Traditional Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce is an uncooked sauce with lots of flavors. It always contains finely chopped parsley flavored with other seasonings. And it’s great to serve with a good piece of grilled meat from the BBQ, like steak or Rib Eye. The Chimichurri gives a refreshing, spicy touch that wonderfully combines with the full flavor of the flesh. My favorite recipe from the Argentine kitchen.
Chimichurri Sauce with Steak
A bit of history first (I always love great stories about food). Chimichurri originated from Argentina and is probably named after Jimmy McCurry. He’s an Irishman who, in the 19th century, committed to the Argentinean independence struggle. It is said that he prepared this sauce first.
But Jimmy McCurry was a difficult name for the Argentines to speak out correctly. And so, the name gradually degenerates into Chimichurri.
Two Most Common Variations
Chimichurri comes in many variations, but you can distinguish two main versions: soft and spicy. Both varieties are uncooked and use oil and vinegar as a base. The difference lies mainly in the number of peppers added to the sauce (whereas, of course, the spicy version got a lot of peppers added).
The sauce can be put on the meat when grilling or later on when it’s resting. It’s served with grilled beef and sausages, but great to use with chicken or fish. And I like to eat it with a good piece of grilled steak!
What do you need for Steak with Chimichurri Sauce?
To prepare this Traditional Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce with Steak, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:
- Parsley - finely chopped parsley is always the main ingredient in Chimichurri. Other seasonings can vary, but without parsley, no chimichurri. You could use curled or flat-leaved parsley.
- Red pepper - I always make my recipes family-friendly, so I choose the soft chimichurri sauce recipe. But if you want the spicy version, add one or two extra chopped red peppers.
- Olive oil - to make the sauce smooth.
- Oregano - This spice is sweet, bold, and earthy. It’s got a hint of bitterness and smells terrific.
- Thyme - A sharp, minty, and earthy spice. It’s very subtle in flavor.
- Garlic - flavors the Chimichurri
- Wine vinegar - is a common ingredient in Chimichurri. And red wine vinegar is the most traditional acid added to the chimichurri sauce.
- Onion - gives a bit of spice to the sauce.
- Chives - for an oniony taste. Milder than typical red or yellow onions.
- Steaks - If you want a great steak, you could use tenderloin. It is the most tender and most beautiful part of a cow. Round steak is slightly less delicate, and regular steak has the most structure and texture. The price is also increasing. The regular steak is the cheapest, and you will pay the most for the tenderloin. You can also use round steak, ribeye, or regular steak for this recipe.
How to prepare Chimichurri Beef Steak
You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step description at the bottom of this blog.
- Put sliced red pepper, garlic cloves, quartered onion, oregano, and thyme in a food processor.
- Add fresh parsley and chives.
- Pour olive oil and vinegar into the bowl and smooth the sauce with your blender.
- Turn on the BBQ until it’s very hot, and brush the steaks with olive oil and flavor with salt and pepper—grill for 3 minutes on each side for a medium-done steak. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest for 4 minutes.
Serve the steaks with Argentinian Chimichurri sauce. Add homemade fries, German potato salad, and a delicious green arugula salad with pistachio.
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Traditional Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce with Steak
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Ingredients
Chimichurri
1 red chili pepper cut coarsely
2 cloves garlic without skin
1 onion without skin, quartered- ½ oz. parsley leaves only
- 2 teaspoons oregano dried
1 teaspoon dried thyme dried- ½ cup chives chopped
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
Steaks
1½ pounds Beef tenderloin steaks 4 pieces
¼ teaspoon sea salt 
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make sure that you prestart the charcoal barbecue so you can use the bbq in 15 minutes.
- Get the steaks out of the refrigerator for fifteen minutes before grilling.1½ pounds Beef tenderloin steaks
Chimichurri
- Add the red pepper, garlic and onion to the food processor bowl.1 red chili pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 onion
- Also add the oregano, thyme, parsley leaves, and chives.½ oz. parsley, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ cup chives
- Pour the olive oil and vinegar in the bowl.½ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- Smooth the sauce in the food processor (you may keep small bits of pepper and onion) and serve in a pretty bowl.
- When you don't use a charcoal bbq heat the gas grill or grill pan until it's hot.
Grill Steaks
- Brush the steaks with some olive oil and add salt and pepper to the taste.¼ teaspoon sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Grill the steak for about 5 minutes (medium) while turning the meat after about 3 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the grill and wrap it in aluminum foil and lay down for 4 minutes.
- Then serve the meat with the chimichurri.
Notes
- Refrigerator - Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks in the fridge. After that, the flavor will deteriorate.
- Freezer - You can freeze Chimichurri for three months without losing flavor. Let it thaw in the fridge. Tip: freeze into an ice cube tray and put those cubes in a freezer bag or box after they’re frozen. This way, you can defrost the amount you need.
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