My chimichurri with mint is also a playful alternative to my other mint sauces—Lamb Mint Sauce and Yogurt Mint Sauce. Serve them with lamb, seafood, steak, and more!
Ingredients and Substitutions
The fresh, crisp flavor of my mint chimichurri recipe is all thanks to these fresh ingredients that you can find at your local grocer, farmer’s market, or in your garden.
- Fresh mint leaves: We will be using only the leaves for my mint chimichurri sauce, as I find the stems to be too “woodsy” in flavor to include.
- Fresh parsley leaves: While I prefer to use only the leaves of the parsley, if you can chop it all very finely, feel free to include the stems as well.
- Red chili pepper: Traditional chimichurri sauce uses red chili peppers, but you’re welcome to swap them out with ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, if that’s what you have available. Or, if you’d like to up the heat, you can also try using serrano or jalapeno peppers instead.
- Fresh garlic cloves: Garlic is a big part of the classic recipe, and the fresh cloves add a bold spiciness that you won’t want to skimp on.
- Vinegar: In Argentina, chimichurri sauce is always made using red wine vinegar. If you don’t have any on hand, you are welcome to swap in white wine vinegar. Another non-traditional option for the acid in this chimichurri sauce with mint that works, too, is lime juice.
- Seasonings: With so many fresh herbs, the only additional seasonings needed are Kosher salt and black pepper.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I recommend a good extra-virgin olive oil since this isn’t being cooked (unless you end up using it as a marinade), and the flavor will really shine through.
- Shallot (optional): The traditional chimichurri sauce does not use shallots, but you can add a finely chopped shallot, especially if you plan on using this as a salad dressing.
How to make Mint Chimichurri?
You can chop the ingredients of this simple sauce by hand, or use a food processor. I personally prefer the rough traditional hand-chop method, but a few quick pulses of the processor do the trick, too. Here are the simple steps to throw it all together:
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine your finely chopped fresh mint and parsley leaves, chopped small red chili pepper, minced garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, Kosher salt, ground black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
- Mix to combine, taste for seasoning, and add more if necessary before serving.
How To Store and Freeze?
This is an excellent make-ahead condiment that stores well. Here’s how I do it:
- Storage: You can store your mint chimichurri in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freezing is a fantastic way to enjoy recipes with mint sauce for months to come. Simply pour your chimichurri sauce into an ice cube tray and freeze it. Once frozen, place the chimichurri cubes in a freezer bag and take out a cube to enjoy whenever needed.
Serving Suggestions
This multi-purpose sauce can be used to add a cool burst of flavor to an array of dishes. Whether it’s enjoyed as a sauce, marinade, condiment, or dressing, these are some of my top choices to pair it with:
- With Lamb: Mint and lamb are such a classic flavor combination. This mint chimichurri sauce is excellent with any of my lamb recipes but I particularly like serving it as a sauce for my Leg of Lamb and Rack of Lamb.
- Seafood: Mint sauces like this pair beautifully with seafood dishes. Drizzle a generous spoon over Grilled Shrimp or Grilled Salmon for a refreshing and bright finish.
- Roasted Veggies: Savory veggies fresh out of the oven shine with a splash of chimichurri sauce with mint. I love pairing it with my Baked Eggplant and Roasted Asparagus, especially when I serve them with meat dishes.
- Salad Dressing: Mint chimichurri can perk up your homemade salad dressing for an unexpected taste that perks up any boring salad. Try adding a few tablespoons to either my Lemon Vinaigrette or my Yogurt Salad Dressing.
Other Recipes with Fresh Mint
- Quinoa Tabouli
- Turkish Tabbouleh (made with bulgur wheat)
If you make your own Mint Chimichurri recipe following our recipe, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a minute to rate it and leave a comment below. It is a great way to support this website and help those planning to make it. Also, if you took pictures, I’d love to see them. Share your creations on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them with the Foolproof Living community.
Photography by Tanya Pilgrim.
Mint Chimichurri Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 1 small red chili pepper, deseeded and chopped, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of finely chopped fresh mint leaves, 1 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, 1 chopped small red chili pepper, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix to combine, taste for seasoning, and add more if necessary before serving.
Notes
- Yields: This recipe makes ~ 2/3 cups of mint chimichurri sauce that is ideal for 4-6 servings.
- Using a food processor: While I chopped the herbs by hand, you can certainly use a food processor if you want to make it quicker.
- Storage: You can store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The green color of the chimichurri gets darker as it sits, which is normal.
- Freezing: Place it in ice cubes and freeze overnight. Store the frozen cubes in an airtight container in individual portions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
