Canarian Mojo Verde Sauce Recipe
In the Canary Islands there's a good chance that your traditional meals will come with a side of mojo: different local sauces that people pair with everything from meat to fish to potatoes. While the most famous mojo sauce is the red and slightly spicy mojo picón, mojo verde (green mojo) definitely gives it a run for i…
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro (stems removed)
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley (stems removed)
- 5 large garlic cloves
- 2 small green peppers (either bell peppers or spicy ones)
- 1-2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
- Remove the stems from the cilantro and parsley and roughly chop the leaves
- Roughly chop the garlic and mash it to a paste in a mortar and pestle
- Add the cilantro, parsley, mashed garlic, chopped pepper, sea salt and cumin to a blender or food processor and pulse a couple of times.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending slowly (you don't want to over process the sauce, the truly traditional way would be to do it all in a mortar and pestle).
- Add the vinegar to taste, and then adjust for salt and cumin.
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Introduction
Made with cilantro, parsley, green peppers and garlic, this delicious Canarian sauce is the perfect condiment for grilled fish or roasted potatoes like the famous Canarian papas arrugadas.
While finding native Canarian peppers is nearly impossible away from the islands, mojo verde sauce is easy to adapt to what you have available at home.
Ingredients
Curious what you need for a refreshing batch of mojo verde?
Grab some simple ingredients, and you'll be ready to get started! Here's the key ingredients.
- Fresh Herbs: Use fresh cilantro and parsley for the best flavor. Discard any bruised or wilted leaves, and throw away the stems for a better texture.
- Olive Oil: Use the best quality olive oil you can find! Great-quality Spanish olive oil will shine in mojo verde.
- Sherry Vinegar: This adds a wonderful tang to the mojo! Substitute with red wine vinegar if you want.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Mojo Verde
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Remove the stems from the cilantro and parsley and chop the leaves. (image 1)
- Roughly chop the garlic, then mash it into a paste in a mortar and pestle. (image 2)
- Place the cilantro, parsley, mashed garlic, pepper, salt, and cumin to a blender and pulse a few times. (image 3)
- Keep the blender on low speed and drizzle in the olive oil. Be careful not to purée the sauce! (image 4)
Recipe FAQs
What is mojo verde made of? Canarian mojo verde is made from a flavorful mixture of fresh cilantro and parsley blended with green pepper, garlic, sherry vinegar, salt, cumin, and olive oil.
This sauce adds a delicious bright flavor to grilled meats and veggies! How long does mojo verde last?
Keep mojo verde tightly covered, and refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
Serve
In the Canary Islands, mojo verde and its cousin mojo picón are typically served with papas arrugadas, the salty, wrinkly potatoes that are famous in the area. But if you can't whip up a batch of these potatoes, serve mojo verde with grilled fish, meat, or veggies.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh cilantro and parsley that's free from wilted leaves. Be sure to remove the stems before blending for a better texture.
- Avoid over-processing the sauce and turning it into a purée. Mojo verde should still have some texture from the herbs and pepper.
- Be sure to add the olive oil slowly to help it emulsify into the mixture.
- Don't have a food processor or blender on hand? Make this sauce the traditional way and use a mortar and pestle instead.