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A bowl of North African Chermoula sauce on a wooden board.
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5 from 1 vote

Chermoula (North African Cilantro Parsley Sauce)

Chermoula is a vibrant, earthy, and aromatic North African marinade and sauce commonly used in Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisines. This very adaptable recipe is incredibly easy to make! Traditionally the sauce is used to flavor fish and seafood.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: North African
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 10 Servings
Author: Luay Ghafari
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup Fresh flat leaf parsley - Leaves and stems
  • ¾ cup Fresh cilantro (coriander) - Leaves and stems
  • 2-3 Garlic cloves
  • 2-3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Lemon zest - From 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice - From 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • 1 tsp Ground coriander
  • ½ tsp Smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp Red pepper flakes - Optional, use more or less
  • Kosher salt and black pepper taste

Instructions

  • Load your processor. To a small food processor, add the fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, garlic cloves, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, paprika, chili flakes, a big pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper.
  • Process. Chop or process until you have a lightly chunky sauce similar in consistency to chimichurri. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Add more olive oil if you prefer it a little looser. Serve at room temperature if using as a condiment or sauce.

Notes

Refer to the post above for more information, tips and photos.
Ingredient Notes:
  • Fresh Herbs: Fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh cilantro (fresh coriander) are the basis for this sauce. I would urge you to stay away from curly parsley! It’s not great to work with and honestly doesn’t taste that great either. Flatleaf Italian parsley is key!
  • Spices: What gives this sauce its unique flavor is a combination of earthy spices. You will need ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika. Chili flakes (or cayenne pepper) can also be used to five the sauce some heat, but feel free to use as much or as little as you like.
  • Citrus: I am using a combination of lemon zest and fresh lemon juice here. However, traditionally the recipe would use preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are not a common ingredient, so if you have those, feel free to use a small amount to start.
 
Other additions: red wine vinegar, hot peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 542IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg