Are you looking to add extra flavour to your meals? Give chimichurri roja a try! This bright and zesty versatile sauce is crammed with parsley, red peppers, olive oil, garlic and spices. It’s the perfect addition to grilled meats and for marinating.
What is Chimichurri Roja?
Traditional Chimichurri is a flavourful sauce from South America that gives a kick to any dish. This red chimichurri recipe gets its fiery red colour from the addition of red chilli and roasted red bell peppers and is delicious. Luckily making your own chimichurri roja is simple and just requires a few fresh ingredients, fresh herbs and a food processor.
The Best Way To Use Chimichurri Roja
Chimichurri is typically used on grilled meats such as chicken or a juicy steak but there are so many ways to use this versatile oil-based sauce:
- Grilled meats: Chimichurri is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat such as flank steak, skirt steak, chicken, or pork. Simply drizzle the sauce over the meat before serving or use it as a marinade for an extra punch of flavour.
- Roasted vegetables: Chimichurri can also be used on roasted vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or peppers. The sauce’s tangy and herbaceous flavours perfectly complement the vegetables’ sweetness.
- Sandwich spread: Spread chimichurri on bread or rolls when making sandwiches for an added kick of flavour. It pairs well with grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, or even wraps.
- Salad dressing: Use chimichurri as a salad dressing by tossing it with your favorite greens and veggies. The bright flavours will liven up any salad
- Dip for bread: Serve chimichurri alongside crusty bread as a delicious dipping sauce. The herby sauce adds depth and complexity to plain bread and makes for an impressive appetizer. You can also use it as a dip for tortilla chips
- Topping for eggs: Drizzle chimichurri over scrambled eggs or omelettes for a tasty breakfast
Ingredients
- Roasted red bell peppers – these are the base of the sauce and give great flavour
- Fresh Parsley – for a fresh herby flavour to the sauce. I use flat-leaf parsley but you could use curly parsley if you have it
- Smoked paprika – gives a lovely smoky flavor to the sauce but you can also use regular paprika here, it just won’t give that smoky depth to the sauce
- Red Chilli – adds some kick. If you don’t have any fresh red chilli to hand, you can use red pepper flakes to give some heat. Fresno peppers are the most common in a red version of chimichurri but any hot pepper will do. Pick your favourite chili peppers depending on heat preference.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves – adds more flavour
- Fresh Lemon Juice – gives the sauce some zing! You can also use red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar here for the same effect. Apple cider vinegar is another great option to use here. If you have limes instead of lemons, lime juice can be used too.
How To Make Red Chimichurri Sauce
Red Chimichurri Sauce is simple and easy to make with the use of a food processor
- Get all your ingredients ready and measured out
- Add the chilli, roast red peppers, parsley, paprika and garlic to the processor and pulse until paste-like in texture depending on how smooth or rough a texture you would like the sauce to be. I like to blend it quite fine to get as much flavour out of all the ingredients and into the sauce.
- Taste and test for seasoning, adding salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste
- Pulse again in the food processor
- Add the extra virgin olive oil to the paste and stir to create the sauce
Making Chimichurri In Advance
Yes, chimichurri can be made in advance! Many people believe that the flavours of chimichurri actually improve when it’s allowed to sit for a few hours or even overnight.
Chimichurri can spoil if not stored correctly. It’s important to understand the main factors contributing to its spoilage: exposure to air, heat, and moisture. When exposed to air for an extended period, the herbs in chimichurri can oxidize and turn brown. Additionally, the sauce can spoil faster when stored at room temperature or in warm conditions.
Storing it in an airtight container such as a mason jar in the refrigerator is best to prolong the shelf life of chimichurri and prevent it from spoiling. This will help preserve its freshness and flavour for up to one week.
If you notice any signs that your chimichurri has spoiled, such as a sour smell or mould growth on the surface, discard it immediately. Consuming spoiled chimichurri can lead to food poisoning and other health risks.
Can You Freeze Chimichurri Roja
To prevent freezer burn, store chimichurri in an airtight container or freezer bag. Leave room at the top of the container or bag for expansion as the sauce freezes.
Before freezing chimichurri, consider portioning it into smaller containers or bags so you can quickly thaw just the amount you need without defrosting the entire batch. You can also use ice cube trays.
To thaw frozen chimichurri, place it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours until fully thawed. You may notice that the sauce’s texture has changed slightly after being frozen, but this should not affect its flavour.
Frozen chimichurri is safe to eat after being thawed. However, its vibrant colour may fade slightly due to oxidation. To freshen up the colour before serving, add a bit of freshly chopped parsley or cilantro right before serving.
Bitter Chimichurri Roja
If you find that your Chimichurri tastes bitter, there are a few steps you can take to salvage it:
- Add some sugar or honey to help balance out the bitterness
- Add some lemon juice or vinegar to balance out the bitterness
- Try not to over-blend the sauce; this can cause it to go bitter
- Try not to use too many parsley stems, as these can give a bitter taste
FAQ’s
These are both oil based sauces – green chimichurri has coriander also added to it which makes it a bright green colour. Red chimichurri gets its red colour from the roasted red peppers and paprika. Red chimichurri has a sweeter flavour profile due to the red peppers, whereas green chimichurri is more savoury in flavour.
Delicious! It tastes vibrant and spicy, smokey and fresh and you only need a little to elevate some grilled chicken or steak.
That’s the beauty of making your own chimichurri, you can make it as spicy as you like. This version is medium level spicy, using just one whole chilli pepper but this can be easily adjusted.
It should last upto 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The sauce is best eaten fresh as the acidity can break down the herbs and cause the sauce to lose its freshness.
Absolutely. The best way to do this is portion it out into an ice cube tray and whenever you want some, you have it ready to use. This will last upto 3 months in the freezer. Thaw before using.
Absolutely, if you don’t have a food processor, you can dice the ingredients super fine with a chef’s knife. Alternatively, you can try using a pestle and mortar to grind the ingredients if you want a smoother sauce. You can also use a mini chopper which is the perfect size for this quantity of chimichurri.
Absolutely, if you are looking to make a large batch of this, the quantities can be easily doubled.
Try Another Recipe
Homemade Chimichurri Roja
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 set of measuring cups
- 1 chefs knife
Ingredients
- 135 g roasted red peppers (around 1 cup)
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup packed parsley
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- juice of a small lemon
- 1 whole red chilli
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Begin by measuring out all your ingredients and get everything ready to go
- Add all the ingredients to the food processor except the olive oil
- pulse until a rough paste forms, you still want some texture
- taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary
- Add to a bowl and sir through the olive oil to create a sauce