Chimichurri Rojo (Argentine Red Chimichurri)
Chimichurri rojo is the red sibling of Argentina's foundational herb sauce. Roasted red pepper and smoked paprika shift the colour and add a quiet smokiness that the green version does not have. It goes on steak the same way green chimichurri does, but also works as a marinade, a spread, and a dressing. Made in minutes. Better after resting. Keeps for two weeks.
Ingredients
- 1 roasted red bell pepper
- 30 gfresh flat-leaf parsley
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 shallot
- 2 tspsmoked paprika
- 1 tspdried oregano
- ½ tspred pepper flakes
- 3 tbspred wine vinegar
- 1 tbsplemon juice
- 100 mlextra virgin olive oil
- ½ tspsalt
Method
- Roast the pepper if using fresh. If using jarred roasted red pepper, drain it and pat dry with paper towel. If roasting fresh: place the whole pepper directly on a gas burner or under a grill at maximum heat for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skin is black and blistered on all sides. Place in a bowl, cover with a plate, and leave 10 minutes to steam. Peel away the charred skin under cold running water. Remove seeds and stem.
- Chop everything. Roughly chop the roasted pepper, parsley leaves with their tender stems, garlic, and shallot. The traditional method is to mince everything finely by hand with a knife. If using a food processor, add everything except the olive oil and pulse in 5 to 8 short bursts. Stop before it becomes smooth. Chimichurri should have visible texture, not be a paste.
- Combine and season. Transfer the chopped mixture to a bowl. Add the smoked paprika, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Stir well. Taste: the balance of sharp, smoky, and herbal should be clear.
- Emulsify with olive oil. Drizzle in the olive oil gradually while stirring constantly. Do not pour all at once. Add salt and taste again. Adjust vinegar if it needs more acid.
- Rest before serving. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Straight from the bowl the garlic is raw and harsh. After 30 minutes the sauce is a completely different thing. Serve at room temperature, not cold from the fridge.
FAQ
Green chimichurri is the base: parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar, olive oil. Herbal, sharp, clean. Chimichurri rojo adds roasted red pepper and smoked paprika, which give smokiness, slight sweetness, and a thicker texture. Green chimichurri cuts through fat and contrasts; red chimichurri complements and is particularly good with ribeye, chorizo, and roasted vegetables. At an Argentine asado, both versions usually appear on the table together.
In the refrigerator in a sealed glass jar, chimichurri rojo keeps up to 2 weeks. The first 2 to 3 days have the brightest herb flavour; after that the garlic softens and the vinegar integrates more deeply. The parsley darkens over time but the flavour is not affected. To freeze: pour into ice cube trays, freeze solid, then transfer to a bag. Keeps 3 months. Texture after thawing is slightly looser but the flavour holds well.
Yes, and many Argentines would say the knife method is the correct one. Mince the parsley, garlic, shallot, and roasted pepper as finely as possible, then add the smoked paprika, oregano, pepper flakes, vinegar, and oil and stir. The texture will be coarser, which is correct. Chimichurri should not be a puree. If using a food processor, pulse only in 5 to 8 short bursts. It is easy to over-process and end up with a smooth paste.
Chimichurri rojo is more versatile than the green version because the roasted pepper rounds it out. Use it as a marinade for chicken or fish: coat and leave 30 minutes before grilling. As a sauce for roasted vegetables, particularly aubergine, courgette, sweet potato. As a spread for sandwiches, especially choripan. As a dressing stirred into a potato salad or grain bowl. In Argentina chimichurri goes on the table the way mustard does, alongside anything that has been grilled.
In the base recipe the heat is mild to moderate: smoked paprika adds smokiness without much heat, the red pepper flakes contribute a background warmth. To make it spicier: increase the flakes, add a fresh serrano or half a seeded habanero, or replace part of the smoked paprika with cayenne. To make it mild: remove the flakes entirely and keep only the smoked paprika. The sauce stays red and smoky but without any real heat.
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Comments (7)
Put this on a 2-inch ribeye grilled over oak coals last Saturday. Unreal. The smoked paprika plays so well with the char from the grill. Way better than the green version for beef IMO. Keep it in a mason jar on the counter (not fridge) for a few hours before serving, olive oil needs to be liquid.
On en mange tous les dimanches maintenant avec l'entrecôte grillée. Mon mari argentin a validé la recette — a dit que c'est presque comme chez sa grand-mère. Je double toujours la quantité, on finit tout dans la semaine sur tout.
К стейку идеально. Сделала на выходных в первый раз — перепробовала зелёную версию раньше, но красная мне больше нравится, копчёный акцент бесподобный. Болгарский перец запекала на газу, как в рецепте, и это реально меняет вкус. Хранится неделю спокойно.
Devo ammettere, mi ha sorpreso quanto mi è piaciuto. Io sono italiano, il chimichurri non è nella mia tradizione, ma l'ho fatto per un bbq argentino e funziona meglio del pesto su carne rossa. La paprika affumicata è cruciale, senza non vale la pena farlo.
Perfect for weekend BBQ. Made it Friday night and it was already amazing by Saturday. Husband put it on everything — eggs, toast, chicken. I stretched it further with a splash of extra olive oil and nobody noticed. Keep a jar around always now.
Lo probé con entrecot a la parrilla el finde y los niños no dejaban el pan en paz de tanto mojar. Con el pimiento asado de verdad, no el de bote — hace mucha diferencia el ahumado. Guardo en tarro de cristal en la nevera, aguanta dos semanas sin problema.
Чимичурри рохо я впервые попробовал в Мендосе на asado — это сестра зелёной чермулы, но с копчёным характером. Главный секрет — настоящий свежий запечённый перец над открытым огнём. Банка из магазина тоже работает, но домашний запечённый даёт ту самую дымность, ради которой это блюдо и существует. И не забудьте дать ему час постоять — чеснок агрессивный в первые 15 минут, а через час становится гармоничным.