Parsley
PAR-slee
Petroselinum crispum
Also called flat-leaf parsley, Italian 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.
Similar but different
Easy to mix up, different enough that swapping changes the dish.
- Cilantrobright, citrusy, pungent, fresh.
Compare head to head
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: nothing in particular; it suits most savory food.
Common in Italian, Middle Eastern, French cooking.
Whole vs ground
Parsley is a fresh herb, best raw or added at the end. Dried parsley loses most of its character, so reach for fresh whenever you can.
How to handle it
Chop fresh leaves and stir them in at the finish for a bright lift. Flat-leaf parsley has more flavor for cooking than the curly kind.
Storage
Keep fresh parsley wrapped in a damp towel or stem-down in water in the fridge for over a week.
Buying note
Choose perky, deep-green bunches with no yellowing. Flat-leaf has more flavor than curly for cooking.
Classic dishes
tabbouleh, chimichurri, gremolata, salsa verde.
Out of parsley? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| chervil | 1:1 | more delicate, with a hint of anise |
| cilantro, for a different effect | 1:1 | adds a strong citrus-soapy note parsley does not have |
Flat-leaf parsley is grown for flavor and curly parsley mostly for garnish, though they come from the same species.
Common questions
- What does parsley taste like?
- Parsley is fresh, grassy, clean, lightly peppery. Its overall intensity is mild.
- What is the difference between cilantro and parsley?
- They look nearly identical at the market, both flat green leaves, but taste them and the difference is unmistakable. See the full comparison.
- What can I use instead of parsley?
- The closest swaps are chervil (1:1, more delicate, with a hint of anise); cilantro, for a different effect (1:1, adds a strong citrus-soapy note parsley does not have). No substitute is exact, so taste and adjust.
- Should I buy parsley whole or ground?
- Parsley is a fresh herb, best raw or added at the end. Dried parsley loses most of its character, so reach for fresh whenever you can.
- How do you store parsley?
- Keep fresh parsley wrapped in a damp towel or stem-down in water in the fridge for over a week.
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