• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Slow Living Kitchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • Food Preservation
  • Explore + Forage
  • Seasonal Recipes
  • About
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • Food Preservation
    • Explore + Forage
    • Seasonal Recipes
    • About
      • Contact
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Published: Apr 25, 2024 by Stephanie Gravalese · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Get to know Cilantro from Garden to Table

    Cilantro is a tasty herb beloved by chefs and home cooks alike. However, it suffers from an identity crisis as many think it is related to coriander and doesn't have the classically aromatic smell or taste. But don't worry, the bad reputation is undeserved! Cilantro can add a nice freshness that food sometimes lacks.

    close up fo cilantro

    Nowadays, we seem to be finding a new love for cilantro and trying our hand with this intriguing herb in the kitchen. Cilantro is a prevalent culinary herb that offers International appeal. The flat parsley-like leaves are excellent in guacamole, cilantro rice, salsa, and other Mexican recipes.

    Growing Tips

    Cilantro is easy to grow from seed and doesn't take long to start producing shoots. It takes only 3-4 weeks from the 9me the seeds are planted before you can enjoy this versatile culinary treasure.
    Like most herbs, cilantro is like a spot in plenty of sunshine, with some afternoon shade in warmer climates. It prefers moist, well-drained soil.
    Cilantro can bolt (or sets seeds) in hot weather. Therefore, reseed your garden or container with new seeds every 2 or 3 weeks to extend harvests throughout the growing season. This will ensure a steady supply of fresh cilantro leaves all season.

    Related: Cook Like a Pro with Garlic Herb Butter (like Hello Fresh)

    Tips for Using Cilantro

    Harvest the leafy stems almost to ground level. Leave ⅔ of it intact, giving it time to regenerate before harvesting again. This herb best shines when added at the end of a dish (think cilantro rice) or in cold dishes like guacamole.


    Cilantro's flavor is most potent when fresh but only lasts a briefly when cut. Dip the stems in water for a better quality and shelf life, and keep them on your counter for about a week. However, you can extend its life by 3-4 weeks for buy placing the jar in the refrigerator with a clear bag loosely over the leaves on top.

    Related: Herb Conversion: A Guide to Converting Fresh to Dried Herbs

    Preserving Cilantro

    When your herbs peak, you can use them all up in no time flat. Freeze cilantro to preserve your herb garden haul for the long term. Add chopped cilantro into ice cube trays, cover with olive oil, and freeze. While dried cilantro is less potent than its fresh counterpart, you'll still receive some delicious results when cooking or baking with these cubes!

    More Recipes

    • How to Dry Mulberry Leaves for Tea, Storage, or Herbal Recipes
    • A tall glass of clove water set against a wooden background with a jar of honey and cloves
      How to Make Clove Water
    • Bourbon-Brined Tofu on Brioche
    • pink paloma mezcal topped with lime and grapefruit slices with lime wheels in corner
      Mezcal Paloma

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey there, I'm Stephanie! I'm a food + culture writer, photographer and recipe developer.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • stylized image of jars of preserved foods in pantry
      What’s in My Preserved Food Pantry (and How You Can Build Yours Too)
    • Wicklow Gold Cheddar Recall: Listeria Warning for 2 Cheeses
    • Costco Egg Recall: Serious Salmonella Risk Prompts Class I Alert
    • Walmart Broccoli Recall–Marketside Broccoli Florets Pose Listeria Risk

    Cozy Winter Recipes

    • bowl of gnocchi with carbonara and pancetta topped with cheese
      Gnocchi Carbonara
    • garlic cloves fermented in honey in a glass mason jar
      The Ultimate Guide to Fermented Garlic Honey

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Recipes
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates.
    • Web Stories

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Let's Work Together

    As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases.