Elevate your meals with this smoky-sweet red chimichurri sauce, a vibrant blend of roasted peppers, fresh herbs, and a warm touch of spice. Effortlessly made in minutes by blending simple ingredients, it transforms everything from grilled steak and roasted vegetables to seafood and sandwiches with its bold, irresistible flavor.
While traditional chimichurri is a bright, all-fresh herb sauce, this version adds a layer of warm, smoky depth. Roasted red peppers and smoked paprika get added, along with a hint of cumin, while keeping the vibrant foundation of fresh cilantro and parsley. This elegant spin creates a rich, complex sauce that beautifully complements chicken, pork, steak, seafood, vegetables, and much more!
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Roasted red pepper – These add a sweet and charred flavor as well as a silky texture to the sauce. Use jarred roasted red peppers for convenience or roast your own for deeper flavor. Make sure to pat them dry to keep the sauce from getting watery.
- Parsley and cilantro – For a distinctive, bright touch of herbaceous flavor. Leave the cilantro out if you aren’t a fan and add in extra parsley. I’ve used flat leaf parsley as it provides a better texture and flavor – check out the differences between Italian parsley and curly parsley here.
- Red wine vinegar – Feel free to use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. Sherry vinegar can be used in a pinch.
- Shallot – Adds to the aromatic foundation of this sauce.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves peeled and blended right in for punchy flavor.
- Warm spices – This sauce calls for smoked paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes for an irresistible kick of heat.
- Kosher salt – Enhances all of the flavors in the sauce. Taste to test at the end and then adjust as needed.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Adds a subtle richness and provides a silky consistency to this red chimichurri sauce.
How to make it
Step 1
Blend the Ingredients
- Simply process all ingredients except the olive oil until finely chopped.
Step 2
Stream in the Olive Oil
- Slowly stream in the oil while pulsing a few more times until the oil is combined. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste the red chimichurri and adjust with additional salt and spices, as needed.
Step 3
Serve or Store
- Use this red chimichurri sauce right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Give it a quick stir before serving if it separates slightly.
Ways to use red chimichurri sauce
Ready to level up your cooking? Your red chimichurri sauce is a secret weapon waiting to transform everyday dishes with bold, vibrant flavor. Here are some ways I love to use it:
- Spread for sandwiches – Delicious when used as a spread to assemble your favorite steak sandwich for the ultimate comfort food.
- Elevate grilled or roasted veggies – Just a spoonful of this red chimichurri sauce can take regular vegetables and turn them into a gourmet side dish or vegetarian main meal.
- Marinated meat – From grilled chicken, steak, or lamb chops; this red chimichurri sauce will infuse flavor throughout and tenderize every bite.
Tips and tricks
- Always taste the sauce after blending the ingredients together. You may find that you want to adjust the level of spice for an extra kick of heat.
- Adjust the consistency of the red chimichurri sauce to your preference. To thin the sauce, add more olive oil or a splash of vinegar. To thicken it, blend in extra roasted red peppers or a few more herbs. Be mindful of how the flavor of the sauce can change by adjusting the ingredients – always taste to test!
- Chill the sauce for about 15 minutes before serving. While this is optional, it helps the sauce to thicken and for the flavors to meld together and intensify.
- Make a double batch of red chimichurri sauce by simply doubling the ingredients called for in this recipe, if needed.
- Use a mini food processor or chop by hand for the perfect texture. A large processor can leave herbs and peppers overly coarse and chunky.
- Avoid over-blending! A slightly chunky, rustic texture is ideal for chimichurri, not a smooth purée.
- Only use fresh herbs and garlic. The dried alternatives won’t deliver the intended bright flavor or layered complexity.
- Achieve the best taste with a good-quality, fresh extra-virgin olive oil, as it is a central flavor component.
Variations
This chimichurri sauce is so quick and easy – feel free to tweak, twist, and make it distinctly yours:
- Herb swaps – Use ALL cilantro or ALL parsley if you’d like.
- Acidic tang – White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be swapped for the red wine vinegar.
- Choose your favorite aromatic – You can still build incredible aromatic depth of flavor if you only use the shallot or the garlic.
