parsley, cilantro and oregano as the herbs. It's absolutely bursting with flavor and pairs well with most meat, especially steak and chicken, as well as seafood. Use it as a marinade, topping or dip. It's very versatile and delicious.
Place extra sauce in an airtight container in the freezer to use another time. Add to various meals to provide extra flavor. It thaws beautifully and tastes great rubbed on roasted veggies!
Yes! You can freeze it in an airtight container or airtight bag in the freezer for several months. I often double the recipe and freeze the second batch for easy delicious meals.
WHAT TO PAIR WITH THIS SAUCE
- Fish: Salmon, any white fish, rockfish, etc. would be soooo good! Check out our other seafood recipes.
- Chicken. I also have an amazing Chicken Shawarma recipe to try for your next chicken dish!
- Steak. A medium rare steak with this cilantro chimichurri would be to die for!
- Roasted veggies. Or this Butternut Squash Fries air fryer recipe!
- Dip for a veggie tray.
- Try my Tabouli Salad recipe for a side salad. It pairs great with any dish that has Chimichurri in it.
RECOMMENDED RECIPES
Mediterranean Chimichurri Sauce (with cilantro & parsley)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups parsley roughly chopped
- ¾ cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1.5 tablespoon fresh oregano
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8-10 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup red onion
- 2 tablespoon Aleppo pepper
- 2 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon of lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pulse all dry ingredients in blender until finely chopped. Add wet ingredients and blend to combine, it takes a few minutes.
Notes
- Aleppo pepper is a Mediterranean pepper used instead of red pepper flakes. It's sweeter and provides more flavor. If you don't have time to wait for yours to come in the mail, substitute Aleppo with 1 tablespoon Paprika and 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes.
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