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    Home » African Keto Recipes » Chermoula Paste (Moroccan Chermoula Sauce)

    Aug 10, 2022

    Chermoula Paste (Moroccan Chermoula Sauce)

    Published on Aug 10, 2022. Updated on Dec 13, 2022. By Tayo. This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure. Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    Chermoula Sauce-pinterest

    Chermoula paste is a delicious wonder paste from North Africa with many nutritional benefits. Made with parsley leaves, fresh cilantro, and other ingredients, it adds an irresistible flavor to your dishes!

    chermola paste (sauce) ready to serve
    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love it
    • 💭 What is chermoula paste (sauce)?
    • 🥘 Chermoula vs chimichurri
    • 🥘 Equipment Used
    • 🧾 Ingredients Used
    • 🔪 How To Make This Recipe
    • 🥫 Storing and Reheating
    • 💭 Tips and Variations
    • 🍽️ What can I eat Chermoula with?
    • 👩‍🍳 Frequently asked questions
    • 📚 Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️ Why you'll love it

    Chermoula works best with fish, chicken, and vegetables, so it's a great option for weekday meals when you're short on time. It is also fantastic on a sandwich or in a wrap, so it's a great way to get more greens into your diet. 

    This super easy recipe will last for up to a week in the fridge and longer when frozen. So you can make a big batch and store it in an airtight container to keep on hand. 

    💭 What is chermoula paste (sauce)?

    Chermoula is essentially a green herb paste made from coriander, parsley, cilantro, garlic, and lemon juice, and it tastes fantastic.

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    Think of it as one of those 'secret ingredient' types of things. You can add it to just about anything! 

    Chermoula is a spice paste popular in Moroccan cuisine with many uses beyond flavoring fish or chicken for the oven. It has a somewhat tart taste that works so well with meat and chicken dishes!

    🥘 Chermoula vs chimichurri

    Chermoula and chimichurri are both green herb pastes that are frequently used as sauces or condiments. Both are easy to make at home with traditional Mediterranean ingredients. 

    They are great to have on hand for adding flavor to quick weekday meals. They're also useful for spicing up sandwiches, wraps, or veggies. 

    Chermoula and chimichurri have similar flavor profiles, but each has distinct characteristics that set them apart. Chimichurri is often more garlicky than chermoula. It has a more intense flavor since it contains loads of garlic.

    Chermoula sauce is more fragrant due to the fresh herbs and citrus juice and is often mixed into other dishes. Chermoula and chimichurri are both delicious, so you can't go wrong with either one! 

    🥘 Equipment Used

    The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    I use a blender for this African spice paste, but you can also use a food processor. You can also use a small personal blender if you are making a smaller quantity.

    🧾 Ingredients Used

    parsley, chermoula, spices
    • Fresh parsley and cilantro: You can buy fresh vegetables from your local grocery store. Parsley has inflammatory benefits, and cilantro is said to be a powerful cleansing vegetable. 
    • Olive oil: The oil will help turn the ingredients into a paste. You can use any cooking oil you prefer.
    • Garlic: You can either use fresh garlic cloves or garlic powder for this recipe.
    • Lemon juice: Lemon juice will add a zesty, fresh flavor. You can also use lemon zest.
    • Spices: Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, black pepper, salt, and turmeric powder.

    🔪 How To Make This Recipe

    This chermoula paste recipe comes together very quickly.

    1. Add ingredients to a blender or food processor.
    2. Blend till coarse or to your desired texture preference.
    3. Add more olive oil if you need to.
    4. Pour into an airtight container to store.
    how to make chermoula paste

    🥫 Storing and Reheating

    Store this chermoula recipe in an airtight container for about a week in the fridge. After this time, it may start to lose its flavor.

    You can freeze it in an airtight container for about a month to preserve it for longer. Then, let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight when you're ready to use it.

    Another way to store chermoula paste it is to pour the sauce into ice cube trays, then freeze it. When frozen, pop them out and place them in a resealable bag.

    💭 Tips and Variations

    • Add chermoula sauce to mayonnaise for a quick homemade sauce to serve with fish or chicken.
    • It's also excellent mixed with yogurt or drizzled over a bowl of steamed veggies.
    • Chermoula is great with a bit of spice, so feel free to add more cayenne pepper or ground paprika than the recipe calls for. 
    • There are different ways to make this African sauce. Add sour cream, red chilli, sweet paprika, fresh coriander, red pepper flakes, or coriander seed for variety.
    • To use as a salad dressing, add a little more oil so it's runny.
    • As with all spice blends, the quality and freshness of your ingredients will make a difference in the product. Make sure you use lots of fresh sweet herbs and spices when possible.
    chermoula sauce on chicken thighs
    chicken thighs made with chermoula sauce

    🍽️ What can I eat Chermoula with?

    Chermoula paste is perfect for a salad dressing or as a marinade. Use it with chicken or fish, or add it to soups or stews. Chermoula sauce is the primary marinade I use to make my Chermoula chicken recipe.

    You can also whisk this sauce into mayonnaise and use it in almost any other way you can think of!

    👩‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

    What does chermoula taste like?

    Chermoula is a bold, fragrant blend of herbs with a bit of a citrusy, garlicky taste, thanks to the lemon juice. It's often used as a marinade for fish and chicken and is also great as a sauce for vegetables.

    What is chermoula paste made from?

    Besides the herbs, the main ingredients in chermoula are oil and lemon juice. Lemon juice balances the flavors of the spices and herbs, so don't omit it. Besides that, chermoula is a very forgiving, simple recipe that you can adjust based on your preferences. You can use any neutral-flavored oil, but olive oil is the most used. 

    📚 Related Recipes

    Check out these other African spices and sauces!

    African Pepper Sauce

    Niter Kibbeh

    Garlic Chili Oil

    Peri Peri Seasoning

    Spicy Mayo

    chermoula sauce on white bowl

    📖 Recipe

    moroccan chermoula paste

    Chermoula Paste

    Chermoula paste is a delicious wonder paste from North Africa with many nutritional benefits. Made with parsley leaves, fresh cilantro, and other ingredients, it adds an irresistible flavor to your dishes!
    5 from 3 votes
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    Course: Condiments & Spices
    Cuisine: African
    Prep Time: 3 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 88kcal
    Author: Tayo Oredola

    Equipment

    • Blender
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    Ingredients

    • 1 cup parsley
    • 2 cups cilantro
    • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

    Instructions

    • Add ingredients to a small personal blender.
    • Blend till coarse.
    • Add more olive oil if you need to.

    Notes

    This recipe serves 12, and one serving is a tbsp. Each serving contains 1 net carb.
    • Add chermoula to mayonnaise for a quick homemade sauce to serve with fish or chicken.
    • There are different ways to make this African sauce. Add sour cream, red chili, sweet paprika, fresh coriander, or coriander seed for this spice mix.
    • To use as a salad dressing, add a little more oil so it's runny.
    • As with all spice blends, the quality and freshness of your ingredients will make a difference in the product. Make sure you use lots of fresh sweet herbs and spices when possible.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 896IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
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