Easy Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce with Jalapeño

A wooden bowl of cilantro chimichurri with red pepper flakes on a cutting board.

5 from 2 votes

Easy Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce with Jalapeño

This cilantro chimichurri recipe uses cilantro instead of the traditional parsley, and adds a jalapeño, capers, and lemon juice for a burst of flavor.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Argentina

Keyword: cilantro chimichurri

Servings:

Calories: 131.5kcal

Author: Susan Pridmore

Equipment

Chef's knife
cutting board
Medium bowl

Ingredients

2 cups cilantro leaves, lightly packed including some stems is fine
1 medium jalapeño
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers, minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
4 teaspoons lemon juice divided
pinch red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

Finely chop the cilantro using a sharp chef's knife. You should end up with about ¾ cup - 1 cup of cilantro. Transfer it to a medium bowl.
Slice off the stem of the jalapeño and slice it in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, remove the light-colored pith and all of the seeds.
Thinly slice lengthwise and stack the strips. Finely mince the jalapeño and place it in the medium bowl with the cilantro.
Mince the garlic cloves and capers and place them in the bowl.
Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice to the bowl and stir. If the sauce is thicker than you want, spill it onto a cutting board and use a chef's knife to mince it further.
Return the cilantro chimichurri to the bowl and stir in the final 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Finish the sauce with a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a little more heat.

Nutrition