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Homemade Chermoula

Cilantro and parsley serve as the foundation for this lemon-forward and herbaceous North African-inspired sauce recipe that goes incredibly well with grilled fish and many other types of meat. If you like chimichurri or gremolata-style sauces, you should absolutely give this recipe a try.

Ingredients

  • 1 small shallot, (peeled and finely minced)
  • 3 garlic cloves, (peeled and finely minced)
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, (peeled and finely minced)
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • Juice of 1 lemon, (or more to taste)
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro, (both leaves and stems, finely minced)
  • ¾ cup fresh parsley, leaves only, stems discarded, (finely minced)
  • 1 scallion, (finely sliced)
  • ½ cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 saffron threads, ( finely minced)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • ¾ tsp ground cayenne powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt, (or more to taste)

Instructions 

  • Peel and mince the shallot, garlic, and ginger.
  • Place shallot, garlic, and ginger in a non-reactive bowl with the lemon zest and lemon juice.
  • Allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes.
  • Stir in the sliced fresh cilantro, parsley, and scallion.
  • Whisk in the olive oil, minced saffron, cumin, sweet paprika, and ground cayenne powder, until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  • Taste, and season with kosher salt until you are satisfied with the flavor.
  • Add additional lemon juice if you feel that the sauce needs more acidity, and taste again to see if more salt is needed.

Notes

I saw that a number of traditional chermoula recipes called for preserved lemons, which would be a nice touch if you can find them. You can even make your own preserved lemons at home.