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Sauce

Chimichurri Marinade

A tangy herb and garlic sauce made with oil, vinegar, water, parsley, oregano, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 9 ingredients
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Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓

Chimichurri Marinade

Time24 hours

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar with tight fitting lid.

  2. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

146Calories
1 gProtein
14 gFat
5 gCarbs

Counts 8 of 10 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 8 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Chili1 tsp (2.7g)8
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Oregano1 tsp dried (1.8g)5
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Vinegar1 tbsp (15ml) distilled3
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Maltnot in our table0
Waternot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together34,122 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  2. Parsley + oreganotop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,184 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  3. Garlic + oreganotop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,756 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  4. Clove + oreganotop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together556 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  5. Parsley + garlictop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together9,308 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Vegetable oil
Provides the fat base that carries the herbs and garlic flavour through the sauce.
Malt vinegar
Adds acidity that sharpens the sauce and brightens the herbs and garlic.
Fresh parsley
Contributes fresh, green herbal aroma and colour to the sauce.
Garlic
Supplies pungent aroma that mellows and spreads through the sauce as it stands.
Fresh oregano leaves
Adds earthy, aromatic herbal flavour that defines the sauce.

The step that matters

Letting the sauce stand for 24 hours. Standing at room temperature lets the garlic, herbs and acid slowly infuse the oil and vinegar, so flavours blend. Cutting the rest short leaves the sauce sharp and uneven. Keep the jar tightly sealed so the herbs and garlic do not spoil or dry out.

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (malt, vinegar, parsley, garlic, pepper, oregano):

  1. Thymefits better
  2. Cuminfits better
  3. Marjoramfits better
  4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against malt, vinegar, parsley, garlic, pepper, oregano. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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