Chimichurri is an Argentinian uncooked herb sauce that comes in two types. Green chimichurri is made from red wine vinegar, olive oil, chopped parsley, oregano, garlic, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
Red chimichurri is spicier and has the addition of dried red chili, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. It can be used in many dishes. Add it to steak or chicken, pour it over tacos, or use it in a salad. It goes particularly well with sweet potatoes.
However, what if you’ve made too much? Can you freeze it for use later? The answer is yes, and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze chimichurri sauce and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze Chimichurri
The best way to freeze chimichurri sauce is to freeze it in portions. The chances are that you won’t need a lot at a time so freeze it in an ice cube tray and remove only as many cubes as you need. This is the way to do it.
1. Put the chimichurri sauce in the slots of an ice cube tray.
You can use a silicone mold instead if you prefer. Don’t fill the slots right to the top as the chimichurri may expand when it is put in the freezer.
2. Put the ice cube tray in the freezer.
Leave it in the freezer for around three hours. By this time, the cubes should be frozen solid.
3. Put the cubes in a freezer bag.
You can wrap each cube in cling film which will stop the cubes from sticking together. Squeeze the air out of the freezer bag to prevent freezer burn from occurring. Freezer burn will ruin the taste and texture of your chimichurri sauce. Alternatively, put the cubes in an airtight container. Put a label on the freezer bag or container with the date and contents.
4. Put the bag or container in the freezer.
It’s a good idea to put the bag or container near the back of the freezer to prevent the cubes from thawing when you open the freezer door.
Tips For Freezing Chimichurri
- Make the chimichurri a little spicier than you would if you were using it fresh. This is because the flavor tends to degrade a little when in the freezer.
- Make sure that you squeeze all the air out of the freezer bag to prevent freezer burn.
- It is important that you label the bag or container especially if you are freezing other sauces such as salsa verde. You may not be able to tell the difference by just looking at the cubes. The date is also important so that you don’t keep the chimichurri in the freezer for too long.
- Use strong freezer bags. This is because chimichurri sauce is pungent due to the garlic and chili. You don’t want your freezer to smell of the sauce. In a lot of ways, an airtight container will contain the smells better than a freezer bag.
For How Long Can You Freeze Chimichurri?
You can freeze chimichurri for three months. After this time, although it might still be safe to eat, the flavor will deteriorate. Unfortunately, you may also notice that the color isn’t as vibrant as when you made it.
How Do You Defrost Chimichurri?
There are different ways of defrosting chimichurri. You can take the cubes out of the freezer the night before you want to use them and put them in a dish. Then leave them to defrost in the fridge overnight.
If you forget to do this, you can place the cubes in a dish and leave them at room temperature to defrost. Don’t leave them out there for longer than two hours as after this time, bacteria can start to develop.
It is possible to microwave the cubes but do this on low heat otherwise the texture of the chimichurri will change, and it won’t be as delicious.
If you plan to add your chimichurri to a dish like a stew or a casserole, you can put the cubes straight in without defrosting them.
Can You Refreeze Chimichurri?
We don’t recommend refreezing chimichurri. Both the taste and texture will change. It won’t have much flavor and it will probably end up being a sloppy mess. Instead, freeze it in an ice cube tray so that you can remove only as much as you need for each meal.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Chimichurri?
Chimichurri does freeze well but you do need to freeze it in serving sizes. If you don’t, you may end up defrosting too much and, as it can’t be frozen again, you will end up having to throw some away.
However, the color of the chimichurri may change and go slightly brown when it is frozen. This is due to the herbs you’ve used. However, the sauce will still taste the same as before freezing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing chimichurri but in case you still have questions, we have answered a few here.
As long as you store the chimichurri in an airtight container, you should be able to keep the chimichurri in the fridge for about two weeks. It may separate a little so you will need to stir it before you use it.
Perhaps you have opened a jar of chimichurri from the store and have only used a little. You can keep it in the fridge for two weeks but if you don’t intend to use it by then, you can freeze it. However, don’t freeze it in the jar as the jar may crack in the freezer. There’s no p[point in freezing a jar of unopened chimichurri as it has a long shelf life, much longer than chimichurri kept in the freezer.
You can but it could mean that you will end up defrosting more than you need. As you can’t refreeze it, you could end up throwing some away.
