Spicy Chimichurri Verde Sauce

This Spicy Chimichurri Verde Sauce is made with fresh parsley and cilantro and flavored with jalapeños, oregano, garlic, and onion. It pairs well with seafood, fish, steak, chicken, eggs, crackers, and chips {the saltier the better on those last two}! Enjoy as an appetizer, sauce, or snack. Any which way, you can’t go wrong! {Paleo}

Are you ready to take your salsa/sauce/spread/appetizer/snack game up a notch? Because this Spicy Chimichurri Verde Sauce takes everything up a notch. It goes to 11 and just keeps on running. I blame the parsley, cilantro, jalapeño (totally optional, but I say YES!), and mix of onions and garlic. It’s so freaking good.

Chimichurri, it turns out, is a South American marinade recipe. According to Joyce Goldstein, in her article The Mysterious Origins of Chimichurri, written for SFGate, the sauce “…is a culinary specialty of Argentina and Uruguay.” If you are curious about the origins of the word chimichurri, then read her article in its entirety. Variations of the term’s origins include “a corruption of English words,” British invaders who, when captured trying to overtake Rio de la Plata, asked for food, combining words in English, aboriginal, and Spanish, and, lastly, the sauce tximitxurri, associated with the Basque settlers of Argentina.

Honestly, I had no idea just how rich chimichurri’s history was. But the more I read, the more I wanted to learn. So I found another source to quench our thirsty minds. Culture Trip writer Jerry Nelson notes in his post, A Brief History of Chimichurri: Argentina’s Favorite Sauce, chimichurri is NOT a pesto. Why? Because each sauce uses largely different ingredients. He notes that it isn’t technically a marinade either, although people use it as one. And he points out something applicable to our efforts today: it isn’t puréed. As you blend the ingredients they shouldn’t turn soft or emulsify. That’s why, you’ll notice, the olive oil is saved for last. It blends in with the ingredients without changing the sauce’s consistency.

Lastly, I feel compelled to tell you that every source I read on the subject stated emphatically you MUST roll the Rs in chimichurri. So, there you have it. A rich history and a rich flavor to match.

Let’s roll some Rs and get get our chimichurri ON! 

Spicy Chimichurri Verde Sauce ingredients

For a balanced flavor, we use a combination of fresh and dried herbs. See notes in the recipe card below for adjustments, where applicable.

• Fresh parsley and cilantro. The fresher and fuller, the better.
• Red onion, green onion, jalapeño, and fresh garlic. I leave the garlic whole, chop the onion and jalapeño, and slice the green onion. The jalapeño is entirely optional and adds extra heat.
• Dried oregano and sea salt. It’s a personal preference to use dried or fresh oregano. I won’t judge either way. See notes for adjustments. I use dried oregano in my Chimichurri sauce.
• Olive oil, lime juice, and red wine vinegar. Nothing fancy here. I start out with just a 1/2 tablespoon of red wine vinegar because my tastebuds say a little goes a long way. Your tastebuds might say otherwise. If they do, increase or decrease according to their preference. 😊

NOTE: Red pepper flakes and paprika are also commonly added. Add to taste, if desired.

How to make Spicy Chimichurri Verde Sauce

This Spicy Chimichurri Verde recipe is a throw-everything-in-the-blender-and-go kind of recipe! 

1. Place all the ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor in the order listed, except for the olive oil, and turn on at a low speed. Blend until the ingredients are just mixed together.
2. Keep the speed on low and gradually drizzle in the olive oil. Blend on low until the olive oil is mixed in, and the ingredients are a preferred size and consistency. If necessary, bump the speed up to keep the ingredients moving through the blades but without puréeing them. For example, on a Vitamix, this would be Level 1 or 2 (out of 10).
3. Refrigerate in an airtight container and consume within about 1-2 days.

Pro tips

• Add a little olive oil first, if necessary. If your blender, food processor, or mixer requires a liquid at the base of the blade to prevent overworking or overheating (and the lime juice and red wine vinegar aren’t enough), then add enough olive oil to cover the base of the container. Then following the recipe instructions as you normally would.
• Keep the speed slow and steady. As you blend the ingredients, they’ll naturally break down into smaller pieces. For best results, keep the blender speed low enough the ingredients don’t emulsify or purée, but high enough they move smoothly through the blades. 

If you are spiced up about this Spicy Chimichurri Verde Sauce, then savor these flavors, too!

• Roasted Salsa Verde
• Avocado Pesto
• Dairy-Free Aioli Sauce

This recipe was inspired by Gimme Some Oven’s Chimichurri Sauce and A Fork’s Tale’s Jalapeño Chimichurri Sauce. Enjoy a little culinary spice in your kitchen, Spiriteds. I’m glad you’re here! 💚

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