Roasted Garlic Chimichurri

Fresh, herbaceous, and just begging to be served on top of grilled proteins, this Roasted Garlic Chimichurri is a lovely twist on classic chimichurri sauce.

 Chee-mee-CHOO-ree! It’s as fun to say as it is delicious to eat.

What is Chimichurri?

When people ask me what the heck chimichurri is, I describe it as an Argentinean pesto (sans nuts). Because, like pesto, chimichurri is fresh and herbaceous.

Chimichurri is a condiment with Argentinean origins that typically contains parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and flakes of chili pepper. It usually accompanies grilled meats, like steak.

What is the difference between Pesto and Chimichurri?

These delicious and herbaceous condiments may look similar but they differ in a few important ways. Pesto has its roots in Italy, whereas Chimichurri is of Argentinian descent. Pesto is made with basil, while chimichurri is made with parsley and oregano, and occasionally cilantro. I think of pesto as an herb and nut condiment, as recipes usually call for pine nuts, though you can sub in other types of nuts like pepitas. Chimichurri is an herb and vinegar condiment, as white vinegar is where it gets its signature tang. Despite their differences, they both make some seriously tasty sauces.

After much research, experimentation, and sampling, I’ve created a chimichurri I’m pretty damn pleased with. And it’s all thanks to my secret (not-so-secret because it's in the title) ingredient....

ROASTED GARLIC!

While traditional recipes call for the use of raw garlic, sometimes the results can be overly pungent. Garlic can be unpredictable; like eating the overly browned potato chip at the bottom of the bag. Nine times out of ten it’s acrid, and you chastise yourself for eating it because damn it, you knew better.

Roasted garlic removes the undesirable element of pungent surprise (and garlic breath), and replaces it with a more subtle garlic flavor, one that is sweet, savory, and buttery. Mmmmm.

PLUS, the smell of roasted garlic is better than any commercial air freshener. And how satisfying is it to squeeze individual roasted cloves from the bulb!?

How do you make Chimichurri Sauce?

Homemade chimichurri sauce is super easy to make because a food processor does the bulk of the work for you. For this Roasted Garlic Chimichurri recipe you will need:

INGREDIENTS  

• 1 head roasted garlic
• 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley (around 1 to 1 ½ cups, packed)
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¾ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor, and puree until smooth.
2. For best results, wait at least 2 hours (at room temperature) before use to let the flavors develop.

What is Chimichurri good with?

Roasted Garlic Chimichurri is seriously AH-mazing paired with grilled foods like steak, chicken, potatoes. And if you’re looking for a good way to use up any leftovers, I highly recommend trying it on scrambled eggs or slathering it on a grilled cheese sandwich (or really almost any type of sandwich). And of course, tacos and burritos!

How long does homemade Chimichurri last?

Homemade chimichurri sauce lasts about a week in the refrigerator; store in a covered container like a Mason jar. Bring to room temperature before use.

If you like this, try:

• Pepita Pesto
• Roasted Garlic and Chipotle Mayo
• Roasted Green Tomato Salsa
• Roasted 3-Pepper Veggie Dip
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice
• Giardiniera and Salami Fat Bombs

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