Green apple chimichurri sauce has all of the classic ingredients with a sweet twist … apples! The beautiful green pops on top of grilled pork or steak skewers, while its light, crisp flavor contrasts nicely with the charred edges of the meat. Ready in minutes and totally make-ahead friendly for your next BBQ or backyard family dinner.

Here at The Produce Moms, we love to grill …and not just meat! Fruits and vegetables taste extra juicy, sweet, and full of hearty flavor when they are cooked over the flame of a grill. 

This time we have something special – Green Apple Chimichurri Sauce!

Apple chimichurri sauce is sponsored by California Apple Commission.

We love pairing this sauce with grilled meats like steak and pork. It adds just a touch of sweetness that complements the hearty, salty meat’s crispy, crunchy edges. 

Prep the chimichurri sauce ahead of time, before grilling, and then serve over your favorite grilled skewer recipe. We’ve got a few of our favorite recipes at the end for you to try.

Let’s get this apple chimichurri sauce ready for spreading by the spoonful.

Green Apple Chimichurri Ingredients

This chimichurri recipe with apples is a simple toss, set, and serve recipe. Since it uses fresh produce ingredients, there are a few things we always use for the best sweet, crispy flavor with a little kick. You’ll find all of the ingredients for your apple chimichurri sauce in the produce section.

Granny Smith Apples

Apples are the star of this chimichurri recipe. We love using Granny Smith apples because they add a crisp freshness and hold up well during the marination process—great for a make-ahead dinner add-on. The tart, acidic, and limey flavor of the apples pairs well with grilled steak and pork for a rounded out bite any day of the year. 

Aromatics

Chopped Italian parsley, minced shallots, garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice add spicy, citrusy layers to this chimichurri sauce. For optimal flavor, we highly recommend squeezing the juice out of fresh limes and finely chopping the shallots and garlic right before adding them to the mixing bowl. 

Oil and Vinegar

We use extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar to help bring out the natural sweetness and spiciness of each fresh produce ingredient. Red wine vinegar is our go-to for its robust, fruity flavor against the crispy grilled steak and pork. The marriage of flavors is one reason we love using this apple chimichurri sauce so often to top grilled red meat.

How To Make Chimichurri with Apples

You’ll need a few minutes to prep your chimichurri sauce with apples, then set it aside, and layer by the spoonfuls when your grilled pork or steak skewers are hot off the grill. We like to make the chimichurri before we start to grill, so it’s done marinating at the same time the meat is lightly charred and juicy. But feel free to make the chimichurri ahead of time for an even more citrusy, spicy sweetness.

Step 1: Prep the apple chimichurri ingredients.

Use a knife to dice two green Granny Smith apples. Then, remove the stems and finely chop the Italian flat-leaf parsley. Finally, mince (cut very small) the shallots, garlic, and jalapeño. When they are cut smaller, they release more flavor as they marinate. 

Step 2: Combine and mix.

Add the diced apples, chopped parsley, minced shallots, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir with a large spoon and set the bowl aside for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it becomes. 

Step 3: Let it sit and serve!

When your grilled meat is ready, use a spoon to scoop as much apple chimichurri sauce as you’d like. The green from the parsley and apple looks stunning against any grilled meat… always a crowd pleaser!

Why We Love California Apple Commission

California is the fifth-largest producer of apples in the United States. At The Produce Moms, our goal is to help you get more fruits and vegetables into your family’s meal plan. The California Apple Commission provides educational resources for California classrooms to teach students the importance of agriculture in their lives. Look for the California Grown license plate or check the sticker to confirm they’re from California.

Grilled Skewer Recipes to Pair with Apple Chimichurri

• Cherry and Pork Skewers with Cherry Rosemary Sauce – tart and salty
• Grilled Watermelon and Italian Sausage – juicy, tender, and spicy
• Grilled Jerk Shrimp and Pineapple Kabobs – the perfect sweet and spicy 
• California Sassy Salsa Kabobs – West Coast-inspired sweet and savory grilled kabobs