The Argentines have got a winner with chimichurri sauce…
It’s traditionally put on beef (any cut or part imaginable) but we got a little creative and came up with a few alternative options.
If you like food… which I’m sure you do… you’ll love this raw version to this one 
(I think the sauce is raw anyway as long as you don’t buy it in a bottle from the supermarket!)
Here’s the recipe with ingredients…
Raw Chimichurri Sauce
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/3 Cup Water
- 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1-2 Cloves Garlic
- 3-4 Tbsp Parsley
- 1 Tbsp Basil
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Scallion
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Cayanne
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Paprika
Prep…
Put everything in a blender. Blend lightly until it turns into a smooth paste. Cover and wait 2 hours at room temperature (we put it in the fridge!) before serving.
Your question of the day: What should we serve this raw chimichurri sauce on?
We thought marinated (or grilled) portobella mushrooms would be great and of course it was awesome on the cucumber. What do you think?
Click here and scroll down to the bottom of the page to leave your idea…
Live Awesome!
Kevin and Annmarie
PS. That was an unplanned, but shameless promo for our book… so I figure I’ll give you a link in case you’re interested… 
Click here to read more about “The Busy Person’s Fitness Solution”!
8:32 pm on April 2nd, 2008
Hi guys!!!!! You look like you are having a great time in Argentina!! Thanks for sharing it with us too!!
OK – I’m not SURE – (and this wouldn’t be for the “raw”-sters) – but I think you could marinade 1″ tofu cubes in the chimichurri sauce for about 1/2 hour – then bake the tofu at 450 degrees for 1/2 hour – - then stir fry it with veggies or put in a spinach salad. I’m gonna try it – -I’ll let you know how it goes.
But a SURE thing – - using the chimichurri as a dip for raw zucchini slices. Yummmmmm
Miss ya – glad you are having fun – - Dede
10:36 pm on April 2nd, 2008
I haven’t tried it yet, but intend to put it on raw zuccini noodles, a change from marinara sauce.
Carola
12:58 am on April 3rd, 2008
I think this would make a great salad dressing tossed into some baby greens or spinach.
1:48 am on April 3rd, 2008
~ Yeah…. woozie over here….~~~~~ I _SWOONED_ when I saw this title in the Inbox! So I’m just in from tonight’s hearings with a new case & so I’ve got less than a month to prepare a grant for $7,500 to get TREES before our depot’s 90th birthday this July… We’re talking CHIMICHURRI, people; DROP EVERYTHING!
I’d forgotten about the lemon (My Argentinian boarder making this was PRE 1985; cut me some slack, please…)
And, I surely don’t recall CUMIN (and will not add that to my adaptation to this GREAT BASE RECIPE)…
Cayenne? Nah; I’m sure he didn’t add any dry spices…
So, away with the paprika, too…
He also didn’t use tomatoes…
What he DID add to his little Mason jar stored in the door of my refrigerator was: coarsely hand-chopped PINOLES/PINE NUTS ~ RAW, NOT ROASTED. I can “see” that in my mind’s eye (Isn’t MEMORY _AWESOME_!?!?
So, I’ll drop the powders & tomato and add the pine nuts.
The rest, I’ll leave as-is, above.
I remember the WATER seeming PECULIAR to me, way back in the day. So, for anyone reading that as an ingredient and going, “Huh”, I MOST ENTHUSIASTICALLY reply, ADD THE WATER!
This stuff is ___SO____ ____GOOD____!
And, as for letting it sit for a couple of hours: TOTALLY! It MUST be allowed to “meld”. It’s like chemical MAGIC!
OMG! I AM _SO_ HAPPY! I wish there were a biorhythm machine right here, right now! This has been an AWESOME END to an AWESOME day! I could send the needle of the scale tonight! BOMBASTIC, REALLY FANTASTIC! YEAH!
Let’s talk about uses:
I don’t want you to cause the death of ANY living being just to satisfy the corporate-fed mentality that “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner”, or blah-blah-blah …fill in with your own corporate media indoctrination here…
That said, it is KILLER with BEEF (Yeah, I was impure when I first met Chimichurri…)
“Once, I was lost. Now, I am FOUND, Baby! RAW VEGANISM, TOTALLY!
Anyway, this stuff should LIVE in the fridge 24/7… You should make it by the QUART/GALLON…
It ages like… fine wine… cheese… stuff that gets better with aging… TOTALLY BETTER WITH TIME!!! _AMAZING_ DIFFERENCE WITH TIME!
DO _NOT_ “judge” it on Day One! Wait. You will be SO BUOYANTLY HAPPY YOU DID!
So, what to do with all this GOODNESS?
If you still eat breads, DIP IT! OMG! _HEAVEN_!
Going on a picnic? Chimichurri jar & bread loaf are ALL you need! NO JOKE! NIRVANA!
Doing veggies?
Raw, lightly steamed or grilled: dip in, or brush on, CHIMICHURRI (AFTER GRILLING)! __HEAVEN__
The spiral cutter produced zucchini “RAWghetti”, mentioned above: DELIRIOUS ECSTASY WITH CHIMICHURRI!
Someone suggested it as a marinade: not so much… as a TABLE DRESSING for food: PERFECTION BEYOND COMPARISON!
THIS is the “NEW” healthier/greener “salsa”!
OH! And “bottled” chimichurri: GOtta break out the four-letter word, folks: P-A-S-S!
This is meant to be orchestrated in the kitchen, from fresh ingredients, then, let it do its MAGIC!
You’ll find yourself with TWO CONTAINERS: ONE for the in-use but almost-gone, the other: for the back-up, melded and ready, when #1 is depleted! Sort of like sprouting at home… a cycle / rhythm is found for it…
OH! The marinated TOFU at 450, yeah; maybe it’ll rock that way, but I can’t say for sure: I hope you share your results! And, I hope folks get away from fermented soy products…
Nostalgia reminds me, and makes me salivate like the foodie I am: The ABSOLUTE BEST meal with Chimichurri is:
eclectic roasted / grilled hot veggies TOSSED with Chimichurri and sat in a heaping bowl at center table with RUSTIC BREAD to go around. If you do wine: YES!
There is no reason to eat another meal, ever! THIS is PERFECTION!
Still, for those of us LOVING the AWESOME POSITIVE RESULTS of RAW VEGAN living, it is SO “worth it” to leave that meal in the past and go forth, conquering always, with RAW ORGANIC VEGGIES + CHIMICHURRI & NO BREAD (Stay away from ALL “REFINED” FOODS, LIKE FLOURS!)
Ah………….
Chimichurri…………
Even the name is happily BEAUTIFUL!
Pronounce it CHEMM (not Kim, like Chemical)
CHEMM – EEEEEE – CHURRR (Like Churro)
CHEMM – EEEEEE – CHURRR – EEEEEE
God, I LOVE IT!
Thank you, Kevin & Kevina “-) Annemarie
You have fulfilled a quest for me that’s lasted what? OVER ____20____ YEARS!
Can you fathom the KARMA you’ve just induced? OMG!
OK, OK, OK… I will return to “responsible adult mode now” ~ But WHAT A FORAY INTO _JOY_ tonight’s RENEGADE HEALTH WAS FOR ME!
HURRAH!
2:26 am on April 3rd, 2008
Who am I kidding? I’ve waited OVER __20__ YEARS for this recipe! It’s only fitting I compose an ode of Chimichurri right here & now:
CHIMICHURRI, you’re the one!
You’ve got tasty-goodies
and makin’ you’s LOTS O’ FUN!
A little of this, some hand-chopped that
Shake-shake-shake
and CHIMICHURRI’s where it’s at!
We dip you, we brush you, we pour you all around…
CHIMICHURRI: the best flavor in town!
With your greenness & goodness & lil’ bit o’ fat….
CHIMICHURRI: you know you’re where it’s at!
I lick you, I slurp you, I eye you in my frige
Abandoning all portion control it is on you I binge!
There is nothing better; nothing more sublime ~
All CHIMICHURRI asks of us is, “Gimme a little time”!
Chop it up & pack it in, then, screw the lid on tight!
For CHIMICHURRI to be happy, you need to SHAKE WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!
Did you think your bread was awesome ~ that your meat could not be beat ~ that heaven was in your veggies & all life was now complete?
My friend, meet CHIMICHURRI, the stuff of love & odes, it’ll make your mouth so happy when next you sit down to eat!
Just make it when your sated; it isn’t a fast food;
CHIMICHURRI is complex and anything but crude!
The flavors meld and mingle;
these flavors have their depth!
When first you have it in your mouth:
CHIMICHURRI will take your breath!
Make some CHIMICHURRI,
not one batch, but TWO!
And, when one’s nearly finished:
MAKE AN OTHER TWO!
Life with CHIMICHURRI will be a real good time!
Just keep your mitts off my jars, ’cause Baby, they’re all MINE!
I love my CHIMICHURRI!
It’s good on all but fruits!
And that parsley in with garlic?
It tones down those gastric toots!
CHIMICHURRI’s from Argentina,
yeah, they gave us Gaucho Pants.
But we can all forgive them:
Thanks to the CHIMICHURRI DANCE!
Shake-shake-shake your jarful!
Dance around the kitchen floor!
