Cilantro

About

Cilantro shares fresh, green, woody notes with flat-leaf parsley but adds warm earthiness and citrus-peel-like, slightly bittersweet flavor. Because its flavor breaks down with heat, it is typically added at the end of cooking or used as a garnish. It also has functional effects: it can mute saltiness, offset fishy odors, cut through fattiness, and add a cooling note to spicy food.

Pairs well with cilantro

• CiLemonLemon and cilantro pair especially well with white fish; a breadcrumb crust made with lemon zest, chopped cilantro, melted butter, and…
• EaPotatoCilantro's earthy flavor complements potato well, restoring some of the earthiness lost in boiling or mashing.
• CiOrangeCilantro's aroma comes largely from decenal, a compound also responsible for the waxy note in orange peel, which is why cilantro is often…
• FrTomatoCilantro and tomato define classic salsa, now so popular in North America that salsa sales have overtaken ketchup.
• SuGarlicSofrito, a base of slow-cooked onion, garlic, tomato, and sometimes bell pepper, varies by region; in Puerto Rico it includes cilantro and…
• CrCoconutCoconut and cilantro complement each other well, as in a flatbread made from a simple dough rolled thin, filled with cilantro and flaked…
• BeMintCilantro and mint together can read as soapy, but work well pounded with shallots and chili into a sambal, loosened with lime juice or…
• MaShellfishMussels' rich, briny flavor suits the ingredients typically used to balance fish sauce in Thai cooking: cilantro, lemongrass, lime, and…
• MePorkCilantro is Portugal's most widely used herb, appearing in dishes like cold pig's ears with cilantro and garlic.
• MeChickenCilantro is widely used with chicken in Thai dishes such as green curry; in Vietnam, the similarly citrusy herb rau ram ("hot mint,"…
• GrChiliA common pairing: green chiles add a sharp freshness to cilantro's grassy character, and the two are often blended with lemon juice and…
• GrAvocadoA popular combination in salsas and guacamole, sharing grassy notes, with cilantro's freshness cutting avocado's fattiness, Ferran Adrià…
• MeLambLamb and cilantro appear together in dishes such as the Lebanese cauliflower-and-lamb stew yaknit zahra and Indian keema naan.
• CiLimeLime and cilantro are a defining combination in Vietnamese and Thai cooking, especially in noodle soups, and have become closely…
• EaCuminToasted cumin develops a bitter, smoky earthiness that pairs with cilantro's fresher, brighter notes; together with chili they're common…
• ChGoat CheeseCilantro's bright, citrusy flavor cuts through rich cheese in Mexican dishes like enchiladas and quesadillas.
• GrParsleyCilantro has overtaken parsley as the world's most-used herb, but the two share a similar green, grassy quality, so parsley can dilute…
• FrPineapplePineapple and cilantro are commonly paired in Mexican cooking, including in a black bean soup made with ham stock, partially blended for…
• RoPeanutSubstituting cilantro and peanuts for basil and pine nuts turns pesto into a Vietnamese-style sauce, good tossed with warm egg noodles,…
• CrMangoMango and cilantro share pine, citrus, and floral notes and are frequently paired in Asian and Mexican dishes, despite both having…
• FfCoriander SeedCoriander seed, from the same plant as cilantro, carries only a faint trace of cilantro's flavor; the two are otherwise quite different…
• FrWatermelonWatermelon's watery sweetness combined with cilantro, red onion, and fresh green chili in a salsa creates a fresh, herbaceous contrast.