This simple chimichurri rice is one of our favorite rice dishes. A bowl of delicious tomato rice mixed with fresh chimichurri sauce; everybody will go back for seconds.
Just chimichurri rice for dinner tonight; you won’t need anything else. A garlicky, spicy rice dish that is bursting with fresh flavors.
And if you like one-pot rice dishes as much as we do, check out the Vegan Rice with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Carrots, the One-Pot Vegan Pilaf, or the Nigerian Jollof Rice.
And make sure you try Choripan con Chimichurri (popular Argentinian or Uruguayan street food) and Mint Chimichurri.
Recipe ingredients
I kept the ingredient list simple this time to allow you to use this chimichurri rice recipe as a canvas for your taste.
Ingredients for the rice
- Rice: I use plain white rice most of the time. However, brown, Jasmin, or Basmati are all great; keep in mind that the cooking time will differ; Basmati and Jasmin will need less time, and the brown one will need longer.
- Tomato sauce: You can make it yourself or use your favorite brand. If you don’t have any, use pureed tomatoes and be generous with the spices.
- Chicken stock or vegetable stock for a vegetarian/vegan version.
- Canola or sunflower oil
- White onion
- Spices: fine sea salt or Kosher salt, ground black pepper.
Ingredients for chimichurri sauce
- Herbs: fresh parsley and cilantro, I use a bit more parsley than cilantro, but you can use equal amounts.
- Garlic: two fresh garlic cloves, grated on a fine grater or pressed.
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Spices: dried oregano, red pepper flakes, ground cumin, and salt.
What you could add
- Red pepper (diced) and frozen peas to make it more like the Trader Joe’s version.
- Other vegetables (diced): carrots, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, etc.
- Chicken pieces: Chop the meat into small pieces and cook them in a separate pan until golden and cooked. Add them to the dish a few minutes before the grains are cooked through.
Step-by-step instructions
Make the rice
- Chop the onion finely.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onion and cook it for about 2 minutes on medium heat until a bit softer.
- Add the grains and toast them in the pan until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often and make sure that the onions don’t brown too much (1).
- Add the stock, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper (2).
- Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done to your liking (3).
- Let rest for 5 minutes before adding the sauce (4).
Make chimichurri
- While the food cooks, make the sauce.
- Chop the herbs finely.
- Combine: Place vinegar, grated garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
- Whisk in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies slightly.
- Stir in the chopped herbs.
Finish the dish
- Add about ¾ of the sauce to the tomato rice. Stir gently.
- Top with some of the remaining chimichurri sauce when serving.
Expert tip
The cooking time might be shorter or longer depending on the rice you used. Check the package instructions and check if the grains are cooked. Don’t overcook the dish, or it will become mushy; check on time.
Recipe FAQ
A fresh condiment made with fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and spices originating in Argentina and Uruguay but very popular all over Central and South America. It’s commonly served with grilled meats, but it’s also perfect as a dipping sauce or addition to many other dishes.
A frozen dish made famous by Trader Joe’s. If you like that, you will love this version even better; it’s richer, more flavorsome, probably cheaper, and definitely healthier.
Refrigerate the leftover chimichurri rice as soon as it is cool. Keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days and reheat before serving. This also means that you can make the dish in advance and reheat it before serving.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. If reheating on the stovetop, add a splash of stock or water to loosen the rice and stir gently but often.
Freeze in an airtight container and consume within 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat before serving.
How to serve?
As mentioned above, chimichurri rice is a flavorful and satisfying meal that doesn’t need anything else in most cases. You can serve it as a main dish with a salad on the side. Make a green salad with Yogurt Dressing, roast some vegetables, or make some Buttered Peas or French-Style Green Beans.
However, chimichurri rice is the perfect side dish for grilled steak (beef or pork), chicken, seafood, tacos, or fajitas.
Try it with Cast-Iron Chicken Thighs, Butterflied Roast Chicken, Crispy Fried Panko Chicken, Cast-Iron Pork Tenderloin, Grilled Chicken Tenders, Turkey Kebabs, and so on.
More rice main dishes
Easy Chimichurri Rice
Ingredients
Rice:
- 250 g white rice 9 oz/ 1 ¼ cups, Note 1
- 1 onion medium
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock 2 cups
- 300 g tomato sauce 10 oz/ 1 ¼ cup
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Chimichurri:
- 3 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Rice:
- Chop the onion finely. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onion and cook it for about 2 minutes on medium-low heat until a bit softer.
- Add the rice and toast it in the pan until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often and make sure that the onions don’t brown too much.
- Cook: Add the stock, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, and simmer, covered and on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done to your liking (check the package instructions regarding the appropriate cooking time and check that the rice is done to your liking).
- Let rest for 5 minutes before adding the sauce.
Chimichurri:
- Make the sauce while the rice is cooking.
- Chop the herbs finely.
- Combine vinegar, grated garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
- Whisk in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies slightly.
- Stir in the chopped herbs.
Finish rice chimichurri:
- Add about ¾ of the sauce to the tomato rice and combine gently.
- Top with some of the remaining chimichurri sauce when serving.
Notes
- I use plain white rice most of the time. Basmati, Jasmin, or brown rice are great alternatives; however, their cooking time is different. Check the package instructions and cook each sort of rice accordingly.