When your gaze at it turns mournful:
IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME MORE!
Don’t try any shortcuts; “no machines” is my report!
CHIMICHURRI must be HAND MADE to be of a fine sort!
This isn’t any salsa & it sure ain’t no frappe!
It’s a little bit of Heaven, ready for you to savor EVERY DAY!
CHIMICHURRI, I LOVE YOU!
K&A: THANK YOU ____SO_____ MUCH FOR THE RECIPE!
And, no: I have NOT lost my mind. Getting this recipe is INCOMPARABLE for me! HUGS! ~S
9:34 am on April 3rd, 2008
Hey you two,
This sounds great…you make the sauce when you come home and I will supply the veggies!
Enjoy your trip!
Love, Mom
1:07 pm on April 3rd, 2008
Your YouTube video mentioned Oregeno but I don’t see that listed in your recipe. How much Oregano did you use?
Can’t wait to try it.
Blessings,
Rena
1:27 pm on April 3rd, 2008
Use the Raw Chimichurri Sauce as a dip for a raw veggie tray.
1:28 pm on April 3rd, 2008
Enjoying traveling to So America vicariously. Thanks for keeping your readers informed. Pleased with your daily short videos – just the right touch. You know the old adage:
“leave them wanting more”! Haven’t checked the attribution…but we know someone said it somewhere sometime!
Have added the sauce to my recipe file!
1:36 pm on April 3rd, 2008
Mouth Watering!
6:10 pm on April 3rd, 2008
Hi Guys…Good to see you both again. Victor and I miss training with you, Annmarie!
I make my chimichurri with fresh parsley and cilantro, loads of garlic, some shallots, minced jalapeno (you MUST add this – it’s so good), fresh lime juice (rather than lemon)and a touch of olive oil. Sometimes I add tomatoes (peeled and seeds removed), sometimes I use tomatillos (blanch before chopping, and sea salt and pepper. I don’t like it too thin or over-processed so I practice my knife skills and mince it all by hand – that produces a great texture with a little crunch. You’re right to refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to let all those wonderful flavors meld together.
As you both know, V and I are carnivores and love this sauce on meat, grilled shrimp, steamed fish, etc. It’s also great with eggs and inside a grilled cheese sandwich or other panini or grilled veggies or baked potatoes. I think it would also jazz up a bean salad with a little quinoa. (That one’s for Kevin!)
Love your place in B.A. – Enjoy!
Linda
7:09 pm on April 3rd, 2008
This sounds like it would be a good sauce to put on a Haystack. Start with corn chips, add beans, then put lettuce, cucumbers, tomato’s, Shredded carrots, and what ever else you like, sprinkle cheese over the top and add the Chimichurri Sauce over the top of that. Happy eating. Clare.
11:28 pm on April 3rd, 2008
Gerry here from Ireland, keep it simple, try some of that fantastic sauce with celery.
2:11 pm on April 4th, 2008
Hello Kevin and Annmarie!
Thanks for sharing some awesome information on your blog always! Your blog rocks!!!
I’ve tried the recipe this morning and used it as a salad dressing. It was delicious!
I am Japanese but currently live in Gunacaste, Costa Rica.
We have Chimichurri here in Costar Rica too, but much simpler (chopped tomato, cilantro, lemon/lime, red pepper, salt).
They eat it with finely sliced cabbage. It’s super simple and yummy!
8:32 pm on April 4th, 2008
I might be good as a salad dressing or with tortilla chips instead of Mexican salsa.
12:46 pm on April 9th, 2008
Hello K and A,
Try this: to half your recipie add aprox one half cup pine nuts and enjoy a cheesy tasting spread on anything! thick sliced tomatoes, zuchinni, stuff button mushrooms and put in dehydrater for 3 hours, use as filling for roll ups with chopped vegies on top using romaine leaves or collard greens then add sauce on top that has not had the nuts added.ENJOY! and thanks for sharing the recipie!
blessings Penny
12:08 am on April 10th, 2008
Chimichurri is to me what donuts are to Homer Simpson!
10:42 pm on April 30th, 2008
Maybe you could do a show where you discuss the pros and cons of eating fungus. i find it interesting that many raw foodists (like david wolfe and obviously yourself) recommend mushrooms even thought they are a fungus and fungus (and mould) in the body are the major cause of allergies and a large number acidic afflictions. Many people in very acidic environments actually grow fungus “mushrooms” on their body. Why would one want to consume such things. Please explain.
See:http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/images/blasnose.jpg
http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/images/cobumps.jpg
Dave
4:54 pm on May 30th, 2008
Hi, Sounds good, and rather like one I ‘ve prepared before. One question, is the basil fresh or dried? Jude