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Chermoula is a North African condiment that’s used as a sauce or marinade with an herby, zesty, and warmly spiced flavor. It only takes 5 minutes to make in a food processor, and it’s incredibly versatile (use it to make chermoula chicken and more!).
Chermoula is a fresh herb sauce used in Moroccan and other North African cuisines.
It’s full of verdant herbs like cilantro and parsley, aromatic with garlic, bright with lemon, peppery with olive oil, and rich with earthy spices. This versatile condiment is a popular pairing with fish and seafood, but is also delicious with chicken, lamb, and vegetables.
If you like pesto or chimichurri, chermoula is a must-try!
Chermoula Sauce Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Fresh cilantro and parsley – I like to use half cilantro and half parsley, but you can use all cilantro or all parsley if you prefer; make sure to remove the tough stems.
- Garlic – A healthy amount of raw garlic adds a ton of flavor and aroma to this fresh herb sauce.
- Cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, coarse kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper – This is the spice blend we use to create a well-balanced, earthy, slightly smoky flavor profile. Note that the cayenne pepper is optional and adds a slight kick without making this sauce overly spicy-hot.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest – Fresh lemon juice and zest add bright, citrusy, zesty flavor to the sauce.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Adds a rich peppery flavor, and helps make the sauce into a paste-like consistency.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor.
- Pulse a few times to chop it up a bit, and then process until it’s as smooth as you like it (TIP: don’t completely puree it, leave a bit of texture).
Storage
Store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to Use Chermoula Sauce
The sky is the limit in terms of different ways to use chermoula sauce! Here are a few ideas:
- Use it to make chermoula chicken
- Marinade (for seafood, chicken, lamb, or beef)
- Pasta sauce
- Salad dressing
- Dipping sauce for protein (it’s great with grilled steak!)
- Condiment for burgers, sandwiches, or wraps
- Drizzled on roasted, steamed, or grilled vegetables
- As a dip for raw vegetables, such as carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, broccoli florets, etc.
- Stirred into soup right before serving for another layer of flavor (if you’re familiar with French Soupe au Pistou, it’s a similar idea to this)
- Tossed with cooked rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat pilaf, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Zhoug, also transliterated schug, skhug, zhug, zoug, and zoog, is quite a bit spicier than chermoula because of the addition of hot peppers (such as jalapeños). Also, some versions of zhug contain other spices, such as caraway and/or cardamom.
Zhoug is originally from Yemen, but is commonly found across the Middle East. In Israel, zhoug is a popular condiment for street food, and is often served with hummus, falafel, and shawarma. (You can read more about zhoug on Wikipedia.)
Italian pesto typically contains basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and pine nuts. On the other hand, Moroccan chermoula uses a base of cilantro and parsley, and is flavored with warm, earthy spices like cumin, coriander, and paprika. Both chermoula and pesto contain olive oil and garlic.
More Savory Sauces to Try
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Chermoula Sauce Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves tough stems removed
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves tough stems removed
- 4 large cloves garlic peeled
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop it up a bit, and then process until it’s as smooth as you like it (TIP: don’t completely puree it, leave a bit of texture).
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of sauce, which is 6 (2-tablespoon) servings.
- Storage: Store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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