Zhoug! (Spicy Cilantro Sauce)
Homemade zhoug sauce adds a spicy cilantro kick to any meal! Zhoug is a popular Middle Eastern condiment made with fresh cilantro, jalapeños, cardamom, cumin and olive oil.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 1, 2024
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Zhoug! Meet my latest condiment obsession, also known as zhug or skhug, and pronounced “zoog.” It’s a bright, spicy cilantro sauce that originated in Yemen. If you enjoy chili-pepper heat, cilantro, and pesto, you’re going to love zhoug.
Zhoug has gained popularity across the Middle East. You’ll find it drizzled over your falafel in Israel, the perfect spicy contrast to cooling tzatziki sauce. You might find it on your restaurant table in Los Angeles, if you’re lucky.
I will somewhat sheepishly admit that I found zhoug at Trader Joe’s, in the refrigerated section by the prepared salads. Its mossy green color made me hesitate for a second, but I love herbed sauces, so it came home with me.
Since then, I’ve been drizzling zhoug on every meal or bit of leftovers that need some spicy intrigue. I love it—to the point that I’m paranoid Trader Joe’s might discontinue making it, and then how could I get by without my zhoug? So, I figured out how to make it at home, and I had to share it with you.
Watch How to Make Zhoug (Spicy Cilantro Sauce)
What should you know about zhoug?
- Zhoug is made with just a few basic ingredients: Cilantro, garlic, chili peppers, spices and olive oil. I used jalapeños since they’re easy to find.
- Trader Joe’s zhoug includes cardamom, which offers some unexpected warmth and complexity. I think you’ll like it.
- Zhoug is easy to make in a food processor (here’s mine/that’s an affiliate link).
- Zhoug is and should be spicy. You can make it as spicy as you’d like by adding fresh jalapeño seeds (reserved from your peppers) or red pepper flakes, to taste.
- Zhoug’s flavor mellows and shifts over time. It can taste pungent, bitter or too spicy straight from the food processor. If you don’t love it right away, don’t worry. Just transfer it to a jar for storage and chill it for an hour or longer.
Uses for Zhoug
Swirled, drizzled, or dipped, zhoug is terrific with any of the following.
- Beans: Black beans, chickpeas and lentils
- Creamy, tangy dairy: Plain yogurt, crème fraîche, sour cream, goat cheese or feta cheese
- Eggs: Fried eggs, frittatas, scrambled eggs
- Falafel
- Flatbread
- Hummus
- Roasted vegetables: Bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, red onion…
- Whole grains: Brown rice, farro, wild rice, wheat berries, etc.
- Salads: Thin it with more olive oil to use as salad dressing, or drizzle it on any slaws or vegetable salads that need a wake-up
Craving more fresh, irresistibly herbed sauces? Don’t miss my shatta recipe, which is very similar to zhoug but includes walnuts and vinegar. Either one would go great with tzatziki, which is yogurt and cucumber-based. I also have a chimichurri recipe, which is garlicky Argentinean parsley sauce, as well as avocado dip and classic pesto.
As always, please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! I can’t wait to hear what you serve it with.
Zhoug! (Spicy Cilantro Sauce)
Homemade zhoug sauce adds a spicy cilantro kick to any meal! Zhoug is a popular Middle Eastern condiment that’s very easy to make. Recipe yields 1 ¼ cup.
Ingredients
- 4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 packed cups fresh cilantro (about 2 bunches, mostly leaves but skinny stems are ok)
- 4 medium jalapeños, seeds removed but reserved
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place the garlic in your food processor and process until the garlic is broken into tiny pieces.
- Add the cilantro, jalapeño (keep the seeds in case you want to make the sauce more spicy after tasting), salt, cardamom, cumin and red pepper flakes. Process until the mixture is all mixed together and very finely chopped.
- While running the food processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides and blend until the sauce is mostly smooth.
- Adjust to taste—for a spicier sauce, add the jalapeño seeds or additional red pepper flakes (¼ teaspoon at a time) and blend again. Too bitter? You can add more salt or give the flavors some time to mellow. This sauce’s flavor transforms with time, so if it’s too spicy or you just don’t love it right off the bat, let it chill in the fridge and try it again in an hour.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Trader Joe’s zhoug sauce.
Storage suggestions: This sauce keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. Olive oil sometimes solidifies when chilled—if this happens, let the sauce warm to room temperature or microwave it for just a few seconds. Stir to recombine.
Change it up: Some zhoug recipes call for a mix of cilantro and parsley. Use half of each if that combination appeals more to you. You can also use other varieties of peppers; Epicurious recommends Hungarian wax peppers.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I played Johnny Appleseed with Cilantro seed last fall and actually have so much that I looked online to see what I might do with some of the abundance! This is quite near what I do for pesto, but more oil and those spices! It is amazing! I put it on a bowl of simple rice with sausage and it perked things up quite nicely. I’m going to look up some of the things that you suggest using it with. Thanks for making this a better day!
