Chimichurri Sauce with Cilantro
Chimichurri Sauce with Cilantro is a riff on the more traditional Argentinian sauce. It’s just as fresh and bright, but includes fresh cilantro, sherry vinegar, and generous amounts of garlic and red pepper. It comes together in a flash, and pairs well with many dishes, but is glorious on beef! Muy rico!
And when love speaks, the voice of all the gods
Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony.
— William Shakespeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost.
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce and Perfect Pairings
A marriage made in heaven? A perfect pairing… Chimichurri on beef is one such pairing that jumps to the top of the list when I think about perfect pairings. I originally created this recipe in 2015 in the midst of our move from New Mexico to Texas. Fast forward to 2025… We’re moving again, so resurrecting this flavorful salsa made sense.
We rarely eat beef which makes it special at our house. Beef is best kept simple in my humble opinion, so in the midst of our chaos, like getting one house ready to sell, and our 1907 house through an enormous renovation, it seems like a perfect choice. I’ve made chimichurri for years, and always felt Argentinians had captured the perfect complement to beef in this simple, fresh condiment. My recipe is not a traditional Argentinian chimichurri.
I do take a bit of creative license with my cilantro chimichurri recipe. Argentinian cuisine is influenced by Italian flavors and ingredients, and chimichurri frequently counts fresh oregano among its ingredients in addition to the fresh flat leaf parsley. Being New Mexicans with a penchant for cilantro, I usually use a generous amount of fresh cilantro, rather than oregano.
My 2025 photo shoot took place on Memorial Day, and I served the chimichurri sauce with bison NY strip steak, grilled corn, and asparagus. We did not get to enjoy dinner on the patio, as the “real feel” temperature was 109 degrees!🥵
📋 Ingredients Notes
- cilantro – If you have the “cilantro gene,” and cilantro tastes like soap, please use a combination of parsley and oregano. It’s a real thing!
- flat leaf parsley – Chimichurri requires at least some flat leaf parsley IMHO. Flat leaf parsley has a more robust flavor, while curly parsley is better as a plate garnish.
- shallots – Red onion is a fine substitute!
- red chile – Crushed red pepper, Fresno pepper, red jalapeño, and Calabrian peppers (jarred and commercially available) are all good options, and I have used all of them! I especially love Calabrian peppers and used them on photo day.
- garlic – Chimichurri sauce can handle a good amount of garlic. Minced in a jar is a good shortcut, but fresh is best.
- extra virgin olive oil – A good extra virgin olive oil shines in this cilantro chimichurri recipe, but you can get by with whatever you keep on hand.
- vinegar – Sherry vinegar is my choice for chimichurri. Use a good quality red wine vinegar if you prefer.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
- Step 1 – Add all ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse several times to desired consistency. Scrape sides. Repeat if necessary. NOTE: Don’t forget to check for seasoning!
🥩 How to Use Chimichurri
The evening we shot photos, I spooned it over thinly sliced bison NY strip steak… rare of course. The steak needs nothing more than seasoning with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
Chimichurri is a perfect pairing with beef, but don’t limit its use to beef. Spoon it over your favorite fish, pork, or poultry, add to salad dressings and potato salad, etc. Try it as a dip for bread, in grain bowls, and tossed with pasta. It really is versatile!
❓FAQ
In the refrigerator, it will keep up to 5 days. The olive oil and vinegar act as a preservative, but the fresh herbs will lose their freshness. Stir before using.
You can keep small portions in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
You want roughly 2 cups of fresh herbs. As I mentioned above, a traditional chimichurri has parsley and oregano, and this is a great combination. Oregano is very strong, so I’d suggest 1 1/2 cups flat leaf parsley and 1/2 cup oregano.
💡 Tips
Chimichurri sauce is so quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients. I really need to remember to make it more often!
Chimichurri Sauce with Cilantro Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup+/- fresh cilantro - stems removed*
- ½ cup+/- flat leaf parsley - stems removed
- 2 shallots - or 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper or 1 fresh Fresno chile minced
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic - that’s a lot!
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp. salt
- fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse several times. Scrape sides. Repeat if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
I love this chimichurri variant. It’s got everything you’d expect from a chimichurri, plus the fresh taste of cilantro. Also, it was spectacular with the bison steak, grilled asparagus, and that potato salad.
Creative licence is FAB!! I am all about putting my own spin on things. 🙂 I love chimichurri and I think I’m going to have to try your version next!!
I’ve never been very good at following a recipe 😉 I hope you try it, Nagi! Thanks for stopping by!
I can tell from the ingredients that I will love this chimichurri. I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Dad! I know you love cilantro as much as your daughter… 😉
What a wonderful looking chimichurrri! I’ve always wanted to make one, so thanks for sharing your recipe!
Hi MJ! A true New Mexico girl has to have cilantro in her chimichurri 😉 I hope you enjoy it!
Love this chimichurri!
We had it again Tuesday! Yum! Your Dad has to “suffer” through the photography and the monotony… 😉