Chermoula sauce, chimichurri, pesto and other herb sauces are the secret to making plant-based meals delicious. They go with everything: pasta, rice, quinoa, potatoes, beans, tofu, salad, toast…you name it. These herb sauces are a great way to use herbs from the garden. Check out the chermoula sauce and other herb sauces below!
How to make the perfect herb sauce?
I always follow certain rules when making herb sauces. The rules I’ve written about before in my smoothie post, and they apply to cooking in general: having salt, fat and acid in balance!
Taste the herb sauce when you’re making it and add salty, fatty and acidic ingredients little by little to achieve the combination you love most. We all have different taste buds, and what might feel very acidic or salty to others might not feel so to you.
I looked up herb sauce descriptions from Wikipedia, and there’s always salt, either lemon or vinegar and oil. What makes each of these sauces stand out is the type of fresh herb used and other spices. Salt is the vital important ingredient binding all flavors together.
Recipes: Chermoula sauce and other herb sauces
What is chermoula sauce?
Chermoula is a marinade and relish used in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. Common ingredients include garlic, cumin, coriander, oil, lemon juice, and salt.
Source: Wikipedia
I discovered chermoula sauce first when searching for herb sauce for pasta. I made this chermoula pasta with butter beans and have been cooking it many times since – it is so flavorful!
Chermoula recipe
- 1,5 tsp cumin seeds
- 1,5 tsp coriander seeds
- 1,5 cups fresh cilantro
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp lemon juice and lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp paprika powder (mild)
- 0,5 tsp salt
- ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
Warm cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a dry pan until they’re fragrant. Crush seeds. Blend everything except the oil together in a food processor. Add oil little by little mixing with a spoon until combined. Store chermoula sauce well covered in a jar in the fridge. Let set in the fridge a good 30 minutes before serving.
What is chimichurri sauce?
Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce used in cooking; it comes in a green version (chimichurri verde) and a red version (chimichurri rojo) and originated in Argentina. It is made of finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and red wine vinegar. The dominant flavors are parsley and garlic.
Source: Wikipedia
I’ve made several variations of chimichurri, and often have it in the summer time with grilled or roasted and fresh veggies. Here’s my roasted radish and fennel salad with chimichurri.
Chimichurri recipe
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (you can also use lemon juice)
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 0,5 tsp salt
- ground black pepper
- 0,5 cup Extra virgin olive oil
Mix all ingredients together and store in a jar. Let set in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.
What is pesto sauce?
Pesto is a sauce originating in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy. It traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, coarse salt, basil leaves, hard cheese such as Parmesan cheese or Pecorino, all blended with olive oil.
Source: Wikipedia
The pesto recipe I’m sharing today is oil-free. I have nothing against oil, but sometimes I want my pesto to be thick and creamy instead of oily. So here is our family favorite:
Oil-free pesto
- 1/4 cup toasted (on a dry pan) sunflower seeds (you can also use pine nuts, which are more flavorful but also way more expensive)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 0,5 tsp onion powder
- 0,5 tsp salt
- ground black pepper
- optional: 1-2 cloves garlic (I sometimes want my pesto to be free of garlic and I love it either way!)
- 1 small avocado (or half of a large one) OR 1/3 cup of unsweetened natural vegan yogurt
Blend all together until you have a smooth green pesto sauce. Check out also this creamy pesto pasta with chanterelles.
Green herb sauces
Whenever I have a small bunch of (wilting) herbs, or kale or other greens I make a green sauce and add whatever spices I feel like. It could be a cilantro based sauce with taco seasoning or then a pesto with all the greens, nuts and seeds. Even just a lemon herb sauce with chopped herbs, lemon juice and pinch of salt works like a charm if you want to keep it simple.
I also recommend experimenting wildly: make a combination of chermoula sauce and pesto, or make a creamy chimichurri with what greens you have and add some plant-based yogurt. You can also make a cashew based sauce: blend soaked and drained cashews with a little water until creamy and add the green sauce.
ps For more delicious recipes and food photography you can follow my blog on Pinterest!
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