Chermoula Recipe
This chermoula recipe blends fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, and warm spices with lemon and olive oil into a bright, herby sauce for seafood, grilled meats, and vegetables. Made with fresh lemon instead of preserved lemon, it's an approachable version you can pull together in 10 minutes.
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I first heard about chermoula about 10 years ago, when a coworker asked if I’d ever had it. I hadn’t, so I started digging into the ingredients and testing variations in my own kitchen until I landed on this version. After that, I started ordering it anytime I saw it on a restaurant menu, just to see how different chefs approached it.
Chermoula has a regular spot in my sauce rotation alongside my chimichurri and dairy-free pesto. It brings a more complex, spice-driven flavor to the mix, the kind that turns a simple piece of fish or a pile of roasted vegetables into something everyone will remember. If you already love chimichurri and pesto, learning to make this chermoula recipe is a natural next step.
What is Chermoula?
Chermoula (pronounced sure-moo-la) is a North African herb sauce built on fresh parsley and cilantro, garlic, warm spices, and citrus. It’s traditionally used to marinate fish before cooking, though it’s just as often spooned over baked or grilled fish to add that robust flavor.
Traditional chermoula recipes often call for preserved lemon, which adds a deep, salty tang. This recipe uses fresh lemon zest and juice instead to make it more approachable. It delivers plenty of brightness and complements the warm spices. If you want to push the flavor closer to a traditional chermoula, add the zest of a second lemon at the end, or swap in preserved lemon if you have it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This chermoula recipe relies on fresh herbs and spices and seasonings you likely already have on hand.
- Fresh parsley and cilantro — The centerpiece of chermoula. You’ll need the leaves and tender stems from one bunch of each, about 1 cup packed per herb.
- Garlic — Two large cloves, peeled.
- Warming spices — Ground coriander, ground cumin, and smoked paprika are traditional. Add a pinch of ground ginger if you want more warmth.
- Kosher salt and red pepper flakes — Salt brings balance, and red pepper flakes add gentle heat.
- Lemon — Zest and juice of one lemon, plus the optional zest of a second lemon for a flavor closer to traditional preserved lemon.
- Olive oil — Drizzled in at the end to bring the sauce together.
How to Make Chermoula
This chermoula recipe comes together in about 10 minutes in a food processor. If you prefer, you also can mince the garlic and herbs by hand and whisk it together in a bowl.
Add the parsley, cilantro, and garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Secure the lid and pulse 5 to 10 times to begin chopping the herbs.
Remove the lid and scrape down the sides. Add the coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes, then zest and juice one lemon into the bowl. Secure the lid and pulse for 20 to 30 seconds, until well combined but still chunky.
With the food processor running on low, drizzle in the olive oil until the sauce comes together. You want visible texture from the herbs, not a smooth purée.
Remove the lid, scrape down the sides, and taste. Add more salt if needed, and the zest of a second lemon for a brighter, more traditional flavor.
Recipe Tips & Serving Suggestions
- Spoon chermoula over roasted vegetables, baked or grilled fish, or drizzle it onto a traditional shakshuka for a punchy finish.
- Use about 1 cup of well-packed leaves and tender stems from one bunch each of fresh parsley and cilantro.
- Start with the zest and juice of one lemon, then add the zest of a second lemon to taste, or substitute preserved lemon if you have it on hand.
- Chermoula also makes a great marinade for proteins. It works especially well on fish that you plan to grill.
- Turn up the heat with more smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, or a dash of chili powder.
Storage
Chermoula keeps well in the refrigerator for about a week, sometimes a bit longer if sealed tightly. Just like pesto, I like to drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top before sealing. This helps keep the fresh herbs from oxidizing and turning brown.
Chermoula Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, about 1 cup packed leaves
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, about 1 cup packed leaves
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 additional lemon, zested (optional)
- ¾ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add the parsley, cilantro, and garlic to a food processor. Secure the lid and pulse 5 to 10 times to begin chopping the herbs.
- Scrape down the sides. Add the coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes, then zest and juice one lemon into the bowl. Secure the lid and pulse for 20 to 30 seconds, until combined but still chunky.
- With the processor running on low, drizzle in the olive oil until the sauce comes together. You want visible texture from the herbs, not a smooth purée.
- Remove the lid, scrape down the sides, and taste. Add more salt, and the zest of the second lemon, as desired.
Notes
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