Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Summer Yule

This cilantro chimichurri (no parsley) is a delicious way to give plain steak a flavor boost.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Course Dinner

Cuisine Argentinian

Servings 6

Calories 166 kcal

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1 small shallot
1 jalapeno pepper
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
salt, to taste

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Instructions

Chop the cilantro, oregano, jalapeno, garlic, and shallot with a knife. This will help everything come together faster.
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. You are not looking to make a smooth paste.
Allow the chimichurri sauce to rest for 15 minutes to one hour to give the flavors time to meld. Enjoy!

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Notes

This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Chimichurri sauce is loaded with olive oil and thus extremely energy-dense, providing 166 calories per 2T portion. And yet, I am putting this one at level 1. Wondering why?

It’s going to seem counterintuitive since chimichurri has so much added oil, but it’s really easy to piece together a light meal with this sauce. If you’re serving it with a lean cut of beef (skirt or flank steak), just add a side salad for a filling low-calorie meal.

Here’s the breakdown of my low-carb, lchf, and keto-friendly meal:

4 ounces lean steak: 185 calories
2 tablespoons chimichurri sauce: 166 calories
2 cups salad greens: 15 calories
2 tablespoons low-oil salad dressing: 60 calories

Yes, for under 500 calories you get a protein-packed, high-volume meal that provides healthy fats from the chimichurri sauce. It’s delicious, satisfying, and may help you with your weight management goals!

Chimichurri reminds me a bit of pesto (both have lots of herbs and olive oil). However, pesto tends to be served with a giant serving of pasta (and possibly minimal protein). The dish with the pesto will likely be higher in energy and less filling than the chimichurri over lean beef.

(And of course, the levels are a bit arbitrary and should only be used as a loose guide if you have a weight management goal. They’re not firm rules about what to eat or not.)

Nutrition information is for one serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcalCarbohydrates: 1.4gProtein: 0.9gFat: 19.3gSaturated Fat: 2.7gFiber: 0.2gVitamin A: 3.5% DVVitamin C: 3.5% DVCalcium: 1.3% DVIron: 1% DV