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
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’m totally addicted to the stuff from TJ’s so I’m super excited to see your recipe. I bet it’s even better!
I know! It’s SO good. Let me know what you think!
Yummy! I have been eating Zhoug all my life. At my grandma’s house (she is from Yemen originally) we had Yemeni soup every day with 1 tbsp of Zhoug and half a lemon. Delicious and healthy!
It’s so delightful! Thanks for the review, Mila.
This sounds AMAZING!! I can’t wait to make it!
Let me know what you think, April!
Love making homemade condiments and sauces at home!! Love that vibrant green color :)
Spicy-up almost any meal!
Oooh, I must try this ASAP.
Let me know what you think, Gaby! The tour looks like it’s been exciting!
Yum! This looks so good swirled in the hummus!
Kari
It’s delicious! :)
Cilantro chutney with olive oil and you have a new name Zhoug!
It’s so tasty!
The Trader Joe’s version of zhoog has canola oil, ugh. We make it ourselves, with dried chiles we grew last summer, as well as our own garlic, parsley and cilantro. It does freeze well, just like the pesto we make with our own basil.
Thanks, Claire for sharing! I appreciate your review.
We’ve been making cilantro chutney very similar to this for decades.
Warmed corn tortillas with butter and slathered with this chutney – irresistible!
Sounds wonderful, Rena!
Found this when looking for new ways to spice up avocado toast.
Followed the recipe exactly. I’ve made it several times and absolutely love it.
Yes! That would be delicious. Thank you for sharing, Carmen.
I’ve never heard of Zhoug. But was just googling chimichurri recipes this morning and then I saw your post and was curious to see what was in it. And it’s so similar to Chimichurri! It’s interesting to see the similarities between cultures. I learned about chimichurri from an Argentine friend. So apparently Zhoug is similar but from Yemen. I’ll need to experiment with what to put Zhoug or chimichurri on. Traditionally chimichurri is put on steak. So I’ll try this recipe with eggs first. Thanks for broadening my worldview with different foods from different cultures.
You’re welcome! I have some suggestions in the blog post on what to serve it with. But it’s good with so much! Let me know what you think when you try it.
I just noticed you have a chimichurri recipe too! I thought it was with cilantro and parsley. But you say in Argentina, it’s made with just parsley. And that you prefer it without oregano. Perfect for me, I was debating on whether I’d like it with oregano. Now I have Zhoug and chimichurri to try. I’m excited.
Love this recipe.Love the flavor combos. An immaculate sound summer supper! Anticipating catching wind of the new expansion!
Thank you! It’s great with so many different dishes or sides.
Looks like I’m late to the party but I just discovered this sauce as well. I couldn’t believe the flavor and I was putting it on everything! Looks like I’m not the only one!
Try to add some ground cloves!
Interesting.
Wow!!!This zhoug sauce looks and sounds ah-mazing!!!!! I Will definitely gonna make this for husband!!Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Don’t blame you–I’m a spice gal myself! I definitely would get hooked on a sauce like this. Imagine it tossed in salads or atop of a taco filling. YUM!
Yes, to all of that Cassie!
Hi Cookie and Kate.. we’ve been enjoying your recipes for a few months and love everything we try! Today I tried the Zhoug! and put in 1 teaspoon of salt as directed but that seemed way to salty? (almost as if you made a typo?). Anyway, I also made some hummus (hadn’t seen your recipe here yet) and added some Zhoug to the hummus and that worked fine.. phew ;) I think I’ll try 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt next time.. Thanks very much for all your efforts and good vibes!
Adjust as you need to, Julie. :) Thanks for the review!
Julie- I had the very same problem. I was so excited because I normally buy three or four containers of Zhoug at Trader Joe’s each time I go. But I did happen to ruin a whole bunch of awesome ingredients with too much salt as per the recipe. I would say a half teaspoon to start. And, I’m a salt LOVER.
I usually add more salt in recipes but I also found 1 tsp too much. We’ll see what happens after it sits a bit and how it tastes on the Mujadara.
I tried this today and followed the recipe exactly and 3/4 tsp was way too salty. It also needed a squeeze of lemon.
