When you think of an Argentine or Uruguayan asado, it’s almost impossible for your mind to not wander off to the iconic, indelible and homemade delicacy that is chimichurri. This go-to table condiment can be found at every restauranteargentino and uruguayo, due to the way that it perfectly compliments grilled meats with it’s garlicky and herby taste. There are two versions of this sauce—chimichurri verde and chimichurri rojo—and the one you eat is based solely on your personal preference and mood that day. This sauce pairs well with chicken dishes and grilled veggies.

This sauce always requires the same key ingredients: finely chopped parsley (and no you can’t cheat and use a food processor), minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and red wine vinegar (some recipes might call for white vinegar instead). There are many theories as to how chimichurri got its name. One gives the credit to the Basques (those are folks from Spain, y’all) that resettled in Argentina in the 19th century (so the 1800s) and introduced [the very fun little] word tximitxurri (which is basically pronounced the same despite the off-putting ‘t’ and ‘x’). Tximitxurri roughly translates to “a mixture of several things in no particular order.”

Another theory states that it was the was the mispronunciation of an English name that gave this lovely little sauce its name. The story goes that when introduced to ‘Jimmy Curry,’ a man reported to have helped Argentina with its independence, the locals had their way with it and came up with chimichurri, but there is not documentation of this that has been found to confirm or deny it. Regardless of its origins, we love chimichurri. Check out the recipe below!

©Istock

Homemade Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon of red chili flakes (use less if you don’t like spicy)
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparations:

1. Chop parsley, garlic and fresh oregano.
2. In a bowl, mix EVOO, chopped ingredients, chili flakes, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and lemon zest.
3. Store in fridge and bring out when ready to enjoy!

Special Note From HOLA! USA: Homemade chimichurri keeps for about two to three weeks when properly refrigerated.