This Argentinian inspired Asado Platter might just be your new summertime, anytime favorite! It’s as easy and flexible as can be for quick weeknight meals, but it’s also perfect for summertime entertaining!

This recipe was featured on Twin Cities Live, May 2, 2022.

What You’ll Find Here

Ideas and variations for preparing Argentinian-Inspire Asado – on the grill or in the oven
Argentinian-style Chimichurri recipe
Ideas for salads, pastas, sides, and other sauces to serve with Asado
Choripan Bites recipe (coming soon!) – inspired by a favorite restaurant sandwich

Good Food Always Has A Story

My appreciation for Argentinian food started in 2018 after my first taste of authentic Argentinian empanadas made by DelSur Empanadas. Nico and Diego of DelSur first introduced the Twin Cities to Argentinian fare in 2014 with their food truck. They then opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Minnetonka in 2018. During the summer of 2021, they added a second location at Malcom Yards Market – an amazing new food hall community with 9 separate food concepts located in Prospect Park near the University of Minnesota.

DelSur’s empanadas are baked fresh and filled with goodness like beef, chorizo, chicken, and cheeses; spinach, mushrooms and corn, and more. They even a wonderful malbec-wine infused empanada. They also serve salads and sandwiches – including my favorite Choripan Sandwich. I love that sandwich so much, I decided to create a bite-sized appetizer version for a gathering for friends. The Choripan Bites were such a hit, I knew I had to share the recipe here on the blog. That recipe project – and Nico’s generous input – are largely responsible for this Argentinian inspired Asado Platter.

What is Asado?

The word Asado literally means roasted or grilled/barbequed meat. But Asado is more than just a method of cooking… It’s a quintessential Argentine tradition where friends and famiglia (family) gather together for hours of enjoyment. How amazing is that?

MEAT is definitely the main focus. An asado often begins with chorizo and other specialty sausages, and continues with a variety of beef, pork, and chicken. The meats are all cooked on a grill, called a parrilla, or an open fire.

To keep this recipe super simple, we’re just using chorizo and a variety of sausages and brats so everything cooks quickly and evenly.

Argentinian-style chorizo is my favorite. It’s incredibly flavorful, lean, and clean-tasting with a good amount of heat. It has just enough fat for great texture, but it’s not greasy. Here’s a great description – and a recipe to make your own, if you’re so inclined:

Chorizo sausage is the default in many Spanish speaking countries, and everyone seems to have a different version. For the most part, Spanish chorizo is a hard, dry cured sausage, while Mexican chorizo is fresh, and tends to be pretty soft, almost spreadable — best uncased and mixed with eggs and such.

Argentina has its own version of chorizo sausage that’s a happy medium between the two. Chorizo Argentino a “normal” fresh sausage, with a consistency more or less like a typical Italian sausage we all know here in America. –Hank Shaw

While authentic Argentine chorizo can be hard to find, you can use your favorite beef or beef/pork blend sausages or brats. Look for simple, well-seasoned links versus anything with cheeses or other fillers.

SIDE DISHES are important too! Fresh salads and greens, and a variety of grilled vegetables and peppers are usually served along with the meat courses. Fresh breads – perfectly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside – are also served to balance out the meal.

I absolutely love serving grilled or oven-roasted meats and veggies over a bed of fresh greens with fresh sliced tomatoes. A generous drizzle of chimichurri (recipe below) turns it all into one, fabulously flavorful experience!

My favorite veggies for this dish – whether I’m grilling or roasting in the oven – include:

Gold potatoes, sliced into ¾” rounds
Baby carrots
Sweet bell peppers
Red onions

Other veggies that also work well:

Brussels sprouts – cut in half if larger
Creamer of Fingerling potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Corn on the cob – cut into 1 – 2” rounds
Zucchini or squash – thickly sliced
Mushrooms

Vegetables such as Asparagus, Broccoli, Broccolini, etc., are best grilled or roasted whole or in larger pieces rather than on skewers.

You can certainly use any vegetables that you want! Depending on whether you’re grilling or roasting, just keep in mind that everything needs to be cut to roughly the same size to it all cooks evenly.

To prepare the vegetables, I just use a little olive oil and seasoning.

For both grilling and roasting: Just toss or brush the cut veggies lightly with your favorite olive oil. You don’t want to saturate the veggies with lots of oil, or let them sit in a bowl with oil at the bottom of it.

One of my favorite seasonings for grilling and roasting is Livia’s – it’s just Kosher salt, garlic, and coarse ground black pepper. All the elements are evenly sized and blended, so seasons evenly too!

If you prefer additional Salads (rather than a bed of greens) and Pasta Dishes, here are some great options. Note: You may (or may not) want to omit the bacon if serving with Asado.

BLT Caesar Salad
Roasted Beet Salad with Mandarins, Goat Cheese and Arugula
Bacon Penne Florentine
Baked Feta Pasta
Arugula Salad : Argentinian Chorizo, Cherry Tomatoes, and lots of fresh arugula served with Chimichurri Vinaigrette and grilled baguette.
DelSur Salad : Mixed lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, hearts of palm, and a fabulously tangy dressing.

CHIMICHURRI is a must for Asado! Chimichurri recipes have many variations, such as more vinegar or lemon, or the addition of different spices. But it’s important to note that authentic Argentinian Chimichurri never includes cilantro.

Chimichurri is a wonderfully fresh and vibrant sauce that pairs exceptionally well with roasted and grilled meats. It’s also wonderful with vegetables, fresh greens, breads, and cheeses. See why it’s such an important part of Asado?

We love bold flavors in our house, so my chimichurri recipes definitely have some attitude. Here are a couple that I’d love for you to try!

Spicy Chimichurri Sauce – with just a hint of heat
Colorful Giardiniera Chimichurri Sauce – a literal flavor explosion that we absolutely love!.

There are thousands of chimichurri recipes out there, and I encourage you to try a few different ones to see what you like best. Adjust the ingredients to suit your tastes, and make chimichurri a regular on your table!

Argentinian Chimichurri

Servings 6

Author Michele Phillips, BaconFatte.com

Ingredients

2 cups flat leaf parsley – leaves and thin stems, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, grated or pressed
1 cup light olive oil
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes + more to taste
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place ingredients into a medium glass (non-reactive) bowl, and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, vinegar, lemon, etc., to taste. This chimichurri can be served immediately, bit it’s best when covered and refrigerated for several hours or overnight before serving. Keep any leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Makes 1 ½ cups.

Recipe Notes

Makes 1 ½ cups.

Double the recipe when entertaining... it goes quickly!

WINE: No Asado is complete without good Argentinian wine… Preferably a rich, sweet and spicy Malbec!

FUN FACTS: Argentina is one of the largest wine producing countries in the world, and some of the best Argentinian wines are made by Famiglia Meschini. The Meschini family is based right here in Minnesota! They even have a delicious canned wine – Vamos! Vino™ – “Proudly made in Mendoza, Argentina & Locally promoted from Minneapolis, MN.” If you haven’t already, DO add these wines to your list of labels to try!

PEOPLE: More than anything, the tradition of Asado is all about gathering with friends and family… for holidays or other special occasions, or for any reason at all.

Here in Minnesota, we love grilling season, and this Argentinian-Inspired Asado Platter is a great way to celebrate the season – no matter what time of year it is! Fortunately, this dish is easily adaptable for the oven, too.

One of the things I appreciate most about this recipe is that it’s uncomplicated. The components are absolutely simple and delicious on their own.

My goal here is to share a simplified version of a wonderful cultural meal concept that lends itself to endless variations. I hope this recipe inspires all kinds of ideas for you!

ENJOY!

Argentinian Inspired Asado Platter

This Argentinian-inspired Asado Platter might just be your new summertime, anytime favorite! It’s as easy and flexible as can be for quick weeknight meals, but it’s also perfect for summertime entertaining!

Servings 4

Author Michele Phillips, BaconFatte.com

Ingredients

4 - 8 Chorizo sausages (1 - 2 per person)
1 - 2 Sweet bell peppers (¼ - ½ pepper per person)
8 - 16 Small gold potatoes sliced into ¾” rounds (1 – 2 per person)
1 - 2 cups Baby carrots (4 – 6 per skewer or ¼ cup per person)
1 Red onion – medium or large - quartered and cut up
1/4 cup Olive oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt, granulated garlic, and coarse ground black pepper – to taste
8 - 16 oz, fresh mixed greens
2 – 4 fresh tomatoes, sliced; or ½ - 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

FOR GRILLING:

-Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat.
-Prepare skewers by rubbing them lightly with olive oil.
Wash and cut the vegetables into (approximately) 2” pieces.
Place cut vegetables in a large bowl, drizzle in olive oil and add seasonings, and toss everything together to coat.
Cut the chorizo into 2” pieces.
Skewer vegetables and chorizo evenly (I like to start and end with potatoes). Make sure not to pack the skewers too tightly so everything cooks evenly.
Grill for 10 – 15 minutes. Turn and grill for another 10+minutes. Chorizo should reach an internal temperature of 160F and vegetables should be slightly firm.

FOR OVEN ROASTING:

-Pre-heat oven to 350F.
-Prepare 1 or 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper(optional, for easier clean-up).
Wash and cut the vegetables into (approximately) 2” pieces.
Place cut vegetables in a large bowl, drizzle in olive oil and add seasonings, and toss everything together to coat.
Cut the chorizo into 2” pieces.
Place the chorizo pieces on prepared baking sheet(s). Scatter vegetable pieces evenly around chorizo pieces.
Roast for 20 – 30 minutes. Remove pan(s) from oven to check doneness. Roast longer, in 5-minute increments, if needed. Chorizo should reach an internal temperature of 160F and vegetables should be slightly firm.

TO SERVE

Place fresh greens (if using) on a platter orindividual plates. Add grilled skewers or roasted chorizo and vegetables on topof greens, and garnish with fresh sliced tomatoes. Serve with plenty ofchimichurri sauce.

Recipe Notes

-Quantities are general guidelines that can be adapted as needed depending on how hungry your people are and what else you’re serving.

-If preparing ahead, cut everything up and place individual ingredients (versus mixing everything together) into air-tight containers and refrigerate several hours to overnight.

-For the potatoes, scrub thoroughly, and cut them up just before skewering/cooking.

-Toss or brush vegetables with oil just before cooking.