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Chermoula Marinade, a condiments dish from Essaouira№093
Heat level 2 of 3

Condiments

Chermoula Marinade

Quintessential Moroccan marinade of fresh cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon, olive oil, cumin, and sweet paprika, used primarily for seafood.

15 minutesYield · About 1 cup/240 mlRegion · Essaouira

Ingredients

What you’ll need

  • 1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)17 kcal · 0 g protein · 0 g fat · 3.3 g carbs per 100 g
  • 1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)0 kcal · 0 g protein · 0 g fat · 0 g carbs per 100 g
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)167 kcal · 0 g protein · 0 g fat · 33.3 g carbs per 100 g
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil800 kcal · 0 g protein · 93.3 g fat · 0 g carbs per 100 g
  • 1 tsp salt

Per-100 g values shown for ingredients verified against Nutrition data: USDA FoodData Central (snapshot 2026-09-11). Ingredients not yet verified show no nutrition line.

Method

How it comes together

  1. 1

    Wash, dry, and finely mince parsley and cilantro leaves.

  2. 2

    Combine minced herbs, minced garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt in a bowl.

  3. 3

    Whisk in fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil until it forms a thick, emulsified green herb paste. Use immediately or store in the fridge.

Accuracy note

Chermoula should remain herb-forward and textured, not emulsified into mayonnaise-like smoothness.

Kitchen note

Mincing the herbs by hand with a knife yields a better texture than a food processor, which can bruise the delicate leaves.

Record status

Editorial provenance

This entry is part of a source-led culinary archive. It should be read as an editorial recipe record, not as a claim of individual kitchen testing or a single definitive version of a living regional tradition.

5 source references are listed with this record where available. Read the editorial standards.

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