This red chimichurri sauce is a bold, smoky twist on classic chimichurri, made with roasted red peppers, fresh herbs, garlic, and red wine vinegar. It’s a quick sauce recipe that adds bright, punchy flavor to steak, chicken, seafood, vegetables, and grain bowls.
What is Red Chimichurri Sauce?
Red chimichurri sauce is a vibrant, herbaceous condiment similar to traditional green chimichurri, but with the addition of roasted red peppers and smoked paprika for a richer color and deeper flavor. It still keeps the bright acidity and garlicky bite that chimichurri is known for, but it feels slightly sweeter, smokier and more robust.
Because it is uncooked and made with pantry-friendly ingredients plus fresh herbs, it’s an easy way to add restaurant-style flavor to grilled or roasted foods.
Gather This
Lots of fresh ingredients come together to make this red chimichurri sauce. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Roasted red peppers – These add sweetness, color, and body, making the sauce smoother and a little less sharp than green chimichurri.
- Fresh garlic
- Shallot
- Flat parsley leaves
- Cilantro leaves
- Smoked paprika
- Coarse kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
How to Make Red Chimichurri Sauce (Step-by-Step)
Grab your food processor, this sauce couldn’t be easier to make!
- Combine red peppers, garlic and shallot in food processor. In a large food processor, pulse the roasted red peppers, fresh garlic and shallot.
- Add parsley, cilantro and seasonings. When the mixture is coarsely chopped, add the parsley, cilantro, smoked paprika, coarse kosher salt, ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, pulse again.
- Add olive oil and vinegar and emulsify. Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar, pulse again until emulsified.
- Serve or store. Serve immediately or cover and store in the fridge.
Chef Tip
If you want a smoother sauce, give it a few more blitzes in the food processor and an additional 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Perfect Pairings
Red chimichurri sauce can be paired with just about anything you’d like! But here are some of my favorites.
- Grilled steak
- Skirt steak
- Chicken thighs or chicken breast
- Shrimp or salmon
- Roasted potatoes
- Grilled vegetables
- Pork tenderloin
- Rice bowls or grain bowls
- Sandwiches or wraps
Mix Things Up!
Take this red chimichurri sauce into your own hands and mix things up a little.
- Spice it up – Add more red pepper flakes or a small amount of fresh chili powder or cayenne.
- No cilantro – For my “cilantro tastes like soap” friends, you can replace the cilantro with extra parsley.
- Chunky – Instead of a smoother sauce, pulse in the food processor a little less for a chunkier sauce.
- Smoky – Add a little bit more smoky paprika, or even liquid smoke to give your sauce a smokier flavor.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
If you know me, you know how much I love a good homemade sauce. Here are some of my favorites.
Red Chimichurri Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounce jar roasted red peppers drained and coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves fresh garlic coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons shallot coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup flat parsley leaves only loosely packed
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves only, loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Instructions
- In a large food processor, pulse the drained and coarsely chopped 10 ounce jar roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped 4 cloves fresh garlic and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons shallot.
- When the mixture is coarsely chopped, add the1/2 cup flat parsley, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, pulse again.
- Pour in the 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, pulse again until emulsified.
- Serve immediately or cover and store in the fridge.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
