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Chermoula Spice Blend, a popular seasoning in North African countries like Tunisia and Morocco, is a wonderfully fragrant seasoning that is made up of an array of ground spices, dried herbs and seeds. This spicy, earthy blend is often used as a dry rub for fish, poultry and vegetables. The spice blend is often mixed together with fresh ingredients like herbs, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, to create a delightful marinade or sauce to add flavor to, well, anything! Try it on your grilled fish or poultry. Add it to your sandwiches and soups. Or use it as a dip!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Seasoning
So Flavor and Aromatic!
The unique spice blend is quite unlike any other seasoning, with the complex combination of ground spices, herbs, and seeds that are.
So Versatile!
This North African spice blend is traditionally used as a dry rub on grilled fish and poultry. It is also delicious sprinkled on grilled or fresh vegetables, or over a bowl of rice or couscous.
Has a long shelf life!
The beauty of a dry spice blend is that if kept in an airtight container you can enjoy the delicious blend for up to 6 months.
What is Chermoula Spice?
This authentic Moroccan seasoning delivers a complex earthy, herby and spicy taste. It is a wonderfully fragrant seasoning that is made up of cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, ginger and parsley.
Notes On Ingredients & Substitutions
Please check out the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and specific measurements.
For dry rub
Cumin Seeds — Cumin seeds are tiny golden-brown wonders that add a distinctive nutty and peppery flavor to dishes. Toasting them before grinding, they infuse a cozy, earthy essence into this spice.
Coriander Seeds — Coriander seeds bring a sweet, citrusy zest. Toast the seeds before grinding to enhance the flavor.
Black Peppercorns — Black peppercorns deliver a sharp, pungent kick. Another one that is lovely toasted.
Sweet Paprika — With its vibrant red color, sweet paprika adds a gentle warmth and a touch of smoky, sweetness to any dish.
Garlic Powder — Garlic powder is, well, garlicky, and brings a subtly sweet yet savory flavor.
Onion Powder — Brings a quick and easy burst of savory onion flavor.
Turmeric — With a brilliant golden hue, turmeric adds an earthy, yet bitter flavor.
Cinnamon — Cinnamon brings a sweet, earthy flavor to the blend.
Red Pepper Flakes — The pepper flakes bring the heat.
Dried Parsley — Parsley brings a herby, peppery flavor to to the spice blend.
How to Make
Step 1 — Toast the seeds and peppercorns
Heat a small- to medium-size pan over low heat. Add the cumin seeds, culantro seeds, and black peppercorns and toast until the seeds start to turn a darker shade — approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the seeds cool for about 2 minutes.
Step 2 — grind the seeds
Add the toasted seeds to a spice grinder (or see notes for other tools to grind your spices).
Step 3 — store for up to 6 months
Add freshly ground seeds and all other spices to an airtight container. Shake to mix. Seal and store in a cool and dry space for up to 6 months..
Make It a Marinade
as a simple marinade
Add olive oil to the spice blend to create a simple marinade for your fish or poultry.
as a more complex marinade
Add fresh garlic, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice to the spice blend and olive oil and you have a delicious marinade to cook with or a sauce to serve alongside your grilled fish or poultry and veggies.
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The beauty of a spice blend is that it stores for up to 6 months in an airtight container in a dark cool place, like a dark cabinet or in the refrigerator.
How To Use
as a dry rub
Use the spice blend as a dry rub for your fish or poultry before grilling, or sprinkle it on your veggies before cooking, or on your couscous, rice or beans.
as a simple marinade
Add olive oil to the spice blend to create a simple marinade for your fish or poultry.
as a more complex marinade
Add fresh garlic, parsley, cilantro and lemon juice to the spice blend and olive oil and you have a delicious marinade to cook with or a sauce to serve alongside your grilled fish or poultry and veggies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chermoula spice blend and Moroccan spice blend are not the same, but they share some similarities. Both are North African spice blends with aromatic profiles, but they have distinct flavor profiles and ingredients. Chermoula seasoning is often associated with Moroccan and North African cuisines and typically contains ingredients like cumin, and paprika, making it very versatile. Moroccan spice blends, on the other hand, can vary widely but often include warm spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and cloves, which are used to season tagines and other Moroccan dishes. While they have some overlap in flavors, they each bring their own unique tastes to dishes.
Both are flavorful North African and Mediterranean spice blends used to enhance dishes, but they have distinct ingredients and flavor profiles.
Zhoug — This spicy Mediterranean sauce is primarily made from cilantro, hot peppers, garlic, and spices. It packs a punch with its heat and herbal notes.
Chermoula — Chermoula is a North African seasoning often used for marinades and sauces. It typically includes ingredients cumin, and paprika, and adding garlic, cilantro, and lemon for a marinade, offering a milder and more complex flavor profile compared to Zhoug.
While they both add zest to dishes, they have their unique taste profiles, with Zhoug being spicier and herbaceous, while chermoula is more diverse in its flavors.
Chermoula Spice Blend
Equipment
- Pestle and Mortar, Spice Grinder or Coffee Grinder
- Saute Pan
- Spatula
- Airtight Container
- Cutting board — optional (for marinade)
- Sharp knife — optional (for marinade)
Ingredients
For a Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp Cumin Seeds — toasted and ground
- 1-½ tbsp Sweet Paprika
- 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds — toasted and ground
- 1 tbsp Black Peppercorns — toasted and ground
- 1 tbsp Dried Parsley
- 1 tsp Harissa
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Ginger
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
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Instructions
Toast the Seeds
- Heat a medium-size pan over low heat. Add the cumin seeds, cilantro seeds and black peppercorns and toast until the seeds start to turn a darker shade — approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let seeds cool for about 2 minutes. Note: If you are going to skip toasting and grinding the seeds you can skip this first step and include ground cumin, cilantro and black pepper.
Grind the Seeds
- Grind the toasted seeds in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
Mix All Spices
- Add freshly ground seeds and all other spices to an airtight container. Shake to mix. Seal and store in a cool and dry space for up to 6 months.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