Rachel, followed recipe EXACTLY but felt there was *something* lacking. I came to the site to read comments to see if I could find someone with similar experience, and read your comment…..the lemon juice!!….just what was needed, at least for my taste. Thank you…:-)
For another store bought version in case TJ’s goes away- Cedar’s makes a “Zhug” hommus, they sell is at Sprouts :)
I might have to try!
Love this condiment. Can be used as a dip for crudités. It’s good on roasted potatoes as well as other roasted vegetables. Also works great in a wrap or pita sandwich.
I agree! So many great options. Thanks for the review, Mary.
This recipe sounds great. Trader Joe’s makes a very passable Zhoug that I’ve been eating with everything the last few months.
My inspiration! Let me know what you think of this recipe.
Immediately went out and bought it from TJs! I will never forgive my parents for the bland food they fed me for so many years when all this flavor exists in the world! Probably the best thing that has happened to me since I learned how to make refried beans from your blog, and now if TJs discontinues I have back up :D
Haha! Love it. So glad you’re finding new flavors through my blog! :)
My goodness, I should have made a double batch right away. I want to put this on just about everything I eat now. Thanks for a great new (to our family, that is) idea!
Love, Thera! Thanks for sharing and for your review.
I just read that cilantro helps pull metals out of your system and I was wondering how I was going to consume more of it. And, now I know! Thank you. I’m already thinking of all kinds of variations on this. I’ll probably try adding walnuts for their omega 3’s first.
Thanks for the review, Toni!
Made a batch of zhoug and have been loving it! So far I’ve had it on grilled veggies, halloumi, and in an omelette. Very versatile and tasty!
I think that all sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing, Sarah.
This is great! I made it and have 1)diluted it down with lime juice and a bit more olive oil for an awesome salad dressing; 2) had it on my egg sandwiches; and 3) made your sweet potato and green rice burrito bowls (my favorite) and mixed the Zhoug into plain rice (instead of making green rice) and also mixed the Zhoug with an avocado for a guacamole like avocado sauce. So good. I wonder if it would freeze well.
Thanks you for sharing, Erin! I appreciate the review.
Hi! I just made the Zhoug. Two jalapeños were enough, maybe even too much, and I like spicy! Also, for me, 1/2 teaspoon of salt would be enough. It was great in omelettes! Thanks!
You’re welcome! Did you add in any of the seeds back in? You can just omit those if you would like. I’m happy you still enjoyed it. Yes, on omelettes would be tasty.
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it is so delicious. It freezes really well too. A couple of days ago I marinated some tofu in the sauce and then sautéed it. It was amazing. I have also used it on salmon among other things and that was so good. My new favorite way to eat salmon I know this is a vegetarian blog but I am a pescatarian myself so I do eat seafood occasionally. The Zhoug was super easy and quick to make which of course makes it even better.
Great to hear, Annika! If you would like to leave a star review since you liked it so much, I would appreciate it.
Loved the Zhoug! I made it with only 1 1/2 jalapenos and that was nicely warm. It was used multiple times as a sandwich spread, sauce on eggs and mixed with Greek yogurt for a dip. Keeper!
Thank you, Eileen for sharing.
Omg I bought this at Trader Joe’s (thanks to your post!) and it’s fabulous! I put it on veggie burgers and just used it on black bean tacos. I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Let me know what you think of my recipe Amber!
I made this in the morning to serve with grilled shrimp and veggies on Father’s Day and not a drop was left behind. It does taste bitter straight out of the food processor, but just like Kate said, let it sit for awhile and the flavor will mellow. By the time it was served that afternoon, it was perfect.
I will definitely make this again; it goes great with grilled seafood.
Horray! Thanks for sharing, JM.
I just discovered this condiment at Trader Joe’s. Bought it. Loved it. And, like you, now I don’t know how I would live without it!! I can’t wait to make my own!! Thank you so much for the recipe. I’ll be making it this weekend.
Fantastic! What did you think of my recipe?
I adore TJ’s Zhoug so I was determined to make it at home with ingredients I could control….thrilled to find your Deeeeeelicious recipe.
Cardamom is crucial, I think, to give it the complex, floral/hot flavor that makes it so distinctive from pesto or chimichurri.
