Chimichurri Sauce for Grilling

Grilled steak topped with fresh chimichurri on a wooden board with coarse salt

Chimichurri for Grilled Steaks

Chimichurri is a vibrant and zesty sauce of fresh parsley, garlic, and oregano—and, of course, vinegar and olive oil.

It serves as the perfect counterpoint to the rich, smoky flavors of grilled meats, with its bright acidity and fresh, herbaceous punch cutting through the fat and cleansing the palate. Traditionally, it is served as a condiment at the table rather than used as a marinade, allowing the pure flavor of the grilled beef to shine. I also love this sauce because the simplicity of the ingredients really shows what high-quality oils and vinegar can do.

Both Argentina and Uruguay lay claim to the creation of chimichurri. I am not going to wade into that debate but will leave a thank you to both from my steak!

This recipe features our Ultimate Red Wine Vinegar and AVW California Organic Olive Oil.


Which vinegar to use, and why

Chimichurri is herbs suspended in acid and oil. Red wine vinegar is traditional and has the weight to sit next to grilled meat. We use Ultimate Red Wine Vinegar here. It is slow-fermented and aged in oak at our mill in Worcester, Massachusetts, which is why it seasons the dish rather than just souring it.

Make it ahead and keep it

It keeps covered in the fridge and the flavor settles overnight, which usually improves it.

What to cook next

Try Vinegar Marinade, or browse all our vinegar recipes. If you have not cooked with craft vinegar before, a mini bottle sampler set lets you taste across the range before committing to a full-size bottle. Orders over $85 ship free within the contiguous US.

Chimichurri Sauce for Steak

American Vinegar Works

Servings

6 People

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

1 hours

Calories

167

Cuisine

Argentine / Uruguayan

Category

Condiments / Sauces

Chimichurri is a vibrant and zesty South American sauce that serves as the ultimate counterpoint to rich, smoky grilled meats. This herbaceous blend of fresh parsley, garlic, and dried oregano provides a bright acidity that cuts through fat and cleanses the palate. While both Argentina and Uruguay claim its origin, we simply claim it as a "must-have" for your next steak night.

Chimichurri Sauce for Steak

Ingredients

  • ½ cup of very finely chopped parsley
  • 1 medium to large garlic clove very finely minced (or grated)
  • ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of dried oregano (or 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh oregano)
  • ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
  • ½ cup AVW California Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Ultimate Red Wine Vinegar
  • Steak or chicken for grilling (not needed to make sauce—use for sauce)

Directions

  1. Generously salt and pepper meat to prepare for grilling

  2. Chop/mince sauce ingredients as needed

  3. Assemble all ingredients in a small bowl

  4. Rest:  Allow ingredients to sit at room temperature for about an hour.  This amount of time allows the sauce flavors to come together BUT still keeps the sauce a vibrant, fresh green. Taste and adjust with more vinegar and salt as needed (our recipe is generous on the olive oil) after resting. Remember your meat is salted already.

  5. Grill steak while sauce comes together

  6. Plate by spooning sauce over rested, grilled meat with more on the side

  7. Oregano and Beyond Note:  Chimichurri – like a vinaigrette—can be adjusted to your personal preferences.  I’ve found that fresh oregano makes the sauce too floral for me and prefer using dried oregano.  You might prefer fresh and should experiment.  You can also play with adding in fresh peppers instead of crushed red and may want to add chopped onions or shallots for more texture. Parsley and cilantro mixes are also common. Use this recipe as the base to then play with.

  8. Chopped or Processed Note: Traditional chimichurri is made by finely chopping ingredients, not in a food processor. I prefer to do it this way as well for a bit more texture but if you want to experiment with the food processor method I am not going to tell.