chimichurri

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A fresh green sauce from Argentina made from chopped parsley, garlic, oil and vinegar, served mainly with grilled meat.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable: some chimichurri.

   Patterns

   • chimichurri sauce
   • steak with chimichurri

   We served the steak with a spoonful of chimichurri.

   Her homemade chimichurri has plenty of garlic.

   The restaurant is known for its grilled meats and chimichurri.

2. 2nouncountable or uncountable

   Any similar herb-and-oil sauce used as a dip, marinade or topping for fish, vegetables or sandwiches.

   Grammar: A countable use is possible for different versions: three chimichurris.

   Patterns

   • chimichurri marinade
   • chimichurri on something

   He brushed chimichurri on the grilled corn.

   The chef tried a cilantro chimichurri for the fish.

   A little chimichurri makes a sandwich more interesting.

Word forms

Common combinations

chimichurri sauce

Chimichurri sauce goes well with grilled steak.

steak with chimichurri

I ordered steak with chimichurri.

homemade chimichurri

Homemade chimichurri tastes best on the day.

red chimichurri

Red chimichurri uses peppers for extra color.

chimichurri marinade

A chimichurri marinade helps tenderize the meat.

Synonyms and how they differ

salsa verde

Salsa verde means green sauce and varies by region, but chimichurri is specifically the Argentine herb-and-vinegar sauce.

pesto

Pesto is made with basil, nuts and cheese, and chimichurri has no cheese or nuts and uses parsley and vinegar.

herb sauce

Herb sauce is a general description, but chimichurri names a specific recipe.

Word family

parsley noun

the main herb in chimichurri

sauce noun

a liquid or thick mixture served with food

marinade noun

a liquid used to soak meat before cooking

Commonly confused: chimichurri or chimichanga?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “chimichurri”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words