Food

30 Cilantro-Heavy Recipes to Use Up That Extra Bunch

Cilantro is popular across the globe, so if you have some leftover, put it to work

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated: July 24, 2018

If you love cilantro's bright and pungent flavor, there are lots of great ways to cook with it, from spicy dishes to cooling condiments. It can shine as the center of a simple salad along with olives, avocado, and limes, and it's great sprinkled on top of a sardine and lemongrass salad. And many great sauces feature cilantro as one of the ingredients. From spicy chutneys to a perfect chimichurri, there are lots of delicious ways to incorporate cilantro into your diet. Check out our 30 favorite cilantro recipes below.

Cilantro Salad with Olives, Avocado, and Limes — Use this crisp, bright salad as a side dish or as a stand-in for chimichurri on top of fish, grilled meat, or chicken."No matter where you fall on the cilantro spectrum," says Bishara, "I urge you to try it." Get the recipe for Cilantro Salad with Olives, Avocado, and Limes »Ted Cavanaugh

Bacon Fried Rice — This simple fried rice is as good for breakfast as it is for dinner. Thick-cut bacon will make for more meaty, chewy bits. Cookbook writer Amy Thielen often adds a little sauerkraut for a further Midwestern touch. Get the recipe for Bacon and Egg Fried Rice »Matt Taylor-Gross

Mint and Cilantro Chutney — The addition of chia seeds in this chutney thickens the juices and emulsifies the mixture into a spreadable, smooth sauce that doesn't separate. If you prefer it milder, remove some of the chile seeds before blending. Use the chutney as a condiment for pakoras, samosas, and tandoori roasted meats. Get the recipe for Spicy Mint, Cilantro, and Chia Seed Chutney »Matt Taylor-Gross

Classic Guacamole — Grind your cilantro, onion, and chiles into a paste before folding in mashed avocado for the deepest flavor. Get the recipe for Classic Guacamole »Matt Taylor-Gross

Mussels with Coconut Sweet Chili Broth — Sinéad Roche and Thomas Ashe of Ashe's Bar and Restaurant have incorporated flavors from their culinary travels through Thailand into this dish, marrying Southeast Asian ingredients with local Glenbeigh mussels, foraged from the rocky coast along Dingle Bay. At Ashe's, they serve the mussels with homemade bread or twice-fried chunky potato chips for sopping up the gently spicy coconut broth. Get the recipe for Mussels with Coconut Sweet Chili Broth »Michelle Heimerman

Mexican Scrambled Eggs — This quick breakfast dish is made a la Mexicana with red tomatoes, white onions, and green jalapeños, ingredients that mirror the colors of the Mexican flag. Get the recipe for Mexican Scrambled Eggs »Matt Taylor-Gross

Avocado Mash — Mashed potatoes go green with avocado and cilantro in this bright recipe. Get the recipe for Avocado Mashed Potatoes »Farideh Sadeghin

Rib-Eye Steak with Chimichurri — Chimichurri, a kind of spicy, vinegar-laced pesto, is the condiment of choice for steak in Argentina. Get the recipe for Rib-Eye Steak with Chimichurri »Matt Taylor-Gross

Coconut-Cilantro Chutney (Hara Dhaniya Ki Chutney) — This Indian chutney uses an array of ingredients, blending yellow split peas with coconut, cilantro, ginger, and chile. Get the recipe for Coconut-Cilantro Chutney (Hara Dhaniya Ki Chutney) »Ingalls Photography

Maitake Mushrooms with Red Chiles and Cilantro — Fragrant with star anise, chiles de árbol, and cilantro, these mushrooms brown to a crisp on the outside while remaining tender inside. Get the recipe for Maitake Mushrooms with Red Chiles and Cilantro »Matt Taylor-Gross

Mango with Cilantro, Coconut, and Chile Powder — Inspired by Mexican street vendors who artfully carve and serve mangos on sticks, this recipe ups the ante with cilantro leaves and shaved coconut. Get the recipe for Mango with Cilantro, Coconut, and Chile Powder »Laura Sant

Sardine and Lemongrass Salad — Combining sardines with Thai spices moves the flavor away from purely fishy in this sweet and spicy salad. Get the recipe for Sardine and Lemongrass Salad »Farideh Sadeghin

Green Chili Cheese Grits — For soft, creamy, and flavorful grits, chef Harold Marmulstein of Austin's Salty Sow cooks his low and slow, then adds a rich, spicy, bright-green purée of chiles and cilantro. Get the recipe for Green Chili Grits »Matt Taylor-Gross

Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes — Chimichurri and a tomato-onion salad are perfect for offsetting the richness of creamy polenta. Get the recipe for Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes »Farideh Sadeghin

Bread and Garlic Soup with Cilantro — The recipe for this garlicky bread soup comes from Rosa Filipe of O Barro restaurant in Redondo, Portugal, who claims it is nicknamed "beggar's soup" because it contains no meat or fish. Get the recipe for Bread and Garlic Soup with Cilantro »Todd Coleman

Leek and Herb Frittata (Kuku Sabzi) — This herb-laced frittata of eggs, potatoes, and leeks is a popular Iranian side dish. Get the recipe for Leek and Herb Frittata (Kuku Sabzi) »Todd Coleman

Cilantro Mojo — Bright, earthy and spicy, this garlicky cilantro sauce hits all the right notes for a summer-time cook-out. Get the recipe for Cilantro Mojo »Todd Coleman

Sprouted Chickpea Socca with Herb Salad and Yogurt — These thick, dinner pancakes are filled with cilantro, warm spices, and nutrient rich sprouted chickpeas. Get the recipe for Sprouted Chickpea Socca with Herb Salad and Yogurt »Ryan Liebe

Steamed Banana-Wrapped Fish (Patra ni Muchchi) — Descended from Persian Zoroastrians—followers of the prophet Zoroaster who began emigrating to India around the eighth century—Parsis in India have their own distinct food. This Parsi fish dish, commonly featured at weddings, is adapted from a recipe in Raghavan Iyer's 660 Curries (Workman, 2008). White-fleshed fish is bathed in a spiced coconut-tamarind sauce and steamed until tender in fragrant banana leaves. Get the recipe for Steamed Banana-Wrapped Fish (Patra ni Muchchi) »Ingalls Photography

Cilantro Yogurt Chutney — This creamy yogurt-based chutney is made with cilantro, lime, and fresh green chiles. Get the recipe for Cilantro Yogurt Chutney »Ingalls Photography

Grape Salsa — Juicy red grapes are the star of a sweet and lightly spicy fresh salsa made with cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and honey. Get the recipe for Grape Salsa »Laura Sant

Moroccan Charmoula — Vibrant, verdant, and refreshing, this Moroccan condiment is an exceptional marinade for most meat and seafood and addictive enough to eat with a spoon. Get the recipe for Moroccan Charmoula »Marcus Nilsson

Grapefruit and Seafood Ceviche — Grapefruit juice, fiery jalapeño, and fragrant ginger transform shrimp, scallops, and calamari into an aromatic, spicy salad. Get the recipe for Grapefruit and Seafood Ceviche »Ingalls Photography

Spinach and Walnut Salad (Pkhali) — Almost any vegetable can be substituted for spinach in this vegetarian appetizer sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. In Georgia, roasted beet and green bean versions are common. Get the recipe for Spinach and Walnut Salad (Pkhali) »Landon Nordeman

Mole Verde Zacatecano — Lighter and simpler than the nut-enriched moles of Puebla and Oaxaca, this Zacatecan version is made with fresh tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeños, and garlic. Get the recipe for Mole Verde Zacatecano »Todd Coleman

Persian Herbed Frittatas with Fenugreek (Kookoo Sabzi) — This variant of the classic Iranian frittata-like egg dish has become a popular street food in London. Feel free to add walnuts, barberries, or raisins to make it your own. Get the recipe for Persian Herbed Frittatas with Fenugreek (Kookoo Sabzi) »Farideh Sadeghin

Avocado Mash — Mashed potatoes go green with avocado and cilantro in this bright recipe. Get the recipe for Avocado Mashed Potatoes »Farideh Sadeghin

Grilled Lobster with Cilantro-Chile Butter — Chiles, lime, and cilantro flavor these grilled lobsters. Get the recipe for Grilled Lobster with Cilantro-Chile Butter »Penny De Los Santos

Beef Stew with Mashed Plantains (Sukuma Wiki with Matoke) — The Kenyan lunch known as sukuma wiki—a combination of collard greens, chile-flecked ground meat, and tomatoes served with cornmeal or mashed plantain—is such a fortifying part of the workweek that its name means "week pusher". Get the recipe for Beef Stew with Mashed Plantains (Sukuma Wiki with Matoke) »Ingalls Photography

Watermelon Salad with Cilantro, Radish Sprouts, and Cotija — In this refreshing salad, watermelon at the peak of its sweetness is tossed in a zesty vinaigrette with spicy radish sprouts. Get the recipe for Watermelon Salad with Cilantro, Radish Sprouts, and Cotija »Laura Sant

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