Mint Chimichurri

Bright and verdant mint chimichurri is simple to make and pairs beautifully with your favorite lamb dishes. 

I have eaten a lot of lamb in my lifetime. It was one of my mom’s very favorite foods, so in addition to being our annual Easter dinner, we would have it any time my mom could fit a leg of lamb roast in the budget.

We always ate our roasted boneless leg of lamb with mint jelly. You know, the bright green stuff in the small jar?

And even though I can still get down with some mint jelly, these days I want something a little different. But I still want that mint flavor that pairs so perfectly with lamb.

So I asked my husband to whip up a mint sauce to go with our lamb and this bright and fresh mint chimichurri was the result. 

What is Chimichurri?

Originally from Argentina and Uruguay, chimichurri is an uncooked sauce that is typically paired with grilled meat. Even though it is most famous for being a part of Argentine and Uruguayan cuisine, it has become popular throughout Latin America.

Traditional chimichurri is made with parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and vinegar and/or lemon juice. Sometimes you will find variations that include shallots or cilantro in combination with the parsley – although parsley is a must for chimichurri!

Since the sauce is not cooked (similar to pesto), chimichurri is incredibly bright and fresh. This is what makes it such a great complement to rich grilled meats, but it also goes great with poultry and fish.

For this version, we are adding mint to the sauce along with the parsley. The verdant flavor of the parsley still shines through, but this time paired with that cool flavor from the mint.

Pairing Mint with Lamb

So what’s the deal with mint and lamb??

Believe it or not, the fact that mint and lamb pair so well together is actually backed by science and the ways that our taste buds pick up the flavors. The flavors are chemically similar, which means that our brains automatically want to pair them together.

But a less scientific way to think of it is this: lamb is a rich meat. Mint is a refreshing flavor that helps cut through some of the fattiness of the meat and brighten the dish.

No matter how you want to look at it, this mint chimichurri was made to be the perfect sauce to go with all of your favorite lamb dishes, from roast leg of lamb to grilled lamb chops.

How to Make Mint Chimichurri

Mint chimichurri is super quick and easy to make. But it tastes so delicious that your friends will immediately think you’re fancy if you serve this to them!

Ingredients you’ll need

To make this recipe, you will  need:

• Fresh mint leaves: You absolutely need fresh mint to make this recipe. You’ll need about 1 cup (or 1 ounce) of mint. 
• Fresh parsley: The parsley also has to be fresh for chimichurri! You’ll need the same amount of parsley as mint – about 1 cup (or 1 ounce).
• Dried oregano: Dried oregano is fine here. You’ll need 1 teaspoon. If you have fresh oregano on hand, you can use 1 tablespoon of that instead if you like.
• Garlic cloves: 1 large or 2 smaller garlic cloves will add just the right amount of garlic flavor to this sauce.
• Red wine vinegar: A couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar gives this sauce it’s acidic tang – it’s so good!
• Red chili flakes: ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes adds a small amount of warmth without making the sauce spicy. If you want more of a kick, feel free to add more.
• Sugar: Just a tiny amount of sugar really helps balance out all of the flavors in your mint chimichurri. Don’t skip this!
• Olive oil: Olive oil brings the sauce together. Use a nice quality olive oil if you can; it will make a difference in the final flavor of the sauce. We typically use extra-virgin olive oil.
• Salt and pepper: We’ll need to add salt and pepper to taste here.

How to make it

Ready to see how easy this is?

Add the herbs, garlic, vinegar, chili flakes, and sugar to the bowl of a food processor. You could also use a blender if you don’t have a food processor.

With the food processor or blender running, slowly stream in the olive oil and process until well combined.

Give it a taste, then add salt and pepper as desired.

And that’s it! Your mint chimichurri is ready to serve.

Storage

Store your mint chimichurri in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Even though it’s so quick and easy to make, the fact that it keeps well in the refrigerator means you can totally make it ahead of when you plan to serve it.

You can also store it in the freezer. Pour the mint chimichurri into an airtight container or into Souper Cubes trays. 

If you use the Souper Cubes trays, freeze through, then pop out the frozen chimichurri cubes and put them in a zip-top freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When frozen in smaller portions, you can take out and thaw just the amount of mint chimichurri that you need for a meal!