Thank you for this recipe for Zhoug.
I turn 80 on Easter Sunday and am roasting a leg of lamb for my family, the Greek version,Arni Psito, and am going to use this sauce on the roast vegetables.I know we’ll love it :)
I am French from Tunisia, by the way and now live in New-Zealand where the lamb is great !!!
Marie-Jeanne Licari
In reply to Brittany Hall ‘s question from March 2021I have found a recipe in my Middle Eastern cookbook by Tess Mallos that puts all the ingredients in a saucepan with water, probably just to cover and boils it down for a few minutes. You can then put it through the mixer without oil. Personally,I agree that is not the best option for flavour,as the oil develops the coriander flavour. Try it and let us know what you think. Marie-Jeanne
Hi Kate, Oh my goodness! This is sooo delicious! I am going to try your Mujadara recipe tomorrow so I made the Zjoug ahead of time. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Ingrid
You’re welcome, IAC!
Kate I typically love your recipes but this needed some lemon. Keep them coming.
Pam
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Pamela. I appreciate your review.
thus recipe immediately became my staple condiment. it stays well in the fridge for over a month. just make sure, you add more olive oil with time
I can tell the flavor should be good but it was way too salty! Next time I’ll use half the amount.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it as is. I appreciate your feedback.
Love all your recipes but this one needs some lemon juice or vinegar.
Thank you for your feedback, Gail.
Hey, how much cilantro is this in grams?
I don’t have the gram conversion, sorry!
And also, I only have cardamom pods, is I grind these whole in the pods is that the same as cardamom?
Hi, this is ground cardamom.
Thank you I will try this soon hopefully it is better than the first recipe I tried, that one did not taste anything like the lovely zhug I have bought before. The first recipe I tried first just said to add the oil with everything else to the blender and there was only a little oil, just a few tablespoons. Will this make very much of a difference? Oh and are you using black or green cardamom?
I’m not sure if there is a way to differentiate ours in the US, sorry! It’s ground but doesn’t specify.
I make zhoug every week! The first time I heard of it was on the Food Network show Chopped! – it was a basket ingredient.
Most of the time I do not add the chili peppers as my SO doesn’t like spicy food. I made a pot of ful mesdames and drizzled zhoug on it. Also works great on avocado toast. zhoug is my new BFF. Thank you’
You’re welcome, Lynda! Thank you for you review.
I love cilantro but cannot eat garlic. Is there an alternative I can use instead?
You can omit the garlic. I’m not sure a great alternative to achieve the same result.
What is the last image that shows the Zhoug swirled with something? Hummus?
Yes! It is my The Best Hummus
I have been looking for this recipe for ever. I moved away from a restaurant that used to include this mysterious condiment on a breakfast wrap that I absolutely loved and I could not figure out what the sauce was or how to make it. Your recipe is a perfect match and I can now make the dupe of that wrap in my own kitchen. Game changer. Thank you for sharing this insanely delicious recipe!
You’re welcome, Laura!
Made this tonight to go with Mujadara after it was sold out at Trader Joe’s – didn’t turn out quite right for me but I think it was user error! At first it was SUPER salty but I found that adding more cilantro solved that pretty quick. Was not as spicy as TJ’s version but that could have just been my jalapeños! Will definitely try making this again with more jalapeño and less salt to start! Thanks Kate!
Hi!
In reference to the cardamom…
Is it the green or the black?
Thanks!
Rick
Hi! When ground and dried, it would say its is more brown, in the US.
Hi Kate! Ground cardamom in the US is made with the seeds from green pods.
Love, Love the Zhoug recipe. Had it at a friends house and he gave me the link to your recipe. I’ve made it twice and it’s great. Have just passed it on to another friend who had some at my house.
Love your dog. I have one just like it!
Awesome recipe, I’ve ground the cardamom pods myself and the smell and flavour was fantastic. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Jonathan!
I also just found this at Trader Joe’s. I believe I had this sauce with my Naan bread and tandoori chicken, at our favorite restaurant. Great Indian food. fell in love with it. I was so sure this at Trader Joe’s was the same sauce. It was. It’s delicious. I plan to make your recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I’ve made this recipe sevral times this summer. We love cilantro but living near Toronto it is hard to get fresh all year round. Even guest who avoid cilantro have enjoyed this dip. I stick to the recipe and adjust heat and salt as I go. The garlic has a big influence on the out coming and I’m able to source locally grown varieties.The sauce does mellow out overtime so I make it the day before.
I also have frozen several ziplock bags of the sauce. I spread it thin in the bag and lay it flat the freezer. If I need a small piece, I just break of a corner.
That’s great to hear, Mike! Thank you for your review.