Coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, Coriandrum sativum, but they are not the same ingredient.
In North America, the leaves and stems are called "cilantro," while the dried seeds are called "coriander." They also differ in flavor, aroma, and how they’re used in cooking applications.
Here’s how cilantro and coriander compare—and when to use each one.
Quick Comparison: Coriander vs. Cilantro
🌿 CILANTRO Flavor: Bright, citrusy, peppery Best used with: Salsa, sauces, garnishing, finishing dishes Used in cooking as: Fresh leaves, stems, dried flakes
🌿 CORIANDER Flavor: Warm, citrusy, earthy Best used with: Curries, baking, marinades, DIY spice blends Used in cooking as: Dried seeds, ground seasoning
Cilantro refers to the fresh leaves and stems of the coriander plant. This herb has a bright, citrusy, slightly peppery flavor and is commonly used fresh in Latin American, Middle Eastern, and Asian cuisines.
Some people perceive cilantro as tasting soapy due to a genetic variation that makes them more sensitive to certain flavor compounds in the herb. It’s not your fault—it’s genetics.
What Does Cilantro Taste Like?
Cilantro has a bright, citrusy flavor with fresh peppery notes that can instantly lighten and balance rich dishes.
The herb shares some similarities with parsley and basil, but stands out because of its sharp freshness and unmistakable aroma. Because of its vibrant flavor, cilantro is most often used fresh and added toward the end of cooking rather than simmered for long periods.
Fresh cilantro is typically sprinkled over tacos, curries, soups, noodle dishes, rice bowls, grilled meats, and salads for a burst of freshness and color. It also blends beautifully into sauces and condiments.
For a twist on traditional pesto, try replacing basil with cilantro and swapping pine nuts for walnuts or cashews. Cilantro also stars in spicy green sauces like Yemeni zhoug, where it’s blended with chiles, garlic, cumin, cardamom, caraway, and other warming spices.
Cilantro is also known for being somewhat divisive. Though this one-of-a-kind herb has the cooling power of mint and some of the same flavor notes of basil, many people perceive cilantro as tasting soapy due to a genetic variation that makes them more sensitive to certain naturally occurring flavor compounds in the herb.
How to Cook With Cilantro?
Fresh cilantro is best known as a finishing herb, but that doesn’t mean it can’t contribute flavor during cooking as well. The fresh leaves are delicate and lose some of their sharp brightness when exposed to heat for long periods, which is why cilantro is often stirred in at the very end of cooking or used as a garnish.
However, dried cilantro offers a softer, more mellow flavor than fresh cilantro and works especially well in dishes that cook low and slow. As cilantro dries, some of the herb’s brighter citrus notes fade while its earthy and peppery qualities become more noticeable. This makes dried cilantro a great addition to marinades, soups, stews, rice dishes, and slow-simmered sauces where subtle herbal flavor can build gradually over time.
If you love cilantro’s flavor, using both fresh and dried cilantro in the same dish can help create layers of brightness, earthiness, and complexity.
What is Coriander?
While cilantro refers to the fresh leaves and stems of the plant, coriander refers to the dried seeds of Coriandrum sativum. Unlike cilantro’s bright and herbaceous flavor, coriander has a warm, earthy, citrus-forward flavor that becomes deeper and more aromatic as it cooks.
Coriander is commonly used in curry powders, spice rubs, baked goods, pickling blends, sausages, and marinades. Though it sometimes plays a supporting role in spice blends, coriander has a surprisingly complex flavor that can tie together sweet, savory, earthy, and citrusy ingredients all at once.
What Does Coriander Taste Like?
Coriander has a warm citrus flavor with earthy, slightly sweet and peppery undertones.
While it comes from the same plant as cilantro, the flavor of coriander seeds is dramatically different from the bright freshness of the herb. The spice is often compared to the flavor of ground ginger or orange peel because of its balance of warmth and citrusy sharpness.
Coriander pairs especially well with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger, making it equally useful in savory cooking and baked goods.
Because coriander blends so naturally with other spices, it often acts as a bridge ingredient that helps round out and balance an entire seasoning blend without overpowering the dish.
Coriander seeds are incredibly versatile in the kitchen and can be used whole or ground depending on the dish. Whole coriander seeds hold their flavor especially well and are often added early in the cooking process to infuse soups, marinades, pickling liquids, curries, and braised dishes with warm citrusy notes.
Coriander seeds also play a supporting role in Spanish spices, Chilean blends, and even BBQ rubs. Ground coriander is commonly used in spice blends, dry rubs, sauces, roasted vegetables, and baked goods where it adds depth without overwhelming other ingredients. Because coriander’s flavor mellows and deepens as it cooks, it works particularly well in slow-cooked recipes and layered spice blends.
For the freshest, boldest flavor possible, lightly toast whole coriander seeds before grinding them. Toasting helps release the spice’s aromatic oils and enhances its warm, citrus-forward flavor.
Although coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, they are not usually direct substitutes for one another in recipes. Cilantro leaves have a fresh, bright flavor while coriander seeds are warm, earthy, and citrusy.
If a recipe calls for cilantro, parsley or fresh basil may work as a substitute depending on the dish. If you need a replacement for coriander, cumin or caraway can provide some similar earthy warmth, though the flavor will not be exactly the same.
In some recipes, using both cilantro and coriander together can create balanced layers of freshness and warmth.
Recipes Coriander & Cilantro
If you’re still not sure where to start using these in your kitchen, we’re here to help.
Cilantro and Coriander Pickled Jalapeños
Recipe by Inspired by the Cilantro-Pickled Jalapeños from communitytable.com
Spice up barbecue plates, nachos, grits, coleslaw, and sandwiches with this quick and easy method for pickling...
From bright herb flavors to warm spice blends, explore Dried Herbs, Herbaceous seasonings, and globally inspired blends featuring ingredients like cilantro, coriander, cumin, garlic, and more.
