Carrageenan Free Smoky Paprika Cilantro Lime Marinade
Bold, smoky, and bright with citrus, this marinade is the kind of thing that makes weeknight grilling feel like a serious occasion. Smoked paprika and cumin lay down a deep, earthy base while fresh lime juice and zest cut right through with a sharp, clean tang. Turmeric adds a gorgeous golden hue and a subtle warmth, and the fresh cilantro stirred in at the end keeps everything tasting vibrant and alive. Store-bought marinades are a minefield for anyone avoiding carrageenan and other thickeners, since they're commonly used to give bottled sauces that glossy, clingy texture. This one skips all of that entirely — every ingredient is a whole food you can read at a glance, and the emulsion comes together naturally from olive oil and citrus. No additives, no stabilizers, nothing you'd need to look up. Whisking everything together takes just a few minutes, and the marinade keeps in the fridge for up to three days, so you can make it ahead and have it ready to go. It works beautifully on chicken, fish, or vegetables — just adjust the marinating time based on what you're cooking. The result is deeply flavored, a little smoky, and genuinely hard to stop eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- 1
Combine the olive oil, lime juice, and lime zest in a small bowl and whisk until the oil and juice are loosely emulsified.
- 2
Add the smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne (if using), garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until the spices are fully incorporated and the mixture is uniform in color.
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