Cranberry Chimichurri Sauce
You’re probably no stranger to chimichurri, one of the most perfect pairings for grilled meats. Typically this sauce is made with dried or fresh herbs, garlic, chile flakes, aromatics, oil, and vinegar.
This cranberry chimichurri sauce isn’t a far stretch, I promise. Just a few bites, and you’ll be nodding your head. Dried cranberries create a tart pop with every bite, balancing out the bitter herbs and pungent garlic.
If you love cranberries, you must also try Cranberry Honey Mustard BBQ Sauce, creamy Cranberry Jalapeno Dip, or even smoked Cranberry Jalapeno Poppers!
Why This Recipe Works
- Pairs with almost anything. Pile it on chicken, turkey, shrimp, pork, or beef. Even lamb. Vegetables love to soak this up, and it makes for an intensely delicious sandwich topping.
- Balanced flavors. Dried cranberries are sweeter, and much less in-your-face tart than fresh ones. Their rich flavor counters the bitter parsley, oregano, and cilantro, giving each bite a more well-rounded profile.
- Quick prep. Yes, you’ll have to spend about 5 minutes chopping a couple of ingredients. The result is a few cups of the most delicious sauce, which should last you for a bit.
Ingredients for this Sauce
Most of these ingredients are fairly common with fresh chimichurri. The ratios have been adjusted to balance out with the dried cranberries, making sure that no bite is too bitter or sweet.
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Dried cranberries
- Dried oregano – Not Mexican oregano, go for the Mediterranean.
- Red pepper flakes – Any chile variety, you just want the heat
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil – Extra-virgin works, but the flavor is more intense.
- Salt & pepper to taste – Coarse works the best, adding texture.
How to Make Cranberry Chimichurri
There are only a few steps, the main one being that you’ll need to bust out your knife and cutting board.
Do not, I repeat DO NOT use a food processor for this recipe. You don’t want brown baby food. Take the time to hand-chop your chimichurri. It’s all about the textures, and should only take you 5 minutes.
Step 1: Prep the ingredients. Dice up the parsley and cilantro finely. Keep the stems in there, they add more texture and have a strong flavor. Chop up the cranberries, mince the garlic, and add them all to the bowl with the spices.
Step 2: Mix the liquids. Add the red wine vinegar to the bowl, salt, and pepper, and then stir. Slowly pour in the olive oil while stirring to emulsify the ingredients.
Taste and adjust. The flavors will continue to develop as they age. Right now the herbs are very intense, and the oil hasn’t had a chance to soak in the flavors of everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
This cranberry chimichurri is pretty straightforward. Chop, stir, and wait. After about 2 hours the flavors start to develop more, seeping into the oils. You can eat it right away though too!
The ingredients create a natural pickling liquid, which keeps the ingredients tasty and safe to eat for an extended time. Colors will start to change after the first day, dulling the brightness of the herbs. Refrigerated (recommended) this sauce will stay good for about 2-3 weeks.
Yes, in fact, any neutral oil that you prefer would work well. I’d recommend staying away from coconut oil, but avocado or Canola oil will allow the ingredient flavors to shine more.
Flavors of chopped, fresh cranberries in this sauce are pretty intense. It works, but I’ve selected dried cranberries due to their balance and year-round availability.
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Cranberry Chimichurri
This herbaceous, tart, and spicy Cranberry Chimichurri livens up any grilled meats, sandwiches, salads, and even a pile of turkey. Spend a few minutes chopping and you’ll have a bold new sauce to brag about at the table.
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice up the parsley and cilantro finely, along with the stems.
- Chop up the cranberries and mince the garlic.
- Add the ingredients to a bowl along with the spices, salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar.
- Stir the sauce with a fork, and slowly whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.
- Taste and adjust. The flavors develop more after the first couple of hours.
Notes
- This sauce will stay fresh in the fridge for about 2-3 weeks.
- Make sure you do not use a food processor, it will ruin the sauce. Take the time to chop!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauces & Salsas
- Method: Chopping
- Cuisine: Sauce
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 197.1 mg
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.9 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
