This is the absolute best chimichurri recipe. Garlicky and a bit spicy with the perfectly balanced herbs, you will fall end up with a jar of this in your fridge at all times! This is the Texas de Brazil chimichurri recipe – the holy grail when it comes to the best chimichurri recipe. A must for any Whole30.
I, for one, am completely and totally obsessed with chimichurri. I can, and often do, eat it on absolutely any and everything–on a salt-crusted seared ribeye, topping garlic mashed potatoes, on Bibb lettuce as a salad, as a dip for pizza, dressing fried eggs for breakfast.. It can go on literally anything.
And it’s an absolutely integral part of every Whole30 we do. In fact, it makes Whole30 dinners so damn easy it’s silly: cook up some form of protein with a chunky, chunky side of green veggies and top it all with a bunch of chimichurri. Poof: a super flavorful, quick, no-recipe-required dinner that you’ll wish had enough leftovers for the whole week…Â dang we should have made the whole 10-pound box of chicken breasts.
This Whole30 chimichurri recipe is real food at its simplest, too: fresh herbs, dried herbs, a healthy oil (preferably a good-quality olive oil or avocado oil), and a bit of lemon juice. So simple and yet so, so ridiculously good.
I tried a few recipes before finding the holy grail, the Texas de Brazil chimichurri recipe. Bingo. The best chimichurri recipe, the one I’d been looking for! It’s herby but doesn’t taste obnoxiously of parsley, the cilantro is there but doesn’t scream, “CILANTRO!!!”, it’s a perfect consistency–not thick and pasty like so many others, and it’s salty and lemony in a way that suits almost all dishes (jury still out on Belgian waffles).
I used to recommend chopping everything by hand, but since we’ve had a batch of this best chimichurri recipe in our fridge at all times for the last, yeah, five years, I’ve since moved on. Here’s how I make this Texas de Brazil chimichurri recipe in my food processor:
Blitz the garlic first so it’s properly minced. Add in the herbs and chop. Add in the remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined. That’s it! It takes, oh, 5 minutes and makes a lot.
But, to be totally honest, it’s going to be delicious no matter how you slice, dice, and chop it. Call me hyperbolic, but this just the best chimichurri recipe ever. Make this! Eat this! A lot.
Why This Chimichurri Recipe Works (So Dang Well)
- The blend of parsley and cilantro create a gorgeous balance that isn’t super parsley-heavy.
- This chimichurri recipe uses a lot of fresh garlic and fresh lemon, creating a garlicky brightness that tastes good on almost everything.
- You make this chimichurri recipe in the food processor, and it takes only minutes!
- It’s naturally Whole30 and vegan, so it works for almost any diet.
How long does a batch of the best chimichurri recipe last in the fridge?
The best thing about this stuff is it lasts forever in the fridge. It only takes a few minutes to come together then lasts at least 2 weeks – we usually keep ours longer. You might want to double the recipe, too, so you have plenty on hand!
Variations
- Swap an avocado for half the olive oil for a chimichurri recipe that’s lower in oil but still super rich in healthy fats.
- Replace 1/3-1/2 of the olive oil with water to create a “skinny” chimichurri recipe.
- Reduce the crushed red pepper or garlic if you don’t want a very spicy or garlicky chimichurri. The recipe as written is delicious, but it is definitely a bit spicy and definitely garlicky!
Tips
- Start with about 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and increase it to taste. We use a lot – 1 tablespoon! This is how the Texas de Brazil recipe was written, and we find it to be perfect.
- Make sure you use a good-quality olive oil, or you’ll end up with a chimichurri recipe that tastes bitter. Avocado oil and liquid, refined coconut oil work very well here, too.
How to Make This Chimichurri Recipe
It’s way too easy. Ready?
Add your peeled garlic to the food processor and pulse until minced.
Add the fresh herbs to the food processor (don’t remove the garlic) and pulse until chopped.
Add the remaining ingredients: dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, fresh lemon juice, and olive oil. Process until well combined.
