Name: Oil Free Chimichurri Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 65 min
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

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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

If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

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.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Latin

Servings: Servings (makes approx 1 cup)

Calories: 9kcal

Author: Rosa

Equipment

▢
Food Processor

Ingredients

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

DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?Mention @this.healthy.kitchen on IG and tag #thishealthykitchen!

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

Never Miss A Recipe!