Superb with homemade hummus. THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you did, Jhnoe! You’re so welcome. Thanks for the review!
Sounds great. I love Zhoug sauce. I put it on everything I eat. I use it as a salad dressing as well. I need to cut out the oil for health reasons. Do you have any suggestions that would work?
Unfortunately, oil is a key ingredient. Is there any oil you can use?
The Forks over Knives Cookbook has a spicy cilantro sauce that uses 6 ounces of tofu with 2 cups of cilantro. Its delish, and oil free!
YES! I just discovered this at Trader Joe’s too! It’s so good. I mix it with a little mayo and use it as a dip for sweet potato fries.
Oh, delicious! Thanks for sharing, Katelyn.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have been making typical “pestos” for years – all forms of pestos. But, I also am addicted to spicier foods and love cilantro. I live in Maine and it’s a bit difficult to indulge in “hot” foods and not many people share my fondness for cilantro. It’s also difficult to grow “hot” jalapenos. So, when I came across your posting somehow, I decided to give it a whirl (literally, of course). I did use 4 fully seeded jalapenos (from the grocery store imported from the West) which means that I will have the whole batch to myself! I’ll make another milder version for company. Is that too selfish? I love the sauce. Thank you again for adding some “spice” to my life.
Hi Carolyn! Belated thank you for your fun comment. I’m so glad you’re loving the zhoug sauce!
I, too, ended up here after frantically googling how to make TJ’s zhoug at home. We love the TJ’s version but we live so far from a store that I needed an alternative. This recipe captures everything I love about that zhoug. Did a double batch and froze half, which we used last night for a dinner party. The olive oil did separate out a bit, but I’m thinking that’s because I may not have whizzed it enough in the food processor to start with. (The first batch got eaten so fast that I had no chance to observe separation!)
It does get eaten so fast! I love that you froze some too, April. Thanks for sharing!
Am looking for a green sauce to use with baked salmon croquettes. Want Mexican flag colors: tomato salsa=red, tzatzki=white & spicy cilantro= green. Haven’t made it yet but it seems perfect, gracias
You’re welcome! Let me know what you think when you try it.
Hello Kate,
Thanks for the recipe! A bunch of cilantro is too much (at least here in Spain) for a single-person household so I was looking for a way of using it all instead of throwing half of it away after a couple of days. I made your Zhoug yesterday and tasted it today and it was very tasty. Today I filled some mini grip bags with the sauce to go in the freezer. Once I defrost them I will probably have to mix the solid and liquid phase again (just as I have to do with my garlic-ginger-oil icecubes). I cook a lot of Middle-Eastern, Indian and Asian dishes and I think the sauce will go very well with all of them.
Keep on cooking!
Pet for Cookie.
I love this sauce! Yes, great option to use up your extra herbs. Thanks for sharing, Igor!
Hi C&K, made the Zhoug today, for heat I left 3-halves of the jalapenos with seeds, did not add red pepper flakes and it turned out great!!!
Great to hear, Kevin! Thanks so much for your review.
This is a fabulous recipe! It’s not exactly like the Trader Joe’s product, but it’s close enough. It really packs a punch, so be careful how much you add to whatever you’re eating. Next time I’ll cut back a little on the sea salt and cardamom. I used decorticated cardamom seeds, which I pounded in a mortar and pestle, so the flavor was slightly too prominent in my first batch. We stir this sauce into broths, veggies, salad dressings and stir fries, and we spread a thin film of it over fish, chicken, eggs, or sausage. And the chef was accurate when she said that it’s even better the next day.
Bold, flavorful, complex, exciting!
Thanks for letting me know what you thought, Mary!
Blue Apron has a “cilantro sauce” with one of their incredible recipes I made, and I want to replicate it. I bet they are using zhoug, but don’t call it that because they don’t want to scare people. They add what I think is zhoug to rice served with chipotle-sauce-drizzled shrimp and chipotle cole slaw. Delicious!!
My question: can I freeze zhoug? I have cilantro and the other ingredients, so I want to make it before the cilantro goes bad. I would love to save it for later.
Thanks!
I haven’t tried freezing it, but other readers have said it freezes well!
