Argentine-Style Burgers with Chimichurri Sauce

While these tasty Argentine-style burgers with chimichurri sauce might be a little more work than making a standard burger, they are worth the extra effort. 

The beef for these burgers includes a few mix-ins, including onions, garlic, jalapeño, as well as cumin, oregano, and cilantro. After cooking, they are topped with a tasty chimichurri sauce that takes just a few minutes to make. 

I first made these burgers with pita bread. The pita bread is a great way of containing all of the sauce and the juicy goodness of the burger. The next time I made this burger, I substituted brioche hamburger buns. Both options were delicious, although I did find that the buns made the burgers easier (for me) to eat. 

You could make your own pita bread, making it slightly smaller in diameter to more snugly encase the burger. 

I recommend trying these burgers both ways! 

Ingredients You Will Need:

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

Chimichurri sauce is a fresh oil-based condiment typically made with parsley along with many other fresh herbs and spices. The variations are plentiful. This sauce is wonderful with grilled meats, including beef, pork, and lamb. 

For this version, you will need lots of fresh parsley, fresh mint, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, jalapeño, ground cumin, and salt. You can either process all of the ingredients in a food processor, or chop the ingredients by hand. 

For the Burgers:

Ground Beef: I used an 80/20 blend. 

To Add to the Ground Beef: Yellow onion, garlic, jalapeño, ground cumin, oregano, and chopped cilantro, along with salt and pepper. 

To Assemble the Burgers: Hamburger buns or pita bread, optional thinly sliced red onions (I used pickled red onions), lettuce or other greens, and a generous amount of the chimichurri sauce. 

Tips for Making These Argentine-Style Burgers:

First, make sure that the pan that you are using is very hot before adding the burgers. If you have a cast iron skillet, this is the perfect place to use it. Otherwise, use a carbon steel or stainless steel skillet. Do not use a nonstick skillet. 

When mixing the ground beef with the rest of the ingredients, try not to over handle everything. Gently mix the ingredients and then form the patties. 

Once you have formed the patties, create a 1/4 inch shallow dent in the center of the patty with your fingers. 

You can also prepare these burgers on a hot grill following the same timing as when using a skillet. 

You can make the chimichurri sauce in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. If you have leftovers, use it for drizzling on steaks and lamb chops and other grilled meats. I love having it on hand. 

Welcome to another year of the Alphabet Challenge, where we cook our way through the alphabet! Some letters are easy peasy, and others are more of a challenge (I'm talking to you, "X"). That's part of the fun! 

If you are part of a cooking club or a progressive dinner group, this would be such a fun theme. Definitely follow us for ideas! 

"A" is for Aji, Aloo, Amygdalopita, Apple, Arancini, Argentina, and More!

To start the 2026 Alphabet Challenge, we are sharing recipes that begin with "A" or include ingredients or methods that that begin with "A." 

• Food Lust People Love: Ají de Cerdo - Peruvian Pork Stew 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Aloo Bhaji & Poori 
• A Messy Kitchen: Amygdalopita
• Sneha’s Recipe: Anday Aur Subzi Pulao
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Apple Crumb Pie 
• Blogghetti: Apple Pork Chops 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Arancini
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Argentine-Style Burgers with Chimichurri Sauce 
• Magical Ingredients: Artichoke Spinach Rolls
• Culinary Cam: Atchara: A Pickle from My People…and My Grandmother 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Homemade Apple & Whiskey Barbecue Sauce 
• Palatable Pastime: Magic Pan Orange and Almond Salad 
  

Last year (2025) for the letter "A," I made Apple Latkes, and for 2024, I made Apple Buns. Both recipes are keepers! 

Argentine-Style Burgers with Chimichurri Sauce

Yield: 4 Burgers

Author: Karen Kerr

Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 50 Min

These Argentine-style burgers with chimichurri sauce might be a little more work than making a standard burger, they are worth the extra effort. 

Ingredients

For the Chimichurri Sauce

• 1 packed cup flat leaf parsley leaves
• 1 packed cup mint leaves
• 1/3 cup extravirgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
• 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Burgers

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1/2 onion)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 7 to 8 cloves)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 4 pitas or hamburger buns
• Thinly sliced red onions or pickled red onions, optional
• Lettuce or other greens
• Chimichurri sauce

Instructions

To Prepare the Chimichurri Sauce

1. Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and briefly pulse. Adjust the salt to taste if necessary.
2. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To Prepare the Burgers

1. In a small skillet, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeño, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until softened. Remove from the heat and scrape the ingredients into a bowl to cool.
2. Add the ground beef, cumin, oregano, cilantro, 1 teaspoon of salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Mix everything gently.
3. Shape the beef into four patties, four inches across and 3/4 inches thick. Gently indent the center of each patty by 1/4 inch with your fingers. Salt both sides of each patty.
4. Heat a large skillet over high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the tablespoon of olive oil and add the beef patties, evenly spaced. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook without disturbing for five minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more.
5. Assemble the burgers in the pitas or buns with onions, lettuce, and chimichurri sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

722

Fat (grams)

61 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

17 g

Carbs (grams)

32 g

Fiber (grams)

4 g

Net carbs

29 g

Sugar (grams)

5 g

Protein (grams)

36 g

Cholesterol (grams)

121 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2026/01/argentine-style-burgers-with.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

burgers, chimichurri

dinner

Argentina

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Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking, September, 2005.