Equipment
Ingredients
Chermoula Marinade
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic, peeled
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 g sweet paprika
- 3 g ground cumin
- 2 g ground coriander
- 1 g cayenne pepper
- 5 g kosher salt
Fish and Accompaniments
- 600 g red snapper fillets, boneless, skin-on or off
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 50 g kalamata olives, pitted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 325 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 785 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 56 mg
- Potassium
- 854 mg
- Calcium
- 85 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 65 mg
- Phosphorus
- 327 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 109 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 15.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 84 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 4.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.7 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 140 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt in a food processor. Process until a coarse, vibrant green paste forms, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Pat the red snapper fillets completely dry using paper towels. This ensures the marinade adheres properly. Coat the fillets evenly on all sides with the chermoula, reserving about two tablespoons of the marinade for a final garnish. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
While the fish marinates, preheat your oven to 200C/400F.
Transfer the marinated fish to a baking dish. Scatter the cherry tomatoes and pitted kalamata olives around the fillets.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Check the fish at the 12-minute mark; it is done when the internal temperature reaches 63C/145F and the flesh is completely opaque and flakes easily.
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Drizzle the reserved fresh chermoula over the baked fillets to reinforce the vibrant herb and citrus notes. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Chermoula is a highly versatile flavor base. Make a double batch and freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray, or use it later in the week as a vibrant dressing for roasted vegetables or couscous.
- If your red snapper fillets have thin tail ends, tuck the thinner ends underneath the fillet before baking. This creates a uniform thickness and ensures the entire piece cooks at the exact same rate.
- To create a smokier flavor profile, try substituting half of the sweet paprika with a high-quality Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton).
- Patting the fish dry with paper towels is a crucial step often skipped by home cooks. Surface moisture creates steam in the oven, preventing the oils in the marinade from roasting the spices properly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Fish can dry out quickly upon reheating.
Reheating: Gently reheat in a 150C/300F oven covered with foil until just warmed through to prevent moisture loss.
Troubleshooting
Fish is dry, tough, or rubbery
Cause: The fish was left in the oven too long, exceeding the ideal internal temperature
Fix: Flake the overcooked fish and fold it into a sauce or serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil to add moisture back.
Prevention: Begin checking for doneness at the 10-minute mark and use a digital meat thermometer to pull it at exactly 63C/145F.
Fish is mushy on the surface
Cause: The fish was marinated in the highly acidic chermoula for too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Keep marination time strictly under 45 minutes to prevent the citrus from chemically cooking the proteins.
Cultural Context
Chermoula is a foundational marinade and relish in North African cuisine, particularly central to the culinary traditions of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Historically utilized to flavor and preserve fresh catches from the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, it masterfully balances vibrant fresh herbs with deep, warming spices like cumin and paprika. Almost every family maintains their own nuanced variation, often tweaking the ratio of heat or acidity depending on the specific type of seafood being prepared.
