A saucy, simply seasoned burger, topped with sautéed cabbage slaw, tomato and onion, the Chimichurri Burger – aka “Chimi” – is Dominican street food at its finest!
Abe and I have been a couple for over fifteen years, and married for ten, and he still hasn’t taken me to his childhood home in the Dominican Republic.
We’ll go one day, I have no doubt, but until then, I have to enjoy the food he grew up on in our own kitchen.
One of my FAVORITES is this bangin’ Dominican Chimichurri Burger.
No, no, I know what you’re thinking. Where’s the green sauce?
This isn’t that kind of chimichurri.
Just call this guy The Chimi, and know that the two have nothing in common…aside from their deliciousness.
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Chimis are traditional late night street food in DR, and are so beautifully simple to throw together.
The seasoning in the meat is extremely minimal, because this burger gets its flavor from the sauce and the sautéed cabbage that goes on top.
You’ll never find two chimis that are the same. The structure of the recipe is the same, but everybody does it different down there. Even Abe’s cousins argued that he was doing it wrong when he made them a batch of his for the first time.
Today, I’m sharing that version. It’s our go-to burger, and it might just become yours! The slightly crunchy cabbage and the tang of the sauce make for a delicious, textural overload.
And to all you hardcore burger eaters – trust me when I say that a chimi Dominicano is enough to fill you.
Despite the different variations of this burger in the DR, every element of is special and just has to be included for it to be considered a proper chimi.
Especially that orange-looking sauce.
Ketchup + mayo + a little soy sauce = salsa golf.
This is the Dominican’s secret to the chimi. Without it, you’re just eating a burger.
(A little secret: if you’re too pressed for time to mix it, you could always buy a bottle of thousand island salad dressing. Buuuuuut it won’t be the same.)
Just please don’t forget the ice-cold Presidente. It’s a cardinal sin to eat a chimi without a beer by its side!
Chimi ingredients
- Ground beef – market or chuck is our favorite, but grab whatever you enjoy the most
- Worcestershire sauce
- Soy sauce – you can also use tamari or coconut aminos if you’d prefer. This ingredient is used in 3 different ways in this recipe!
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Cabbage – thinly sliced, this is sauteed with the soy sauce and garlic powder to make a fabulous slaw
- Ketchup – combined with the mayo to make the base of the “salsa golf”
- Mayonnaise
- Tomato
- Red onion – if you like pickled onions, place the onion slices in a bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and a dash of salt and let it sit until ready to use. (we eat them like this on Mangu and it’s SO delicious!)
- Kaiser rolls – or water buns (aka pan de agua)
How to make Dominican Chimis
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, a bit of salt, and black pepper. Mix it well, then portion it and form it into 4 equal patties.
- Heat a stove-top grill pan over medium heat. Spray pan with oil-based cooking spray, then cook patties, turning once, for about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove to a plate.
- Heat a separate skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, remaining soy sauce and garlic powder, and saute 4-5 minutes. Place cabbage in bowl and set aside.
- As an optional step, you can return the skillet to the stove, heat a bit of olive oil, and sear the tomato and onion slices for 1 minute on each side until they’re warm.
- To make the Salsa Golf, combine the ketchup, mayo, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk until it’s well combined, then set it aside (or refrigerate) until you’re ready to build your burgers.
- Assemble the chimis by spreading some salsa golf on the bottom halves of each bun, then place a cooked burger on top. Drizzle on a bit more salsa golf, then add a slice of tomato and onions. Top it off with sauteed cabbage slaw and the other half of the bun. Serve with an ice cold beer and enjoy!
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Dominican Chimichurri Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef market or chuck is best
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce separated
- 4 teaspoons garlic powder separated
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large tomato thickly sliced
- ¼ red onion sliced
- 4 rolls water buns or kaiser rolls, split and toasted
“Salsa Golf”
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, 3 Tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well, then form 4 equal patties.
- Heat a stove-top grill pan over medium heat. Spray pan with oil-based cooking spray, then cook patties, turning once, for about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove to a plate.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, remaining soy sauce and garlic powder, and saute 4-5 minutes. Place cabbage in bowl and set aside.
- (optional step) Return pan to stove and heat olive oil. Sear tomato and onion slices for 1 minute on each side. Remove to a plate.
“Salsa Golf”
- Combine ketchup, mayo, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Whisk until combined. Set aside (or refrigerate until ready to use.)
- Spread some salsa golf on bun bottoms, then place burger on top. Drizzle on a bit more salsa golf, then add a slice of tomato and onions. Top with sauteed cabbage and top of bun. Serve with an ice cold beer and enjoy!
monica says
This is one gorgeous burger!!!! I’ve never been to the Dominican Republic but you have me with this sauce.
Renee @ReneesKitchenAdventures says
Great job Mr. Crumby!
Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook says
I’ve said it on all my social media channels, but I’ll say it again here. I can’t WAIT to try these burgers. I’ll have to ask my dad if he’s indulged in any growing up!
Cindy Kerschner says
I love the hint of soy sauce in here. A slight crunch from the slaw sounds perfect to me!
Eileen says
Yum, that is one tempting looking burger!
Caroline says
These look fantastic! Send one over please!
Ambar says
LOVE THIS!! So nice to see someone do a dominican dish 🙂
Mehndi says
I love a burger, actually I’ve been craving them for days now, so this is going to be a great twist on the usual meal. Thanks for sharing!
Crawley photography says
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