Chermoula (Moroccan Herb Marinade)

June 24, 2025

Chermoula (Moroccan Herb Marinade) - kvalifood.com

Chermoula is a Moroccan herb paste used as a marinade for fish, a rub for grilled vegetables, and a base for tagines. Fresh cilantro dominates, backed by garlic, cumin, paprika, and olive oil. It takes minutes to make and needs no cooking.

Makes ca. 3/4 cup

Ingredients

90 g fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (~3 cups), roughly chopped
30 g fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (~1 cup), roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves (~30 g), roughly chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp fine salt
55 ml extra virgin olive oil (~1/4 cup)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Directions

Roughly chop the cilantro and parsley before processing. Skipping this step results in stringy paste.
Place the chopped herbs, garlic, cumin, paprika, and salt in a food processor. Pulse several times until coarsely broken down.
Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times until you reach a coarse paste with visible herb flecks. Do not puree smooth.
If using lemon juice, stir it in by hand at the end. Taste and adjust salt.

Notes

The 3:1 cilantro-to-parsley ratio follows traditional Moroccan proportions. Adjust toward equal parts for a milder herb flavour.
Lemon juice works best when using chermoula as a cold condiment or fish marinade. Omit it when the chermoula will be cooked into a tagine.
For a spicier version, add a pinch of cayenne or 1 tsp harissa paste.
For yellow chermoula, add 1 tsp ground turmeric. For red chermoula, add 1-2 tbsp tomato paste.
Keeps refrigerated for up to 1 week in a jar topped with a thin layer of olive oil.