Sauces are an important culinary weapon. Whether you are a novice in the kitchen, chef or home cook, sauces serve a variety of purposes. They bring a new level of flavor, they can cover up mistakes and, last but not least, they can make a great dish extraordinary.
Sauces Save the Day
While mastering the art of French sauces is a gift, many sauces are as simple as dropping butter–maybe a splash of wine–into the pan drippings and calling it a sauce. But sometimes a blender is all you need to make a wildly satisfying sauce. Skill level aside, sauces make everything better.
A Dose of Yogurt to Chimichurri
Though my first chimichurri recipe was featured at the beginning of this blog’s existence (2010), it remains in my recipe collection as a go-to sauce with grilled meats, fish and vegetables. But enter this updated version, a creamy chimichurri featured in the February 2023 Bon Appetit magazine that includes Greek yogurt, and mind blown!
Blend it Up
This recipe starts as a classic chimichurri with plenty of cilantro and flat-leaf parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano as the base, while red wine vinegar and olive oil provide the liquid gold. After everything is emulsified in a blender, stir in the remaining olive oil and the Greek yogurt and voila–a creamy and herbaceous sauce to use on eggs, sandwiches, vegetables, grilled meats and so much more.
A tangy and light element from the yogurt takes a distinctive turn from the traditional chimichurri and makes this sauce even more desirable. Slather this light-green-colored, creamy chimichurri over bread for a sensational sandwich. Spoon it into a bowl of vegetable soup for a punch of flavor. Dip roasted or raw veggies in it. The possibilities are endless.
An Herby New Year
Hopefully, we are still holding on to our New Year’s health resolutions and I suspect this sauce will be mighty handy in helping everyone eat more clean protein and veggies.
Buen provecho!
Creamy Chimichurri
Herbs and more herbs, reds pepper flakes and oregano make this chimichurri good, but a dose of Greek yogurt make this updated version of chimichurri irresistible.
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 1/2 cups cilantro packed leaves and tender stems
- 2 cups flat-leaf parsley packed leaves and tender stems
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided (1/4 cup and 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
Instructions
-
In a blender or food processor, add the garlic, cilantro, parsley, red wine vinegar, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped but not pureed.
-
Transfer mixture to a bowl and remaining oil and yogurt, whisking vigorously until emulsified.
-
Place in an enclosed container and refrigerate. Whisk again before using.
-
Serve with grilled meats and seafood, roasted vegetables, on sandwiches and more.
Leave a Reply