Red Chimichurri

Smoky, garlicky and just spicy enough to make grilled meat more interesting, this red chimichurri is loaded with roasted capsicum, fresh parsley, fresh oregano, red wine vinegar, paprika and extra virgin olive oil.

My classic chimichurri is the fresh one. It is green, herby and sharp—the sauce I spoon over steak when I want to brighten everything up.

This red chimichurri is its louder sibling. Roasted red capsicum gives it sweetness and smoke. Paprika makes it deeper. Chili brings some heat, and red wine vinegar stops the whole thing becoming heavy or jammy.

It is absolutely brilliant with anything cooked over fire, but I make it specifically for my Florentine-style T-bone steak dinner. 1.2 kg steak, grilled bone marrow, crispy roast potatoes and two chimichurris on the table because apparently one excellent sauce was not enough.

Is red chimichurri traditional?

Chimichurri is strongly associated with Argentina and Uruguay, especially with asado and meats cooked over fire. The green version is the one most people recognise, but red chimichurri—chimichurri rojo—is a well-established variation made with red capsicum, red chilli, paprika or a combination of all three.

Like the classic sauce, there is no single recipe guarded by one official chimichurri authority. Families, restaurants and grill cooks all make it differently. Some versions are very herby. Some are almost entirely red capsicum. Some contain tomato. Some are properly hot.

Mine stays close to the texture and balance of my classic chimichurri, but roasted capsicum moves from a small supporting role to centre stage. It is smoky, loose and spoonable, with enough vinegar to cut through rich meat and enough herbs to keep it tasting fresh. This recipe was built to be paired with a big chunk of beef.

Ingredients

• 1 medium red capsicum
• 1 medium yellow capsicum
• 1/2 packed cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped or grated
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes, or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient notes

Red & yellow capsicum

Roasting the capsicum is the most important step in this recipe.

Raw capsicum tastes fresh and crunchy. Roasted capsicum becomes sweeter, softer and slightly smoky, which is exactly what separates this sauce from the classic green version.

Roast it directly over your wood fire, charcoal barbecue or gas flame until the skin is properly blackened. Do not stop when it has two polite brown marks and declare it victory. We want blistered black skin all over so it peels away easily and the flesh underneath tastes of the fire.

If you are also making my classic chimichurri, roast one large capsicum and use roughly one-quarter in the classic sauce and the remaining three-quarters here. One capsicum. Two jars.

Flat-leaf parsley

Parsley is not the main ingredient here, but it still matters. It brings freshness and keeps the roasted capsicum from turning the sauce into something closer to a relish.

Chop it by hand so you can still see the little green flecks running through the red sauce.

Fresh oregano

Fresh oregano adds that savoury, slightly peppery flavour that makes chimichurri taste at home beside grilled meat.

Remove the woody stems and finely chop the leaves. If you cannot find fresh oregano, replace the 2 tablespoons with 2 teaspoons of dried oregano.

Garlic

Use three cloves for a sauce that is properly garlicky but still sociable.

Very finely chop or grate it. Large chunks of raw garlic will not make the sauce more rustic. They will just make one unlucky person very aware of the garlic.

Sweet and smoked paprika

Sweet paprika adds colour and a warm capsicum flavour. Smoked paprika reinforces the char from the roasted pepper.

I use more sweet than smoked. Smoked paprika is powerful and has no understanding of personal space. Half a teaspoon is plenty.

Chilli flakes

Half a teaspoon gives the sauce warmth without turning dinner into a challenge.

Add more if your table likes heat, or reduce it if you are serving young kids. I often keep the base sauce friendly, then put extra chilli on the table for the adults. Dinner is easier when nobody has to watch a child yellin ‘”aaaahhh aahhh my moutthhhhh”

Red wine vinegar

The vinegar is what keeps this rich, sweet sauce balanced.

Capsicum and olive oil need acidity, especially when the sauce is heading towards steak and bone marrow. Taste it after the 30-minute rest. If it feels heavy or dull, another small splash of vinegar will usually wake it up.

Extra virgin olive oil

Use a fruity, balanced extra virgin olive oil that you would happily dip bread into.

The oil is not just there to make everything wet. It carries the garlic, herbs, paprika and chilli across the meat and mixes with the steak juices on the board. That mixture is the reason the potatoes keep disappearing.

How to make red chimichurri

1. Roast the capsicum until blackened

Place the whole capsicum directly over a gas flame, hot barbecue or wood fire.

Turn it as each side blackens until the skin is blistered and charred all over. Finely chop the roasted flesh. We want small soft pieces, not a puree.

2. Chop the herbs and garlic

Finely chop the parsley and oregano by hand, then very finely chop or grate the garlic.

Keep the texture visible. Red chimichurri should contain little pieces of capsicum and herbs suspended in oil. It is a spoonable sauce, not red baby food.

3. Wake up the garlic and spices

Add the roasted capsicum, parsley, oregano and garlic to a clean jar or bowl.

Add the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, salt, black pepper and red wine vinegar. Stir everything together and leave it for 5 minutes.

This short rest lets the vinegar soften the raw edge of the garlic, dissolve the salt and wake up the dried spices before the olive oil arrives.

4. Add the olive oil

Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and stir well.

The finished sauce should be loose enough to spoon over sliced meat, but substantial enough that pieces of roasted capsicum and herbs come with every spoonful.

If it looks too thick, add another tablespoon of olive oil. If it tastes oily or flat, add a small splash of red wine vinegar.

5. Leave it in a jar for at least 30 minutes

Seal the jar and leave the red chimichurri for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This is not optional waiting designed to test your patience. The chilli softens into the oil, the garlic mellows and the oregano works its way through the sauce. Immediately after mixing, it tastes like several good ingredients standing close together. After resting, it tastes like red chimichurri.

An hour is better. Several hours in the fridge is excellent.

If you are leaving it for longer than about two hours, refrigerate the jar. Take it out 20–30 minutes before serving so the olive oil loosens, then stir and taste again.

What else can I serve with red chimichurri?

The T-bone may be its headline act, but this sauce does not need to wait for a special occasion.

• Spoon it over grilled lamb chops, pork or sausages.
• Serve it with charcoal chicken or chicken thighs.
• Add it to grilled prawns, squid or firm white fish.
• Toss it through crispy roasted potatoes.
• Spoon it over grilled eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms or corn.
• Add it to a steak sandwich with rocket and grilled onions.
• Serve it beside fried eggs or an omelette.
• Put it on the table with warm bread and accept that dinner may begin early.