Cilantro vs parsley
They look nearly identical at the market, both flat green leaves, but taste them and the difference is unmistakable.
Parsley
Fresh, grassy, clean, lightly peppery
Parsley is the leaf of Petroselinum crispum, a mild, fresh, grassy herb in the carrot family that is one of the most widely used in the world. It comes in two forms: flat-leaf or Italian parsley, prized for cooking, and curly parsley, often used as a garnish. The flavor is clean and lightly peppery with a faint citrus edge, which makes it a finishing herb that brightens almost any savory dish without taking over. Parsley is the bulk of tabbouleh and a key part of chimichurri and gremolata. It is best fresh; dried parsley loses most of its character.
Cilantro
Bright, citrusy, pungent, fresh
Cilantro is the fresh leaf of Coriandrum sativum, the very same plant whose dried seed is sold as coriander, though the two taste nothing alike. The bright green leaves are citrusy and pungent, and a well-known genetic quirk makes them taste like soap to some people. Cilantro is essential to Mexican, Thai, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking, scattered raw over finished dishes for a fresh lift. Like most tender herbs it fades with heat, so it is added at the end. It looks much like flat-leaf parsley, but their flavors are not interchangeable.
Which to use when
Use parsley for a clean, mild, grassy lift that suits almost any savory dish and never overpowers. Use cilantro when you want its bright, citrusy, pungent punch in Mexican, Thai, and Indian food. They are not interchangeable: parsley is the safe all-rounder, cilantro is a distinct flavor some people love and some taste as soapy.
Common questions
- Can I substitute parsley for cilantro?
- You can for color and freshness, but you lose cilantro's citrus-pungent flavor entirely. A squeeze of lime helps bridge the gap.
- How do I tell cilantro and parsley apart?
- By smell, not sight. Cilantro is strongly citrusy and pungent; flat-leaf parsley is mild and grassy. Their leaves look very similar.