Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

An authentic chimichurri sauce is an uncooked sauce composed of fresh parsley, fresh garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano.

It can be found in a tangy green sauce version or a red variety made with roasted red peppers.

The simple sauce can be used as a cooking ingredient such as a chimichurri marinade or as a sauce on grilled meat, particularly steak.

Typically it is served as a marinade for grilled meat and also as the sauce for that same grilled meat-preferably a steak as Manservant would say.

Commonly found in Argentina or Uruguay, this easy sauce can be adapted multiple ways and is perfect for summer grilling season.

I love changing it up a bit for whatever I'm serving, or depending on what herbs in my garden are the freshest.

Not only that but adding red pepper flakes or fresh chopped jalapeno, even a serrano pepper, in addition to lime juice or lemon juice gives this cilantro chimichurri sauce recipe some real pizzazz.

Fresh herbs that I often use to make this simple sauce special include fresh oregano, fresh mint, flat leaf parsley and lots of fresh cilantro leaves.

After all this is one of my favorite cilantro recipes and even though Italian parsley is the standard in chimichurri recipes, I love switching things up whenever I can.

I've even used a little fresh mint to create this honey herb chimichurri for lamb.

Making a homemade chimichurri sauce is easy and leftovers can be kept in an airtight container or a mason jar, so you will always have a great addition to any meal.

This cilantro chimichurri recipe is a very versatile sauce.

So imagine today finds us in Argentina being served an enormous grilled steak doused in chimichurri.

The grill is burning, the smell of meat is in the air and this green, herby, garlicky sauce is being poured liberally over my grilled meats and served to me by a handsome gaucho with massive arms and a cute tush.

Don't I wish? Truth is, I don't eat meat anymore but I can assure you that if I was being served by a handsome gaucho with massive arms and a cute tush, well, I wouldprobably eat anything!

There are so many delicious ways to use this easy chimichurri sauce recipe.

Need a Great Way to Use Chimichurri Sauce:

1. Drizzle over any meat, fish or chicken. Use as a marinade or sauce.

2. Perfect for baked potatoes or even on hash browns.

3. Dunk huge hunks of sourdough in this as you would a dipping sauce.

4. Pizza - yeah this would make a great base. And an extra garnish on top.

5. Cheese - Buratta or fresh mozzarella comes to mind. Drizzle, shmizzle. You get the idea.

6. Watermelon. Enough said.

7. Mix into mayo for a sandwich spread.

8. Drizzle, as is, to give that sub sandwich extra flavor.

9. Rice. Pour some on top, please.

10. Eggs. Use this over hard boiled eggs or scrambled and everyone will want more.

11. Pasta. Instead of pesto. Pesto tends to be a bit overused. And not that that's a bad thing, but it's time to start a new trend.

12. Quinoa. Kind of in the rice category.

13. Salad Dressing. Mix with sour cream or mayo and you have something fresh.

14. Stir into Cream Cheese for a new dip.

15. As the base for quesadillas, sprinkle with corn and cotija and grill this outside. This is really good. Throw a few mangoes on top, too.

16. Drizzle over avocado toast.

17.  Spoon over cauliflower bowls or over falafel.

OK. Tell me your favorite ways to use this cilantro sauce with its vibrant green color.

I took a few liberties with this cilantro version chimichurri, and you can too.

Use what you have on hand and make your own signature sauce.

Don't over-blend and try to stir in some chopped red onion if you can.

I served rabbit catcher this with chicken mango sausages grilled over the fire.

They are made by Aidell's, a great brand. Labelled chicken mango habanero, they do have a bit of heat, but in our opinion not much.

And the dogs like them, too. No complaints there.

Need an easy appetizer?

I grill the sausages, slice them up and serve them with this classic sauce for an easy summer appetizer. Just sayin'.

Give this flavorful chimichurri sauce a try. Just make sure it is at room temperature when you serve it.

This simple recipe is easily made in the bowl of a food processor.

Don't want to use so much cilantro?

Add more parsley or more oregano or even basil if you'd like.

Just make sure to keep the amount of herbs the same in the mixture.

I used a total of two cups of fresh herbs and I did like how all three played off of each other.

This dinner comes together exceptionally fast, which is really good when you are hungry.

And no it wasn't steak. And a handsome gaucho didn't serve it to me. But it was good and hit the spot!

I'd love to hear how you liked this simple meal and how you like this traditional chimichurri sauce.

And I'd also love to hear about your favorite sauce for summer!