Garlic Scape Chimichurri is a versatile condiment that adds a fresh and zesty kick to any dish. Made with garlic scapes, fresh herbs, vinegar, and olive oil, chimichurri is popular worldwide for its bright and zesty flavour profile. Use it as a sauce or marinade for grilled meats, a topping for roasted vegetables, a salad dressing, or as a dip for crusty bread.
Speaking of fresh and zesty… did you know garlic scapes can replace garlic in almost every dish? I love to use them instead of garlic cloves or wild ramps to make pesto and they are also amazing chopped and pickled with dill as a tasty garlic scape relish.
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Garlic Scape Chimichurri
If you’ve ever had a perfectly grilled flank steak and thought it just need a little ‘something extra’, this Garlic Scape Chimichurri sauce is for you. It has just the right amount of tang, heat, and earthy garlic flavour to take any steak or barbecued meat to the next level.
In fact, Chimichurri sauce hails from Argentina, a country famous for its barbecue or asada. There, it is used to baste the meat while it’s grilling and as a topping. However, it also makes a great marinade in a pinch.
This version of Chimichurri is a slightly spicier, tangier version and it contains garlic scapes instead of garlic cloves. It’s closer to a chimichurri rojo than a chimichurri verde and bears some similarities to Italian gremolata due to the addition of lemon zest. The heat of chili peppers is very mild so you can add as many or as little as you like.
Did I mention that this flavour bomb of a sauce is ready in just under ten minutes and that include prep time!? During the summer, this is our ‘go to’ recipe for using up plenty of garden herbs and garlic scapes. We love sharing the recipe with friends and family and now you have it too!
What is Chimichurri?
While originally from Argentina, chimichurri is a popular condiment throughout Latin America and beyond. Like its Italian and French counterparts, Gremolata and Persillade, chimichurri is a versatile uncooked sauce that can be used both as an ingredient and as a condiment.
Besides being incredibly fun to say, chimichurri is a delight on the palate. This flavourful combination of flat leaf parsley, garlic, red wine vinegar, red chili flakes, oregano, and olive oil is often used to marinate or baste grilled meats.
Alternatively, chimichurri adds a burst of flavour to any dish it touches, including grilled or roasted vegetables, salads, and baguettes.
Ingredients for this Recipe
The basic ingredients in most authentic chimichurri recipes are flat leaf or Italian parsley, oregano, red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice, salt, and garlic. However, additional fresh herbs such as cilantro and mint and even diced shallots may also be used.
- Shallot
- Garlic Scapes
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Lemon
- Salt
- Flat Leaf Parsley
- Oregano
- Mint
- Cilantro
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Olive Oil
Shallots are sometimes found in chimichurri, but not always. I like to add them to help round out the flavour of the garlic scapes, but they aren’t necessary.
Use either red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice (or lime juice) for a bit of acidity. I also like to add the lemon zest for a tangier flavour.
Use any combination of fresh herbs listed (parsley, oregano, mint, and cilantro) with flat leaf parsley making up the bulk of this sauce.
Feel free to add more or omit the red chili pepper flakes. Technically this is a chimichurri rojo if they are present.
In this recipe, garlic scapes are used in place of garlic. Feel free to swap it back to garlic cloves if garlic scapes aren’t available.
What are Garlic Scapes?
The life cycle of garlic is simple. Cloves of hard neck garlic are planted in the fall and stay dormant until spring. As the ground begins to warm up, green shoots grow from the clove, gathering sunlight to feed and grow a larger bulb.
Around the end of May to the middle of June, the bulb begins to mature, sending up a tender stalk which supports a flower, and later seeds.
A garlic scape is the edible curly stalk that grows from a garlic bulb, signaling the start of its maturity. At first it is straight and tender, but soon it begins to curl and toughen. The best time to pick a garlic scape is just after it curls because it is still young and tender.
Once picked, the plant will divert energy back to growing the underground bulb. One of the many benefits of growing garlic is this ‘bonus’ harvest of garlic scapes because they are delicious!
Garlic scapes are a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in place of garlic in a variety of dishes. Store freshly picked scapes in a jar of water in the fridge for a few days until you are ready to use them.
How to Make Garlic Scape Chimichurri
Making authentic chimichurri sauce by hand takes time. The key is to mince the garlic and add finely chopped herbs. However, most modern chefs (me included) will save time by using a food processor. If you want to try it by hand, feel free to do so, otherwise here is my food processor garlic scape chimichurri recipe.
Wash and dry the garlic scapes and fresh garden herbs. Next, remove the garlic flower and reserve for another use. Add the garlic scapes to the bowl of a food processor and process until they become 1/2 inch pieces.
Place the rest of the ingredients (parsley, oregano, mint, salt, lemon zest, cilantro, and shallot) minus the red wine vinegar and olive oil, to the food processor bowl. Process until lightly chopped.
With the motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil. Remove chimichurri sauce from food processor and place in a small bowl. Mix in the red wine vinegar and top with more extra virgin olive oil.
Chimichurri is best served immediately or used as a marinade. It will keep in the fridge for up to four days and it does freeze though the herbs won’t be as fresh.ย
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Garlic Scape Chimichurri
Garlic Scape Chimichurri is a versatile condiment that adds a fresh and zesty kick to any dish. Made with garlic scapes, fresh herbs, vinegar, and olive oil, chimichurri is popular worldwide for its bright and zesty flavour profile. Use it as a sauce or marinade for grilled meats, a topping for roasted vegetables, a salad dressing, or as a dip for crusty bread.
Ingredients
- 1 shallot; chopped
- 4-5 garlic scapes; chopped
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon; zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro; chopped
- 1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the garlic scapes to the bowl of a food processor and process until they become 1/2 inch pieces.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (parsley, oregano, mint, salt, lemon zest, cilantro, and shallot), minus the red wine vinegar and olive oil, to the food processor bowl. Process until lightly chopped.
- With the motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil. Remove chimichurri sauce from food processor and place in a small bowl. Mix in the red wine vinegar and top with more extra virgin olive oil.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 102Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 272mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.
This garlic scape chimichurri is the perfect pairing for the grilled steak I am making tonight! Can’t wait to try it. I’ve never made chimichurri from scratch before, so I am excited.
Excellent! I know you will like it! and now you have inspired me to go pick out steaks for dinner again.
I made this chimichurri with garlic scapes from my garden and it tasted so good! It added so much flavor to my grilled shrimp skewers. Thanks you!
Oh wow, yes this chimichurri would be amazing with shrimp. Any grilled meat and veggies too!
This garlic scape chimichurri is so flavorful and delicious! I loved pairing it with steak over the weekend and it’s a great way to use garlic and fresh herbs!
So glad you loved it LaKita. Let the weekend grilling begin!
Hands up to this chimichurri sauce recipe. I always made this at home and paired it with steak or fried chicken.
Great tip! I’ve never had it with fried chicken but that would be a great pairing too.
This is such a great way to use those garlic scapes that are in season right now. ๐ Such an perfect accompaniment to a grilled steak.
Yes, I always have so many to use up. This chimichurri and my garlic scape relish usually do the trick.
I made this garlic scape chimichurri as a sauce to go with some steaks that I grilled recently. It was very flavourful
Excellent, that’s the perfect way to eat a steak IMHO.
It’s a garlicky chimichurri that goes well with almost everything. I made a double batch to enjoy the scapes while they were available seasonally. Thanks for this wonderful idea of using scapes.
Great idea! It keeps quite well and you can even freeze it.
I love chimichurri on steak and tacos…such a delicious sauce and so vibrant. It always reminds me of summer…beautiful sauce!
How about steak tacos? YUM!!
I can eat this by the spoonfuls! We can’t get enough and next time I’m making a double batch because we love it on everything!! ๐
So glad you love it. Great on eggs too!
what a great way to use up garlic scapes! This chimichurri was so delicious and fragrant! I want to add this to everything!
Yes! It’s just so tasty and adds a delicious zip to any grilled meat. Thanks for stopping by Nancy!
My friend just gifted me a ton of garlic scapes from her garden and I can’t wait to use them in this chimichurri! I bet it will taste amazing with my special grilled chicken.
Food friends are the very best! Thanks for trying my recipe Marta.