Review: Chipotle's Red Chimichurri Sauce Is Just What Your Burrito Needs

Fast food and fast casual spots have all been amping up their sauce game these days. With this deluge of dippy and drippy sauces, it's almost hard to keep track of all the flavors flowing into stores. Chipotle's food is already so flavorful, it doesn't really need to introduce more sauces to its repertoire, yet it continues to surprise. While salsas, guacamole, and queso blanco have long been in its arsenal, Chipotle branched out this past summer with the addition of the cool-whipped-smart Adobo Ranch. Now, Chipotle is at it again, this time rolling out a red chimichurri sauce.

Chiles have always added a great kick to salsas, and they're a key ingredient that gives chimichurri sauce its true bite, alongside vinegar and citrus juices. The signature steak sauce of Argentina and Uruguay has murky origins, but what matters is that this flavor-packed sauce is a winner for dinner.

Now that Chipotle is debuting a red chimichurri sauce, will this newbie be an outright star, or does the chain need to do more studying abroad to get it just right? The fine folks at Chipotle sent over a few cups of the oily red stuff to try with some entrees, so I could determine where the truth lies. I reveal it all in this chew & review. 

Recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

This fall, Chipotle is expanding its sauce portfolio by introducing its take on red chimichurri sauce. This is the first time Chipotle has released such a sauce. Prior to its wide release this fall, the sauce was test marketed this past summer in places like South Orange County, California.

In a statement, Chipotle's President, Chief Brand Officer Chris Brandt noted, "Red Chimichurri unlocks an all-new flavor profile that is unlike any menu item we introduced before." He added, "This is more than a new sauce — it's a new way for our fans to get creative and build the ultimate flavor combination."

This side sauce is made fresh daily at Chipotle. While it can top anything you desire, the company's Vice President of Culinary, Nevielle Panthaky, recommends three curated entree pairings to pair with it. The first is a Carne Asada Burrito with white rice, black beans, fresh tomato salsa, guac, cheese, and romaine lettuce. The second is a Chicken Bowl filled with white rice, black beans, roasted chili-corn salsa, guac, and cheese. The last suggestion is a Sofritas Bowl, piled up with brown rice, pinto beans, fajita veggies, roasted chili-corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, guac, and romaine lettuce.

The Red Chimichurri is a new sauce landing at participating U.S. and Canadian Chipotle locations starting Tuesday, September 30. It will be available to order anytime Chipotle is open for business, for an unspecified limited time, and while supplies last.

The sauce comes in a 2-ounce cup size, and is served at room temperature. Find it on the menu under "Chips & Dips," and order it in-store, either during the assembly line/chow line ordering process, or at the register upon checkout. It can also be ordered in advance for dine-in, pick-up, or delivery through Chipotle's app or website. The suggested retail price is $1, although the price may vary by location. Additional fees for delivery may also apply.

Chipotle Rewards members will get to try the sauce for free on launch day, September 30. You must be enrolled by 5 p.m. Pacific time the day before to receive this offer in your account.

Chipotle's new Red Chimichurri sauce is made up of citrus juice, red wine vinegar, cilantro, garlic, salt, guajillo chili peppers, chili peppers, and sunflower oil. It contains no known allergens. A single serving size of sauce is 2 ounces or 59 grams. 

That's good for 190 calories, 17 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 800 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 2 grams of total sugars (including 1 gram of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein. It also contains 0.7 micrograms of vitamin D, 30 micrograms of vitamin A, 2 milligrams of vitamin C, 0.5 milligrams of iron, 20 milligrams of calcium, and 170 milligrams of potassium. The vitamin and mineral contents amount to between 2% and 4% of the daily recommended values for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

At first glance, Chipotle's Red Chimichurri sauces almost resembled a dark red salsa, heavy on juices and less so on chunkiness. As I moved in for a closer look, I noticed how extremely oily it was. I had to pause at this sight, knowing that one false move with this plastic cup could stain and ruin the table, carpet, my clothes, or all three. I shook the contents and then gingerly opened it, before letting it rest on a napkin. That was the correct approach, as this dangerous red oil tends to splash slightly. 

I leaned in for a quick whiff, and it had a most welcoming smell, with notes of garlic, cilantro, and perhaps a paprika-like seasoning swimming together. While no spiciness was denoted, I had a stinking suspicion something perky lurked below the surface.

Before applying this new red solution to any piece of Chipotle food, I wanted to taste it solo. For some reason, the thought of chili crisp raced to the front of my mind, and I was relieved upon sampling the first spoonful that no such Asian spice was a part of the makeup. Instead, my tongue was terrifically tantalized by the zesty richness of this sauce's flavor, with a sweet vinegar playing nice with flecks of garlic and pepper flakes. The shreds of cilantro added a fun texture to slurp up alongside the fabulous flavor. There's no spiciness whatsoever, but this chimichurri has a pungency that is a tasty reward with each encounter.

My first taste test with Chipotle's new Red Chimichurri was a complete success. It's not exactly a sauce to eat solo by the spoonful, but its rocking debut boded well to pair with Chipotle food. I first paired it with chips, which offered a nice base and crunch, while adding a bit of salt to the mix.

Next, I doused the Red Chimichurri across my burrito. The fillings carried a range of flavors and textures, each letting the sauce shine in its own way. The sauce enriched the familiar favorites, soaking into grains of rice, and tasting predictably flavorful when meeting juicy strips of steak. Later, chicken from my bowl swam in its mighty oils with equal success. While the Red Chimichurri had a strong personality, it wasn't a dominating taste. It meshed well with other dips and sauces, complementing guac and creating an awesome one-two punch alongside warm queso. Moral of the story — you can't go wrong using this sauce blended into anything ... within reason!

Two bits of advice. Though initially sampled at room temperature, the Red Chimichurri does finer flavor work when chilled and poured over hot food. It comes alive in a way no Chipotle condiment has before, and that's saying something, since the Adobo Ranch was a hit. Second, beware the oil and the mess it may cause. If possible, enjoy this sauce at a Chipotle location, so any stains can leave their mark there and not at your home.