Add incredible, fresh flavour to steak, poultry, fish or veggies with this Easy Chimichurri Sauce! Originating in Argentina and Uruguay, chimichurri is a healthy, uncooked sauce that’s easy to make in a food processor and gives dishes an upgrade of fresh, zesty flavour! This easy chimichurri sauce recipe is adapted for low FODMAP based on a recipe by Primavera Kitchen and naturally Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
What is chimichurri sauce?
Traditional chimichurri verde sauce consists of fresh minced parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes and olive oil. Some variations use cilantro instead of parsley or a combination of parsley and cilantro as well as onion, lemon juice, cumin, and other spices. Chimichurri is commonly put on steak but also goes well with chicken, fish and even roasted vegetables and is often used to baste or as a marinade for grilled meats.
Chimichurri also comes in a red version, chimichurri rojo, in which red bell pepper and tomato are added to the rest of the ingredients. This version seems less popular than the green and I’ve never tried it but may have to someday.
Chimichurri is also naturally Paleo and Whole30 compliant. I can’t imagine there is any version out there that wouldn’t be, but I guess you never know.
Necessary Equipment
The equipment I use to make this chimichurri recipe includes:
Chimichurri Sauce: Ingredients and Tips for Success
Herbs
For this chimichurri, I use parsley, but cilantro or a combination of cilantro and parsley can also be used. I personally prefer the taste of parsley over cilantro, but it’s delicious either way.
I also highly recommend using fresh oregano leaves over dried oregano as fresh tastes SO MUCH BETTER. Dried oregano can be used in a pinch, however.
Scallions
In lieu of red onion, I use the green tops of scallions (a.k.a. green onions) to make this recipe low FODMAP. I don’t recommend putting the green tops of scallions into the food processor whole as they get all wonky, rather roughly chopping them into 1″ pieces and then adding them to be processed.
Olive oil
To add some garlicy flavor, I use a combination of garlic infused olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.
Acidity
To add acidity, I prefer to use both white wine vinegar and freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Red wine vinegar is more traditionally used, but I much prefer the taste of white wine vinegar with shrimp in my adapted Chimichurri Shrimp Skillet recipe. Although I haven’t tried it, red wine vinegar would probably go best with steak and other red meats.
Seasonings
I season the chimichurri with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes; however, the red pepper flakes are optional if you’re not a fan of heat or react poorly to spicy food. The use of red pepper flakes in the photos may make it appear as though this chimichurri will be spicy; however, I would consider it only mildly spicy at 1/2 tsp. You can add more or less (or omit altogether) depending on your desired heat level.
Food Processing vs. Hand Chopping
If you want the chimichurri to look prettier, I recommend hand chopping everything instead of chopping it in a food processor. It takes way longer but does look a lot nicer.
This easy Chimichurri Sauce recipe gives an upgrade of fresh, zesty flavour to steak, poultry, fish or veggies! Low FODMAP and naturally Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor. Process on low for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula after about 30 seconds. Allow to rest about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld while you prepare the rest of your meal. If you want the chimichurri to look prettier, you can hand chop everything and mix in a small bowl.
Serve on or as a marinade for grilled or cooked steak, poultry, fish, roasted veggies or shrimp, such as my Chimichurri Shrimp and Broccoli Skillet (low FODMAP, Paleo and Whole30).
Best when served fresh; however, this chimichurri can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
*Although red pepper flakes are low in FODMAPs, some people respond poorly to them for non-FODMAP related reasons. Pay attention to how your body reacts to spicy food and consult your doctor or dietitian before adding red pepper flakes to this recipe if you have concerns about how you may react to it.