- Make green chimichurri sauce – Omit the roasted red peppers and add in an extra fresh herb, such as oregano to make a sauce that is true to a classic chimichurri sauce! The rest of the ingredients stay pretty much the same.
- Spicy versus no-spice red chimichurri sauce – While this sauce is not hot by any means, you can omit the red pepper flakes entirely if you prefer. For those who love to feel some heat, feel free to add in more red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or even blend in a jalapeno pepper!
Serving suggestions
This red chimichurri sauce is ridiculously good with an array of meats, bowls, vegetable sides, and much more! Here are some choices that are front of mind:
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin – Swap the green chimichurri for this red version!
- Slathered on garlic bread or drizzled over your assembled crostini as a delicious snack or appetizer
Storing
Store leftover red chimichurri in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Keep in mind that the garlic flavor intensifies as the sauce sits.
You’ll be happy to know that chimichurri (red or green) freezes well for up to 3 months! For convenience, pour the sauce into individual portions using a silicone ice cube mold. You can then transfer the cubes into a large ziploc bag. Thaw the exact amount needed overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Erin’s wine pairings
Elevate your red chimichurri from great to unforgettable with one of these perfectly chosen wines.
- The bright citrus and herbal notes of Sauvignon Blanc pair well with the cilantro and parsley in this chimichurri sauce without competing.
- Try a Vinho Verde. It’s budget-friendly and provides a bit of fizz and citrus.
- A Sangiovese is the ideal red wine pairing since its savory notes meld beautifully with grilled meats and fresh herbs.
More easy sauces to whip up
Did you make this red chimichurri sauce?
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Full Recipe
Red Chimichurri Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup roasted red pepper (12-ounce jar)
- ⅓ cup flat leaf parsley
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 small shallot (rough chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin )
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor or blender, and pulse a few times until chopped. Slowly stream in the olive oil, while pulsing the mixture a few more times until the olive oil is combined, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container.
Notes
- Store leftover red chimichurri in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Keep in mind that the garlic flavor intensifies as the sauce sits.
- You’ll be happy to know that chimichurri (red or green) freezes well for up to 3 months! For convenience, pour the sauce into individual portions using a silicone ice cube mold. You can then transfer the cubes into a large ziploc bag. Thaw the exact amount needed overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Always taste the sauce after blending the ingredients together. You may find that you want to adjust the level of spice for an extra kick of heat.
- Adjust the consistency of the red chimichurri sauce to your preference. To thin the sauce, add more olive oil or a splash of vinegar. To thicken it, blend in extra roasted red peppers or a few more herbs. Be mindful of how the flavor of the sauce can change by adjusting the ingredients – always taste to test!
- Chill the sauce for about 15 minutes before serving. While this is optional, it helps the sauce to thicken and for the flavors to meld together and intensify.
- Make a double batch of red chimichurri sauce by simply doubling the ingredients called for in this recipe, if needed.
- Use a mini food processor or chop by hand for the perfect texture. A large processor can leave herbs and peppers overly coarse and chunky.
- Avoid over-blending! A slightly chunky, rustic texture is ideal for chimichurri, not a smooth purée.
- Only use fresh herbs and garlic. The dried alternatives won’t deliver the intended bright flavor or layered complexity.
- Achieve the best taste with a good-quality, fresh extra-virgin olive oil, as it is a central flavor component.
- Herb swaps – Use ALL cilantro or ALL parsley if you’d like.
- Acidic tang – White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be swapped for the red wine vinegar.
- Choose your favorite aromatic – You can still build incredible aromatic depth of flavor if you only use the shallot or the garlic.
- Make green chimichurri sauce – Omit the roasted red peppers and add in an extra fresh herb, such as oregano to make a sauce that is true to a classic chimichurri sauce! The rest of the ingredients stay pretty much the same.
- Spicy versus no-spice red chimichurri sauce – While this sauce is not hot by any means, you can omit the red pepper flakes entirely if you prefer. For those who love to feel some heat, feel free to add in more red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or even blend in a jalapeno pepper!
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