Cilantro and Coriander are the same. It depends on which country you are living in. Cilantro/Coriander has fresh leaves. It is a part of the parsley family. Cilantro is also known for its strong aroma. It’s like people hate it or some people can’t live without it. You might be the one. Cilantro is refreshing and healthy. It provides oxygen to your blood.
Mostly, it is used for garnishing purposes. In India, you can see the many types of chutney(sauce) made from Cilantro. Are you missing Cilantro in the kitchen or don’t like Cilantro and looking for Cilantro Substitutes? You do not need to worry now because every herb and ingredient has a substitute. Before knowing the substitute, we have to know what Cilantro tastes like. So that it would be easy to find a substitute that exactly matches its taste.
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What does Cilantro taste like?
Cilantro tastes tangy or slightly citrusy. This is the only reason Cilantro is used to garnish the food. It gives a natural green color to food that helps the food to look premium and healthy. As you see in the five-star hotels only Cilantro garnish makes the food looks premium. You can’t compare the taste of Cilantro with another herb. It is really distinctive. If you want to add Cilantro to your recipe/dish, you can choose from the best substitute for Cilantro.
Health Benefits of Cilantro:
As you know Cilantro is a herb so there might be lots of benefits for your health. If you start eating Cilantro, it will reduce the symptoms of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It also improves memory. If you take medicine for anxiety then it would be really helpful for you to start eating Cilantro. It is also helpful for diabetic patients as well because it helps to reduce blood sugar levels. It also saves you from getting infected by food poisoning.
What can I Substitute for Cilantro?
Cilantro is mostly used in curry dishes, salads, and sauces (chutney). It’s easily available in any store. If your recipe/dish calls for Cilantro and you run out of it, you can use its substitutes. There are 12 best substitutes for Cilantro you can use in your recipe/dish. All these substitutes are experimented with and don’t ruin your dish/recipe.
1. Celery Leaves:
Celery is a vegetable, but you can use it as an herb. It belongs to the family Apiaceae. You can make many wonderful dishes and dips with celery. It is rich in minerals which’s why it helps to improve health. It also helps to reduce calories so it is helpful to reduce weight also. Many people eat celery as a salad in their meal. It is hard to believe that you can also make a cocktail and soda from it. So, don’t get confused to use Celery as a Cilantro replacement.
2. Basil:
Basil belongs to the mint family basically. It is known as the king of herbs. It has many names depending on in which country you are residing. In Italy, it is called sweet basil and in Asia, it is known as Holy Basil, Thai Basil, and Lemon Basil. Basil tastes a little spicy, exotic, and sweet. Basil is also used in some traditional food like pasta with tomato.
3. Parsley:
Parsley is a popular herb often used in American, European, and middle eastern cooking. It looks similar to Cilantro. It belongs to the family Apiaceae. It is more earthy than Cilantro and gives a similar taste as the same as Cilantro. It is commonly used to enhance the flavor of dishes like soups, salads, and fish recipes. Parsley is high in nutrients and has many health benefits. You can use parsley as a substitute for Cilantro. This will add a little bit of bitterness to your food, but you can set it by adding some honey or sugar.
4. Oregano Leaves:
Oregano also belongs to the mint family. It is called Origanum. It is popular for its flavored dried leaves. This herb is also an essential ingredient in cooking. It has a strong aroma. It also has so many health benefits. It is a powerful antioxidant and helps to reduce cholesterol. It has some cancer-fighting properties also. This herb is can be used as a good alternative to Cilantro.
5. Lovage:
Lovage is a tall perennial plant. Lovage leaves look like Italian parsley leaves. It belongs to the Apiaceae family. Its leaves are used as herbs. So there might be some health benefits too. It is the best digestive aid and helps to relieve stomach discomfort. It also helps in digestion and improves respiratory aid. If you are cooking any potato dish, you can use Lovage to enhance the flavor. Lovage is especially for egg dishes or you can say it is more compatible with egg dishes.
6. Tarragon:
Tarragon is a herb that has shiny, skinny leaves. It gives an aromatic flavor to the food. You can use its leaves as fresh or dried but when the leaves dry it reduces its flavor. So, we are suggesting you use Terragon’s fresh leaves. Tarragon contains beneficial nutrients but few calories and carbs too. It also decreases blood sugar levels. Tarragon improves sleep and increases appetite. This can be a good substitute for Cilantro.
7. Chervil:
Chervil is known as French parsley. Chervil leaves are smaller than parsley. It gives a sweet and mild taste. Chervil is good for skin conditions. It also cures the digestion problem and maintains blood pressure. It also cures hiccups.
8. Dill:
Dill is also called Dill Weed. Dill seeds have a little bit of a citrus flavor and are more aromatic. It is also rich in nutrients and increases appetite. It has some antibacterial properties too and increases bone health. It lowers the blood sugar level and helps to fight cancer in the starting phase. Dill can be used as a replacement for Cilantro if you don’t like its flavor, we have other alternatives too.
9. Mint:
Mint is an aromatic herb. It refreshes the body. It has a spicy flavor. Mint has almost 13-18 species. It is mostly used in summer to make cool drinks. It is rich in nutrients and improves digestion. It also reduces breastfeeding pain. It adds freshness to the breath when eating raw. It also cures the inflammation of the stomach.
10. Caraway Leaves:
Caraway leaves are smaller than Cilantro. Caraway has some important minerals like iron, copper, magnesium, and calcium. Caraway also has some health benefits like all the herbs. It reduces inflammation and improves digestion. It also promotes weight loss.
11. Herb Mixes:
If you want to enhance the flavor of your dish, you can mix all the herbs which are similar to Cilantro. You can use Tarragon, Dill, Parsley, Culantro, etc. It gives the rich flavor and health benefits of each herb. The combination of the herb that is replaced by Cilantro is endless.
12. Eryngium Foetidum/Culantro:
Eryngium foetidum is also known as long Cilantro/Coriander and Culantro. Culantro contains vitamins A, B, C, iron, and phosphorus. Culantro leaves are tougher than Cilantro. It has a similar aroma and taste to Cilantro. It cures Asthma and removes bad breath. It is also a pain killer. You can boil it and drink the water or use the water on the body part which is paining. It also helps to detoxify the body.
FAQ:
Does parsley taste like Cilantro?
Parsley is more bitter as compared to the cilantro. It brings similar fresh notes to your dishes. The appearance of parsley resembles the cilantro.
Does cilantro taste like coriander seeds?
As we know that both are harvested from the same plant. Cilantro is fresh, citrusy, and aromatic whereas coriander seeds are warm, spicy, and nutty aroma that makes it different.
Now, you know the best Cilantro Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
