Oil Free Chimichurri Sauce [V+GF]

Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce, typically used for grilled foods. It is made using fresh herbs (mainly parsley) and spices, combined with olive oil. In the interest of keeping this oil free, and with far less calories and fat, I opted for some freshly squeezed lime juice and red wine vinegar in lieu of oil. The taste is equally fantastic and pairs perfectly with your favourite grilled foods.

This sauce pairs particularly well with grilled tomatoes, grilled zucchini, and even grilled mushrooms.

Or you might also enjoy this sauce as a burger topping.

How to make oil free chimichurri sauce

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

This simple recipe requires zero skill and zero cooking. Just gather your ingredients.

I’m using:

• parsley
• cilantro (you may use additional parsley instead of cilantro if preferred)
• garlic
• oregano
• salt
• paprika
• lime juice
• red wine vinegar

Add all the ingredients to a food processor, except the liquids and process until very finely chopped.

Once chopped, you may transfer the contents to a bowl, add the liquids and stir.

Or you can also add the liquids directly to your food processor and pulse once or twice.

Just enough to combine, but do not over process once the liquids are added.

Otherwise, you may end up with a paste looking sauce which is not what you want.

Store your chimichurri in a jar or container and let rest for an hour or so before using.

This resting times allows the flavours to blend with one another. Then serve with your favourite grilled foods.

Substitutions

Feel free to customize this recipe to your liking!

• Do you hate cilantro? We love it, but I know some who really can’t tolerate. Just use all parsley instead, or a smaller ratio of cilantro.
• If you don’t have red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar works nicely here too.
• Want some heat? Spice it up with a pinch or cayenne or red chili flakes.
• Want smoky flavour? Add some smoked paprika.
• Switch up the citrus if preferred. Use lemon over lime, or a combo of both, or add a touch of freshly squeezed orange to the mix for a touch of sweetness.

This recipe can be modified to suit your needs and palette. Enjoy!

More homemade sauce and dip recipes

• Spicy Enchilada Sauce
• Vegan Sriracha Mayo w/ Nut Free Option [Oil Free]
• Oil Free Dill Pickle White Bean Dip
• Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce [Nut Free+Oil Free]

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Buon appetito,
Rosa

Oil Free Chimichurri Sauce

A Latin classic with a twist. This chimichurri pairs perfectly with your favourite grilled foods, without any oil for a low calorie, delicious choice.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Latin

Servings: 8 Servings (makes approx 1 cup)

Calories: 9kcal

Author: Rosa

Equipment

• ▢
  Food Processor

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup parsley packed (thick stems removed)
• ▢ 1/2 cup cilantro packed (thick stems removed)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled
• ▢ 1/2 tsp oregano
• ▢ 1/2 tsp sea salt
• ▢ 1 tsp paprika
• ▢ 1/2 lime juiced
• ▢ 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients, except the lime juice and the vinegar to your food processor. Process until finely chopped.
• Then transfer the herbs to a bowl and add the lime juice and vinegar and stir. Let rest for 1 hour to allow flavours to blend well and serve with your favourite grilled foods.

Notes

Do you hate cilantro? We love it, but I know some who really can't tolerate. Just use all parsley instead, or a smaller ratio of cilantro.

If you don't have red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar works nicely here too.

Want some heat? Spice it up with a pinch or cayenne or red chili flakes.

Want smoky flavour? Add some smoked paprika.

Switch up the citrus if preferred. Use lemon over lime, or a combo of both, or add a touch of freshly squeezed orange to the mix for a touch of sweetness.

Do not add the liquids to your food processor with the herbs. You want to finely chop everything BEFORE you add the lime juice and vinegar. Otherwise, you may end up with a pasty consistency.

If you don't want to transfer the ingredients to a bowl to mix with the lime juice and vinegar, add them to the processor AFTER the other ingredients have been finely chopped and pulse once or twice (NOT MORE) to combine.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tbsp | Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 840IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.6mg

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*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not incude optional ingredients, unless otherwise indicated.