Okay, you clicked on this story, so we will forego the usual discussion of how this wonderful herb is polarizing. You’re here already, so you know the truth: Cilantro is delicious, and so many of our favorite dishes rely on its unique flavor. In most cases, cilantro is added as a last-minute accent. But in this collection, we highlight cilantro recipes that use the herb in ways (and quantities) that go beyond mere garnish.
Also, a heads-up for cilantro lovers: there are other cilantro-adjacent herbs you should know (if you don’t already, of course). Culantro, also known as recao or sawtooth herb, stores better than cilantro and is less prone to bolting in the garden. Its flavor and potency are pretty similar to cilantro. Rau ram, or Vietnamese coriander, is also well-behaved in the garden and its flavor is stronger and more peppery than that of cilantro. In addition to using it as a simple garnishing herb for soups like bún bò Huê, try making our recipe for nem lụi Huế. Finally, there is papalo, a positively dank, powerfully flavored herb used in Pueblan cuisine. Should a cilantro hater encounter papalo, the experience would probably scar them for life. We enjoy it as a garnish for frijoles charros, but it’s most famous for giving cemitas sandwiches their characteristic flavor.
