Chimichurri Sauce
This vegan chimichurri sauce is an explosion of flavor that you’ll love serving on your favorite recipes, especially grilled tofu kebabs and more. Combining fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro with garlic in oil creates the perfect sauce for adding flavor to your favorite dishes!
I first learned about chimichurri sauce in my cooking school and instantly loved it. Of course, I may have first tried it during a trip to Argentina, where the sauce originates and is most well-known. It’s a little like going to KC and getting BBQ sauce.
Chimichurri is a flavor infusion of all the best things, like fresh green herbs, garlic, olive oil, and more. I absolutely love marinating tofu with it, but it’s also a great sauce to drizzle over veggie burgers, etc.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Combining fresh cilantro and parsley adds all the lovely green color and flavor to this sauce
- Olive oil creates a silky smooth texture perfect for brushing over tofu and veggies
- Adding chopped red bell pepper creates a pop of color, taste, and texture throughout this sauce
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Olive oil — I recommend extra virgin olive oil.
- Vinegar — I swear by white wine vinegar for this recipe and I love it so much I can’t even suggest a substitution.
- Parsley — Only fresh parsley will do for this recipe.
- Cilantro — If you’re a cilantro hater, just use all parsley. You won’t get the full flavor, but it will still be delicious.
- Garlic — You’ll need three full cloves of garlic. I do not believe in cutting back on the garlic for this sauce!
- Red bell pepper — Truth be told, a more authentic recipe would call for hot red peppers, but they are nearly impossible to find. Unless you happen upon a jalapeno that has turned red while sitting in the produce section. I also think if it’s summer and you can go to a farmer’s market, you should be able to find red peppers. Otherwise, a red bell pepper works just fine.
- Dried oregano
- Sea salt
What Cilantro is Best for Chimichurri?
Cilantro is a fresh, annual herb used in many recipes to add flavor. The leaves can be eaten fresh and added to Corn Salsa, or they can be cooked and added to savory dishes like Sofritas. It can also be chopped fresh and added as a garnish immediately before serving. You can easily grow cilantro, and if it goes to seed, the result is coriander. Fresh cilantro is best for chimichurri sauce and can be found in the produce section of most major grocery stores.
How to Make Chimichurri Sauce
- Chop the veggies and herbs.
- Stir the herbs and veggies together in a bowl.
- Pour the oil over the top and stir to combine.
- Cover and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours).
- Use it as a marinade for tofu (for Vegan Kebabs), as a baste for grilled veggie burgers, grilled veggies, grilled corn on the cob, and more.
Storage Tips
Transfer any leftovers to a lidded glass jar or sealable container and refrigerate. It will keep up to 5 to 7 days but will lose its vibrant green color within a day or two. You can add more chopped fresh parsley to the days-old sauce to add a more vibrant color.
Reader Reviews
★★★★★
Katlyn
This sauce is so good! I marinated some tofu with it and it was the best!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Does chimichurri have cilantro?
Truly authentic Argentinian chimichurri does not include cilantro. However, it adds amazing flavor and is highly recommended for the most flavorful sauce.
Does chimichurri have dairy?
The good news is that chimichurri is dairy-free, making it a great sauce for vegans to add to their favorite dishes like tofu and veggies.
Serving Suggestions
You can add chimichurri to a number of dishes to make them even tastier:
Vegan Sauce Favorites
This vegan chimichurri sauce is so delicious. If you’d like even more vegan sauces and condiments, give these a try:
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Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ cup fresh parsley, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Stir ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours).
- Use it as a marinade for tofu (for Vegan Kabobs), as a baste for grilled veggie burgers, grilled veggies, grilled corn on the cob, and more.
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This sauce is so good! I marinated some tofu with it and it was the best!