I am also obsessed with the sauce from Trader Joe’s, I overheard a salesperson describing it to a customer, and I thought, I have to buy that! I put it on everything! Will have to try your recipe, thank you!
Let me know what you think when you try it, Joanna!
Oh yay! I LOVE Trader Joe’s Zhoug but don’t do well with the canola oil so I searched to see if I could use olive oil. Can’t wait to make it. Thank you!
I would love to hear what you think, Carmen!
I love it! I used a bit more cardamom and cumin. Also, I have a lot of food sensitivities and do better with colored peppers than green peppers. So I used a large banana pepper and 2 habaneros. I think next time I’ll use 2 banana peppers and 2 habaneros. YUM!! So addicted to this stuff. Thanks!!
Did you add the pith back in after taking the seeds off the jalapeno? It didn’t say so in the recipe.
Made this tonight following the recipe exactly. As compared to the Trader Joe’s variety (the whole reason I looked online for a Zhoug recipe), this one is not nearly as hot or jalapeno flavored.
Next time I will bump the jalapenos up to six, or I might use a red one instead of one of the green ones. Still, a pretty good baseline to start with. :-)
You discard it or reserve them and add the seeds back in for more spice. This one is all about your spice level. Increase the seeds and/or red pepper flakes(steps 2 & 4). I hope this helps!
I made your Zhoug sauce today (also after trying the TJs sauce, I was inspired). It is so delicious and can also be made into a wonderful dressing for salads and vegetables, if you add some of your favorite vinegar or lemon juice. YUM!
I’m glad you were feeling inspired! Thanks for trying my version, Cyndi.
Love!! Positively brilliant with hummus and veggies and has now become a staple in my fridge. Thank you, Kate, for the delicious healthful addition to my life. :)
Thank you, Emily!
I searched “spicy cilantro sauce” in search of a copycat recipe of a condiment from a favorite cafe in Northern California. I could not be happier with how this turned out! I only used two jalapeños, as my peppers were large. The only thing I would change next time is doubling the recipe! This is a keeper for sure! My intention was to serve with brown rice bowls (w/ avocado, smoky red beans & sautéed greens), but this condiment pairs well with EVERYTHING!
Love it! I’m so happy you found this recipe and can’t get enough. If you would like to leave a star review since you loved it so much, I would appreciate it!
Can’t wait to try your recipe- however, we purchased Trader Joe’s version and… YIKES- jalapeño seeds in every bite. Unpleasant- we tossed ours. TJ buyers beware!
Let me know what you think of this recipe!
THIS STUFF IS THE BOMB!!!! I too discovered zhoug sauce at Trader Joe’s. We decided to try it, since we love cilantro and spicy food. It quickly became clear that we would need a much larger supply, and I feel that everything is better for you if it’s homemade. This recipe did not disappoint! I am very happy to have a large bowlful in the fridge now–it may even last a week! Thanks for bringing this recipe to the masses!
Right! I’m happy you are just as obsessed as I am. Thank you for sharing your feedback, Jennifer!
Yes, definitely obsessed. I’ll be making more today, and will also be making a batch for one of the veterinarians I work with. I enthusiastically shared some of my original batch with anyone who would taste it, and she absolutely loved it. On the “how’s this recipe” side of things….I was really happy to see olive oil in the recipe, instead of canola. I will be decreasing the amount of salt a little. Couldn’t find jalapenos, so I used “long, hot peppers.” Tasted amazing. I steeled myself for not loving it at first taste, but I was rewarded with a burst of incredible flavor that I did indeed love immediately!
Kate Thank you for sharing this recipe, I just made it, I used over baked tofu and believe me it tasted wonderful! Looking forward to see what else I can find with your creations.
Great combination, Adriana!
My first time having zhoug was from trader Joe’s too. I was instantly hooked. It goes on everything ! The closest Tjs is a bit of a drive though, like 40 minutes, so I figured I’d try to make my own. I’m excited, fingers crossed.
I’m glad you can relate! Let me know what you think of this version.
Amazing! I was obsessed with Trader Joe’s version until I read the label. They use canola oil, so your version is much healthier! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Bex!