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Offering Chimichurri At Your Food Service Establishment: The Basics

by Jeffery Howard

When you're looking to offer more unique and varied food options for your guests, you may want to think about adding some offerings with chimichurri sauce to your menu. If you aren't familiar with chimichurri sauce, you should understand the basics of it. Understanding the fundamentals will help you to incorporate this flavorful sauce into a variety of different dishes so that you can draw more customers.

What Is Chimichurri Sauce?

Chimichurri sauce is a sauce that's similar to pesto in texture because it is made with fresh herbs. It is an Argentinian dish, and it is packed with fresh, vibrant flavors. In most cases, chimichurri sauce contains parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. You can modify it some to make it your own if you want to, but this is the typical base for a traditional chimichurri sauce.

How Can You Use Chimichurri Sauce?

The fresh herbs used in chimichurri sauce contribute a fresh flavor that makes it great for many different applications in the kitchen. For example, chimichurri sauce makes a great marinade for meats of all kinds. The oil and vinegar in the sauce are key components of many marinades. The vinegar helps to break down meat fibers, tenderizing as it sits. The fresh herbs will infuse flavor into the meat, and the oil provides a carrier product that binds it all together.

You can also use chimichurri sauce as a flavorful topping for baked fish, a sauce for tacos, and even a dip for bread, skewers, and more. Chimichurri sauce is a versatile product that you can incorporate into a wide variety of dishes in your restaurant. In fact, it can even be offered as a stand-alone side order for those who wish to use it for other dishes.

Chimichurri goes well with many dishes, and it can add a bright flavor to eggs for a unique way to start the morning, or it could even be offered as a salad dressing for those who want something made with fresh herbs to top their salad.

How Do You Make Chimichurri Sauce?

Fresh chimichurri sauce is simple to make with a food processor or a blender. You'll want to start with fresh chopped parsley. For the right flavor combination, start with about a quarter of a cup of the parsley. Mince a few garlic cloves and add them as well, then chop a few tablespoons of oregano and add that to the mixture. 

A few tablespoons of red wine vinegar plus a pinch or two of red pepper flakes round it out, then you can add salt and black pepper as you prefer. Blend everything together, then add about half a cup of olive oil and combine.

How Can You Personalize Your Chimichurri Sauce?

If you'd prefer to offer a chimichurri sauce that's unique to your business in an effort to draw more customers, you can personalize your recipe. Chimichurri sauce is versatile, though modifications mean it won't be traditional.

To create a chimichurri sauce that's creamy and takes advantage of the superfood craze, you can make a recipe that includes a few tablespoons of lemon juice, a small avocado, and minced shallot added to the traditional recipe.

In addition, you could replace the parsley with cilantro, add some lime juice, replace the red pepper flakes with jalapeno pepper, and add a little bit of mayo to produce a spread. This would be great on sandwiches offered on fresh ciabatta bread or something similar.

These are some of the many ways that you can use chimichurri sauce in your business. If you'd prefer to offer traditional chimichurri but don't want to make it yourself, reach out to a local chimichurri sauce supplier for more help. For more information, contact a company like Cordoba Foods- Gaucho Ranch Foods.

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