What's the difference between chimichurri and salsa verde?
Both are tangy, parsley-based green sauces for meat, but Argentine chimichurri leans on garlic, oregano, chili and vinegar, while Italian salsa verde gets its punch from capers and anchovy.
Chimichurri
Very lightIndulgent
SubtleBig punch
MellowZingy
Garlicky, vinegary and a little hot, with dried oregano in the background.
What does Chimichurri taste like?Salsa verde
Very lightIndulgent
SubtleBig punch
MellowZingy
Salty and briny from capers and anchovy, with lemon or vinegar for zing.
What does Salsa verde taste like?The real difference
They're close cousins and get swapped on menus all the time. Chimichurri is Argentine: parsley, lots of garlic, oregano, chili flakes, oil and red wine vinegar. Italian salsa verde skips the chili and oregano and adds capers, anchovies and sometimes mint or mustard, so it tastes saltier and more briny.
Side by side
ChimichurriSalsa verde
FromArgentina and UruguayItaly
Key flavorsGarlic, oregano, chili, vinegarCapers, anchovy, lemon or vinegar
HeatA little, from chili flakesNone
On a menuSteak, choripán, grilled chickenRoast meats, grilled fish, bollito misto
Which to order
- Order chimichurri if you want garlic and a little heat on your steak.
- Order salsa verde if you like capers and a salty, briny tang on fish or roast meat.
Quick questions
- Is chimichurri a type of salsa verde?
- Loosely. Salsa verde just means green sauce, and chimichurri is one. But it's its own Argentine recipe, with oregano and chili that Italian salsa verde doesn't use.
- Is there a red chimichurri?
- Yes. Chimichurri rojo adds paprika or more red chili, sometimes roasted peppers, making it smokier and a little hotter than the green kind.