Cilantro Substitute

Cilantro is the name of the leaves of the coriander plant or Coriandrum sativum, which is an annual herb, that belongs to the family Apiaceae. The plant is native to southwestern Asia, South Europe and North Africa. The seeds of this herb are usually referred to as coriander, while the leaves are known as Chinese parsley and cilantro. Both the fresh leaves and seeds of coriander plant are used throughout the world for culinary purposes. It is more commonly feature in Indian, Central Asian, Mexican, Chinese, Latin American, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cuisines. It has a distinctive flavor and taste, quite different from coriander seeds. Some people find the taste of cilantro, soapy and hence, look for its substitutes. However, its unique flavor can be hardly replaced with any other spice or culinary herb.

Replacing Cilantro in Cooking

Italian Parsley
Italian parsley or Italian flat-leaf parsley is a herb with serrated leaves, which looks a bit similar to cilantro. They are often used as a spice in Middle Eastern, American and European dishes. There are mainly, two species of parsley, curly leaf and flat-leaf or Italian parsley. Though, the leaves of both the plant are used for garnishing, just like coriander leaves, it is the flat-leaf or Italian parsley that is more widely used for culinary purposes, and considered a better substitute. The flavor of the Italian flat-leaf parsley is a bit milder than cilantro and it has a distinctive peppery taste, which can be used in any kind of dish for a rich flavor. They are generally added to already cooked dishes. Apart from its excellent flavor, Italian parsley is known to have certain medicinal properties as well. It is a diuretic, and can stimulate appetite and alleviate intestinal problems by facilitating proper digestion of food. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals like, vitamin A, C, calcium and iron.

Vietnamese Coriander
Vietnamese coriander or Persicaria odorata is a herb, the leaves of which commonly feature in Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly in Vietnam and Malaysia. It is also known by the name of Vietnamese cilantro, Vietnamese mint and Cambodian mint. Though it is not related to mint, its flavor as well as appearance can be said to slightly resemble mint. It is more commonly included in salads and soups. The flavor of Vietnamese coriander closely mimics the flavor of cilantro, and hence, can be used as a substitute. This herb is believed to be very effective for some common gastrointestinal problems like, indigestion, stomach ache and flatulence.

Basil Leaves
Fresh basil leaves can be more commonly found in Italian and Southeast Asian dishes. As cooking diminishes the flavor, basil leaves are used freshly, and added at the last moment or just before serving a dish. There are several varieties of basil including, sweet basil, holy basil, Thai basil and lemon basil. Out of them, the one that is used in Italian cuisines is sweet basil, while the other varieties are generally used in Asia. Some medicinal properties have also been attributed to this herb, out of which antioxidant properties and anti-microbial properties are worth mentioning. However, basil is known to contain some carcinogenic compounds as well, the effects of which in human is presently a subject of scientific studies. The ingestion of a large amount of the seeds of the plant is however, considered to have some adverse effects on the brain.

Celery Leaves
Celery is a popular flavoring agent for soups and many cooked dishes. Apart from the leaves, the seeds of the plant are also used as a spice, while the fleshy top-root and the leaf stalk are considered as vegetables. Both the stalks and celery leaves can be used for seasoning, for their excellent aroma. It is also known to contain a significant amount of vitamin C and some other compounds that can help to promote overall health and well-being.

Though these are the most common alternatives of cilantro leaves, their flavor cannot be considered to exactly resemble the aroma. Like cilantro leaves, the substitutes are also added to cooked dishes at the last moment, or just before serving. Cooking or heating is known to diminish the flavor of these herbs, and so, adding them at the last moment helps retain their rich aroma in foods.