That’s it! Spoon it onto everything.
Other Recipes You’ll Love:
- Chimichurri Whole30 Meatballs with Swiss Chard
- Whole30 Ketchup
- Whole30 Dump Ranch Dressing
- Whole30 Enchiladas with Poblano-Pork Stuffing and Creamy Avocado Sauce
- Avocado Salsa
To make the best chimichurri recipe (Texas de Brazil chimichurri recipe), you’ll need…
Best Chimichurri Recipe Ever: Texas de Brazil Chimichurri Recipe
The absolute best chimichurri recipe. Garlicky and a bit spicy with lovely fresh herbs, it's super easy to make and the perfect sauce or condiment for any vegan, paleo, or Whole30 fridge. The Texas de Brazil chimichurri recipe, it's by far my favorite chimichurri recipe of all time!
Makes 2 cups. Serving size is 2 tablespoons.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon salt plus more to taste (You need a lot!)
Equipment Needed
Instructions
In a food processor, process fresh garlic until minced. Add fresh parsley and fresh cilantro and pulse until uniformly chopped. Add in remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Keeps for at least 2 weeks.
Update notes: This recipe was originally published July 2013 but was updated with new photos, video, copy, and suggestions April 2018.
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Lani says
December 16, 2018 at 8:45 amThis is fantastic! In fact, all your recipes that I have tried are fantastic. But I think the calorie count is off on this one. A serving would have 120 calories for just the olive oil alone.
Ammie says
April 15, 2018 at 2:17 pmI have been looking for a recipe for this and this is perfect. Now i can’t wait until summer for my fresh herbs.
Cheryl Malik says
April 20, 2018 at 10:10 amGreat idea! I hope you love it 🙂
Laurie says
February 12, 2018 at 4:42 pmBest chimichurri EVER. It tastes just like TDB. Try it on brown rice. Oh my!
Cheryl Malik says
February 12, 2018 at 5:52 pmSo happy you like it as much as we do!!
Ayu says
April 2, 2016 at 9:59 pmThis looks awesome! I’ve been looking for a great recipe to try, and I can’t wait to make this! In this picture, did you throw it all in the blender?
Cheryl Malik says
April 3, 2016 at 9:08 amIn this picture I chopped everything by hand, BUT, I almost always use the food processor now. We make so much and we have a baby.. haha! It’s great either way
Cheryl Malik says
January 11, 2016 at 8:32 amGlad Eli liked it too 😀
Melissa Belanger says
January 9, 2016 at 5:48 pmI just made this and now I can’t wait to eat dinner tonight!!! It tastes so good 🙂
Carol says
August 28, 2015 at 7:10 amHi there,
I never write comments but we had this on grilled pork and lamb and it was amazing! I stuck it in the mini blender and let it sit overnight for the flavors to marry. I can’t say enough about how delicious it was and inspired a whole lot of cooking in my kitchen. It’s great on anything, especially grilled corn!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
January 14, 2015 at 11:21 amok, this is legit. . I had to check it out. . I love chimichurri and hell no to mediocre olive oil here.
Cheryl Malik says
January 14, 2015 at 11:38 amOh, oh Alice, oh. It’s SO good. You really should try it.. oh man. I made a double batch last night and am salivating just thinking of it!
Maya says
December 10, 2014 at 6:18 pmGreetings from Guatemala!!
I love your recipe, I am totally in love with it, thanks!! Just wanted to know if it is possible to make two or three jars at once (or 3x the recipe amounts), and save it using a canning method (air tight). Does the heat of this method alter the flavor or product life once opened??
Anybody there willing to help me???? Thanks all!!
