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.
This 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 Flank Steak
- Chimichurri Whole30 Meatballs with Swiss Chard
- Quick Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers
- Whole30 Ketchup
- Whole30 Dump Ranch Dressing
- Avocado Salsa
Best Chimichurri Recipe Ever: Texas de Brazil Chimichurri Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 1 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- ½ tablespoon salt plus more to taste
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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Update notes: This recipe was originally published July 2013 but was updated with new photos, video, copy, and suggestions April 2018.
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
Kelley says
I used half the oil and incorporated a ripe avocado 🥑. It looks great and tastes
wonderful. Now just need to grill a fine steak. (I’ll be waiting for snopocolipse to end first!)
Joni says
I have shared this perfect recipe with so many people, I make it weekly, so so good!
Teri Rosinski says
Made it! Pretty darn close to Texas de Brazil’s!
Jaclyn says
I love this recipe- we put it over flank steak with white rice/black beans.
Loro says
Love it and my husband does too!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That’s great!
Sue says
I didn’t have enough parsley so I switched the amounts 1 cup cilantro and 1/2 cup parsley. I also used a “wood smoked “ olive oil for 1/4 cup and regular olive oil for the remainder. I am a visual cook….never, well hardly ever, measure, but I did measure out the oil and in this case it was to oily/thin. Still had great flavor! I also used all fresh herbs 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano. Excellent recipe!
Thank you !!
Cheryl Malik says
I’m glad you loved it!
Elizabeth says
Hi Cheryl,
I want to make jars of this as gifts, using the fresh lemons I just picked off my tree. My friends are all “food label conscious”, so I thought adding the nutrition facts on the back of my gift tags would be really helpful to them. Can you tell me though, what a serving size is?
Thank you
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
1-2 tablespoons 🙂
Kat says
Love this recipe! We are bold flavor lovers, so I doubled the garlic and pepper flakes! Amaze-balls! I love the chimichurri at TDB. My question is: DO you really store it in the fridge? It doesn’t congeal? Also, how long do you find a mason jar full of it stays good for?
Cheryl Malik says
Yes, we store it in the fridge! It should last about two weeks.
Peggy Shannon Crawford says
I agree~~~I only used 1/2 cup of olive oil and it was plenty! I will also cut back on the salt and use a bit more parsley as I did not use cilantro~~(Sorry Texas) . I will be making more since I grew an abundance of parsley this year! Yum~~~Bring on the steaks!
Cyndee Hinrichs says
We’ve been making chimichurri for years, our favorite condiment. Our recipe is almost identical but we use a whole cup of cilantro! Maybe we’ve just added more as the years go by. I am going to try the pine nuts though, love those too. My sister lives in Europe, when she comes to visit l always make a batch of chimi for her. She puts in on Everything!
Cheryl Malik says
Thanks so much for sharing!
Soledad Bervejillo says
In Uruguay, as in Argentina, cilantro is definitely not an ingredient of chimichurri. Which is fine by me, because I detest it! ?
But, hey, as we say in Spanish, “sobre gustos no hay nada escrito” (literally, About tastes, there is nothing written).
But, apart from cilantro, it’s a great recipe and delicious with “asado”!!
Sandy says
I love this recipe. Have used it as a marinade for chicken and pork. I like the fact that you give hints for how to adapt the recipe. Since I have a heart condition, I have to restrict my salt intake. I started with no salt at all and thought I would add as needed. This pops with so much flavor that I really didn’t think I needed any salt. Also my husband does not like things too spicy so next time I may try less red peppers. Has anyone else tried reducing that? If so, what do you think would be the right amount?
PRAinAZ says
I lived in Argentina for a bit, and they only add a pinch of red pepper flakes. I also never had it with cilantro or oregano there, just parsley and it was delightful. Someone served me a version here in the states with cilantro and it was very bitter tasting, so I just use parsley.
Spire says
Unless it’s baking and you really know the science, for recipes like this you can adjust the pepper to your taste.
April Delaney says
I actually made the chimichurri into a sauce, then I added some gelatin and made it a mousse. My kids thought I was so fancy lol. Thank you so much it was delish!
Apryl Urie says
I have made this SEVERAL times without fail. It has been a go to of mine and I share your recipe every time someone has it when I make it.
I made it tonight and my lemons were extremely sour ? Ruined the batch, way too sour. Any advice on how to adjust/fix it? ?
Thanks for your insight and inspiration ?
Lani says
This 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
I 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
Great idea! I hope you love it 🙂
Laurie says
Best chimichurri EVER. It tastes just like TDB. Try it on brown rice. Oh my!
Cheryl Malik says
So happy you like it as much as we do!!
Ayu says
This 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
In 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
Glad Eli liked it too 😀
Melissa Belanger says
I just made this and now I can’t wait to eat dinner tonight!!! It tastes so good 🙂
Carol says
Hi 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
ok, this is legit. . I had to check it out. . I love chimichurri and hell no to mediocre olive oil here.
Cheryl Malik says
Oh, 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
Greetings 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
Oh 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
I’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
Yes! Freezing! Great idea
pushpa patel says
HI 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
Hi – I no longer see the chimichurri recipe on your site. Did you remove it?
Cheryl Malik says
So 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
Thank 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
Wow, 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
Hi, 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
So 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
Would you put the pine nuts in the food processor or whole? Thanks
Donna white.
Spire says
Finely chop the pine nuts.
Cathy says
This 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
Yum! Fresh oregano sounds great. Glad you liked it! Now I’m having a major craving..