Chermoula Sauce

About

This Keto Chermoula sauce is rich in fats, flavor, and spice. Our easy low carb sauce is prepared with fresh cilantro, aromatic parsley, fragrant garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, fiery dried chili flakes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and a hearty helping of olive oil. This makes a delicious marinade or dressing for both proteins and cooked vegetables.

What is Chermoula?

Chermoula is a spicy, coarse sauce originating from North Africa. The sauce is like a spicy and aromatic pesto and can be used as a dressing, marinade, or dip. There are a few variations on the dish, and it can be made with different levels of spices giving some versions a greener hue for a more subtle flavor or a redder hue when more spice is added. Commonly Chermoula is prepared with fresh cilantro and parsley and includes acidity, usually from lemons, and is blended with a good quality olive oil.

How to use Chermoula

Chermoula is a versatile sauce that can add depth, flavor, fats, and heat to a wide range of dishes. The sauce can be used to marinate proteins prior to cooking to enhance flavor, as a relish for roasted vegetables, grilled meats or fish, or added to cooking sauces. We have used this Chermoula recipe in our Keto Chermoula baked chicken thighs recipe, which can be found in our mains section.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 clove garlic
1 ¾ cup, chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon peel or zest raw
1 teaspoon hot chili pepper, dried, without seeds
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon gourmet collection smoked paprika
½ cup, chopped parsley
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt, sea salt

Instructions

Peel the garlic and add the cloves to a food processor. Add the fresh cilantro and parsley. Add the lemon zest, chili flakes, cumin, salt and paprika.
Pulse the mixture in the food processor. The mixture should be broken down and roughly chopped. You may need to pulse this a few times.
Add the lemon juice to the food processor. With the motor running slowly, drizzle the olive oil a little at a time and continue to blend. You should have a coarse paste consistency. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings and spices as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.