Cheryl Malik says
December 20, 2014 at 3:55 pmOh man.. I don’t have much working knowledge of canning methods at all so I can’t really give you any solid info there. I would assume that heat would affect the flavor somewhat but it’s probably not by much! Even when I roast or bake something with the chimichurri, the flavor is still basically the same. Give it a whirl.. and let me know! Thanks Maya! 🙂
Amanda says
January 3, 2015 at 6:37 pmI’m not entirely sure about canning with fresh herbs like this, but something I do think would work is freezing. I’ve actually frozen pesto and simliar sauces with great success. One of the best ways I’ve found: using ice cube trays! Once they’re frozen solid, pop them out and put them in a freezer bag. That way you can use a little at a time or a lot. They will defrost in the fridge or put a couple cubes in a separate ziplock and massage in warm water until they break up. 🙂
Cheryl Malik says
January 8, 2015 at 12:38 pmYes! Freezing! Great idea
pushpa patel says
September 15, 2015 at 10:14 amHI I think you can freeze the chimichurri because I make cilantro chimichurri and that freezes well. When you need it just take it out the night before and leave it in the fridge to thaw or leave it on counter for an hour… hope this helps
Doris says
November 11, 2014 at 8:57 pmHi – I no longer see the chimichurri recipe on your site. Did you remove it?
Cheryl Malik says
November 12, 2014 at 1:35 pmSo sorry about that! THe recipe plugin we used to use totally tanked and we’ve been slowly updating all the recipes. It’s fixed now.. try again 🙂 Thanks for your patience! This chimichurri is *totally* worth it!
Gustavo Forastiere says
July 7, 2014 at 9:02 amThank you, Cheryl, for sharing this recipe. I’m glad you enjoy chimichurri so much, and have found many uses for it. I grew up in Argentina, and chimichurri is definitely a trademark from the land of the best beef in the world… OK, arguably, these days. =) In Argentina, cilantro is not used much at all, in fact, I came to know about it when I came to the USA. I’m glad I developed a taste for it, as I think it makes chimichurri better than by just using parsley. Also, and this may make you love this sauce even better, try adding pine nuts (finely chopped) in it! Pine nuts are expensive, but here in the states are more accessible than in South America. If you thought this couldn’t get any better, you might be up to a big surprise. For the 4th of July, I made a brisket with chimichurry (that’s how you make everything Argentinean style), and people loved it. I was hoping for left overs… not such luck! 😉 Thanks for sharing your knowledge and talent!
Cheryl Malik says
July 7, 2014 at 10:19 amWow, Gustavo, so much amazing information! I know I had always been interested in chimichurri growing up–its vibrant shade and promise of so many herbs bursting with bright flavor–but when I saw it was only parsley, I was a bit “meh” about the whole concept. I hate to admit that I fell head over heels in love with chimichurri when I had it at Texas de Brazil, I think because of the cilantro and oregano! It’s so interesting to hear you say that even you think it’s better with cilantro, though it’s not traditional! The pine nuts addition sounds amazing–like you could even come up with a chimichurri-style pesto.. mmmmm! I KNOW I have to try that. And your 4th celebration sounds amazing! Just wish I had been invited.. geez.. Haha!
Steve Douglas says
September 18, 2014 at 1:47 pmHi, in the UK here and wanted clarification on “1 tablespoon of red crushed pepper” is this dried Chile pepper plakes, or fresh red chilies crushed, if you could help, thanks
Cheryl Malik says
September 23, 2014 at 10:32 amSo sorry about that! That’s dried red pepper flakes. But I bet fresh chiles would be great too, just not sure on the amount.
Donna says
December 31, 2016 at 9:36 amWould you put the pine nuts in the food processor or whole? Thanks
Donna white.
Spire says
June 6, 2018 at 3:30 pmFinely chop the pine nuts.
Cathy says
March 5, 2014 at 10:32 pmThis is so yummy. I used 2 T chopped fresh oregano instead of dried, and 1 teaspoon of salt was plenty for me. Great on all kinds of stuff. Thanks for the recipe!
Cheryl Hurley says
March 5, 2014 at 10:52 pmYum! Fresh oregano sounds great. Glad you liked it! Now I’m having a major craving..