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    Home » Recipes » Dips, Sauces & Spreads

    Oil Free Chimichurri Sauce [Healthy]

    Published: Aug 12, 2021 · Modified: Jan 25, 2022 by Rosa · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    1.1K shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Oil free chimichurri with fresh herbs, fresh lime juice and tangy red wine vinegar is the ultimate topping for all your grilled favourites. It’s wholesome, low in calories and virtually fat free! Ready in 10 minutes or less.

    Glass jar filled with chimichurri with lime and parsley on the side.

    This recipe was originally published in March 2019. It has been updated for content and photos.

    This is a Latin classic with a twist.

    Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce, made using flat leaf parsley, spices and olive oil.

    My low calorie and low fat twist opts for red wine vinegar and lime juice to make this one oil free. Plus I’m adding a little cilantro to the mix.

    The flavour is fresh, tangy and absolutely fantastic! It pairs perfectly with all your grilled favourites like grilled tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and mushrooms!

    Glass jar of chimichurri with platter of grilled portobello mushrooms beside it.

    How to make it

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

    This simple recipe is ready in no time, with little skill or effort required. Gather your ingredients. (Full quantities are in the recipe card below.)

    NOTE: If you don’t like cilantro, switch it out for more parsley instead.

    Herbs, spices, vinegar, garlic and lime scattered on quartz counter top.

    Add all the ingredients EXCEPT the lime juice and vinegar to your food processor. (photo 1)

    Process until very finely chopped. (photo 2)

    Food processor with herbs, garlic and spices being finely chopped.

    Transfer the chopped herbs to a bowl or jar. Then add the liquids and stir.

    NOTE: Alternatively, you may add the liquids directly to your food processor (AFTER processing the herbs) and pulse once or twice to mix. But DO NOT puree.

    Let the mixture rest 1 hour in the fridge to blend the flavours.

    Spoonful of chimichurri being scooped from glass jar with herbs and lime in the background.

    How to use it

    • Spread over grilled veggies, like tomato, mushrooms, eggplant or zucchini.
    • Mix into mashed potatoes for an herby flavour.
    • Spread some into a chickpea salad sandwich.
    • Use it as a burger topping.
    Platter of grilled portobello mushrooms with chimichurri sauce on top and jar of chimichurri beside it.

    Substitutions + Variations

    Feel free to customize this recipe to your liking!

    • Do you hate cilantro? We love it, but I know some of you don’t. No problem. Just use all parsley instead, or a smaller ratio of cilantro.
    • If you don’t have red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar also work.
    • Want some heat? Spice it up with a pinch of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
    • Want smoky flavour? Use smoked paprika instead of sweet and/or add a splash of liquid smoke.
    • Switch up the citrus if preferred. Use lemon over lime, or a combo of both, or add some freshly squeezed orange to the mix for a touch of sweetness.

    Expert Tips

    1. Process the herbs WITHOUT any liquid. Processing everything together will result in a paste. Then gently pulse ONCE OR TWICE to add the liquid, or stir into a bowl or jar to be safe.
    2. Raw garlic has a stronger flavour compared to cooked. We like our chimichurri very garlicky, but if you don’t, reduce to 1-2 cloves.
    3. Let rest 1 hour (or more) before using for the best flavour.

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    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

    📖 Recipe

    Glass jar filled with chimichurri with lime and parsley on the side.

    Oil Free Chimichurri Sauce

    Oil free chimichurri with fresh herbs, fresh lime juice and tangy red wine vinegar is the ultimate topping for all your grilled favourites.
    5 from 19 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: Latin
    Servings: 8 Servings (makes approx. 1 cup)
    Calories: 8cal
    Author: Rosa

    Equipment

    Food Processor

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup flat leaf parsley tightly packed (thick stems removed)
    • ½ cup fresh cilantro tightly packed (thick stems removed)
    • 3-4 cloves garlic peeled
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
    • 1 tablespoon lime juice approx. half of a lime
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    Prevent 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 or jar and pour in the lime juice and vinegar. Mix well and let rest for 1 hour to blend the flavours. Serve with your favourite grilled foods.

    Notes

    Do you hate cilantro? We love it, but I know some of you don’t. No problem. Just use all parsley instead, or a smaller ratio of cilantro.
    If you don’t have red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar also work.
    Want some heat? Spice it up with a pinch of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
    Want smoky flavour? Use smoked paprika instead of sweet and/or add a splash of liquid smoke.
    Switch up the citrus if preferred. Use lemon over lime, or a combo of both, or add some freshly squeezed orange to the mix for a touch of sweetness.
    Do not add the liquids to your food processor with the herbs. The herbs should be finely chopped everything BEFORE adding liquids to prevent blending the mixture into a puree.
    If you don’t want to transfer the ingredients to a bowl to mix with the liquids, add them to the processor AFTER the other ingredients have been finely chopped and pulse once or twice (NOT MORE) to combine.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 8cal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 828IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    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 include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
    1.1K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Monique Gravel O'Neill

      August 06, 2023 at 4:28 pm

      5 stars
      Love this low cal version. I didn’t use the food processor, I chopped everything by hand &, that worked fine. It isn’t going to drizzle on the meat like some chimichurries, so some people might let like to add a drizzle of oil but the taste is all there. I use the smoked paprika

      Reply
      • Rosa

        August 07, 2023 at 12:06 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Melissa

      August 02, 2021 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      Perfect over roasted veggies and as a topping on my veggie wraps and California veggie sandwiches! Thank u

      Reply
      • Rosa

        August 02, 2021 at 7:08 pm

        Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed Melissa. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Pam

      June 29, 2021 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      We love this chimichurri sauce and make it often! Thank you!

      Reply
      • rosa

        June 30, 2021 at 10:24 pm

        Thanks Pam! So happy to hear.

        Reply
    4. Kirsten

      June 05, 2020 at 11:28 am

      5 stars
      Trying this out today!
      Have you ever tried freezing it ?

      Reply
      • Rosa

        June 07, 2020 at 7:52 am

        Hi Kirsten, I haven’t froze this one yet but it should be perfectly fine to freeze. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Zoey Chau

      May 17, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      Hi! Just wondering if there’s any substitutions for the red wine vinegar? This recipe looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        May 18, 2020 at 8:10 am

        Hi Zoey, you may try white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. Whichever is your preference. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    6. kim

      May 07, 2020 at 9:18 am

      5 stars
      What a delicious recipe! I love how easy this is too!

      Reply
      • rosa

        May 08, 2020 at 10:24 pm

        Thanks Kim! So glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    7. Debbie

      September 04, 2019 at 11:51 am

      I am making this tonight with mostly cilantro. Can I make it ahead of time and refrigerate?

      Reply
      • rosa

        September 04, 2019 at 12:32 pm

        Hi Debbie, yes you can absolutely make it ahead and refrigerate. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Toni

      May 30, 2019 at 8:30 am

      5 stars
      I loved how delicious & easy this was to make! Thank you for sharing your recipe!

      Reply
    9. Shelley

      May 14, 2019 at 12:52 pm

      5 stars
      I bet this will go great with grilled portobello mushrooms! It’s on my list for our next family get together.

      Reply
      • rosa

        July 02, 2019 at 10:24 pm

        Absolutely! Enjoy.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Rosa! Welcome to This Healthy Kitchen where you'll find tasty and nutritious, plant-based recipes. I'm an avid home cook who believes food is medicine. Each recipe is made using wholesome ingredients and under 400 calories per serving with many gluten-free and oil-free options. Occasional cheat days included. 😉

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