This punchy chimichurri rice recipe is an easy yet powerful flavor bomb to drop on a weeknight dinner table. It pairs perfectly alongside almost any entree, especially grilled red meats or flakey white fish.

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Chimichurri Rice Recipe

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Chimichurri is a gift from the taste gods of South America, and folding it into a warm bowl of white rice will ruin any future rice dish you come across. This chimichurri rice recipe makes more chimichurri than you’ll need, but thats a good thing! Save the rest and use it as a marinade, fold it into a chicken salad, use it as a dressing, or dollop some onto a plate of roasted veggies. It also pairs perfectly with a big hunk of red meat.

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WTF is Chimichurri Rice?

Chimichurri Rice is cooked white rice with chimichurri sauce gently folded into it. Chimichurri is a flavorful and vibrant sauce that originated in Argentina. It is often used as a condiment or marinade for grilled meats, adding a burst of freshness and tangy, herby flavors. The basic components of chimichurri typically include fresh herbs, garlic, vinegar, oil, and red pepper flakes.

If you want to learn more about chimichurri and its cultural significance, check out this BBC article: Chimichurri the Argentinian sauce eaten as a ritual.

The first time I tasted chimichurri it was a revolation. How have I been denied this punchy herby delightful green concoction all my life?! It’s one of my favorite things to make now and I like to try and incorporate it into all sorts different dishes. It makes a wonderful marinade for proteins, but you can also customize it with other ingredients for fun new recipes.

Here’s another of my favorite chimichurri recipes: ZESTY & HERBY Air Fryer Halibut with Golden Raisin Chimichurri

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Chimichurri Rice Ingredients

Here’s a list of the ingredients that you’ll need to make this recipe. You should be able to find everything at your local supermarket without issue.

• Rice: White Long Grain.
• Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, Oregano, & Parsley.
• Olive Oil: Extra Virgin or not.
• Spices: Ground Cumin, Salt, Black Pepper, Red Pepper Chili Flakes, and Paprika
• Vinegar: Red Wine Vinegar.

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Equipment You’ll Need for Chimichurri Rice

You’ll need these items to make this chimichurri rice recipe. Nothing to crazy here, you should already have these items in your kitchen.

• Rice Cooker/Pot with Lid Tight Fitting Lid: Use which ever you prefer to cook your rice.
• Food Processor: A food processor will make your life much easier when making chimichurri, but if you don’t have one you can chop and mince everything by hand. Which is also the more traditional way of making chimichurri.

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How to Make Chimichurri Rice

Follow these step by step instructions to make this chimichurri rice recipe. It should only take you around half an hour to complete.

Step 1: Cook Rice

Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve or fine colander. Rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Rinsing helps remove excess surface starch and prevents the rice from becoming too sticky.

Add one cup of long grain white rice, two cups of water, a tsp of kosher salt, and a tbsp of red wine vinegar to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, and let the rice simmer. Make sure the lid is on to trap steam, which is essential for cooking the rice evenly.

Allow the rice to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed, and the rice is tender.

Step 2: Make Chimichurri

*This recipe will make more chimichurri than you need for chimichurri rice, but thats a good thing, save the rest for a great sauce on all sort of things.

Roughly chop the fresh herbs and garlic and add them to a food processor. Pour in warm water, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, and kosher salt. Pulse to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, accordingly. Be sure not to just blend the chimichurri into a smooth paste, it should be somewhat of a rough texture. 

*If you don’t have a food processor, or you’re a masochist, you can chop and mince everything by hand. This is also the more traditional way of making chimichurri.

Step 3: Fold & Serve

Fold as much chimichurri into the warm rice as you prefer. Three of four heaping spoonfuls should be enough for a very flavorful chimichurri rice. Store the remaining chimichurri in an air tight container in the fridge, it’ll last for a couple weeks.

Garnish your chimichurri with fresh oregano or parsley, as pinch of flakey sea salt and serve. Enjoy!

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What to Serve with Chimichurri Rice

Chimichurri rice pairs well with all kinds of stuff. Its a flavorful side dish with universal flavors of fresh herbs and punchy vinegar that compliment a slew of entrees. Here’s a list of some of our favorite things to serve alongside chimichurri rice.

Prime Rib or Filet Mignon: Chimichurri pairs naturally and historically with grilled red meats. So serving this chimichurri rice alongside a big hunk of red meat, like a filet mignon, is a no brainer.

Chipotle Steak Bowls: My wife is a sucker for the fast casual restaurant, Chipotle, she loves their steak bowls. So when I try to imitate that dish I use chimichurri rice alongside some freshly chopped romaine lettuce, carne asada, red bell peppers, sour cream, and some tortilla chips. It ain’t chipotle, but its still tasty!

Roasted Veggies: Who says you need a big protein with every meal? Grill up some fresh corn on the cob or some zucchini and bell peppers and serve this chimichurri rice alongside them for a vegetarian meal.

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Chimichurri Rice Leftovers

Transfer the leftover rice to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Leftover rice is kind of a bummer though, it never reheats properly, so try and only cook what you need for each meal. Cut this recipe in half if you’re cooking for yourself.

Reheat the rice by nuking it in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Stir between each interval until it reaches your desired temperature. You can also reheat it on the stovetop by adding a bit of water or broth and gently reheating over low heat.

We don’t reccomend freezing this rice dish. While it can be frozen, the texture usually changes upon thawing.

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