How to store parsley and cilantro

Keeping your parsley wrapped in a damp paper or kitchen towel in the refrigerator will keep it fresh for a few days. Treating the parsley much like a bunch of flowers will keep it fresh longer. Trim the stems slightly, and without washing place the bundle in a container filled with about 1 inch of water.

Method #1: Refrigerate with paper towels

Rather, wrap the herbs loosely in the dampened paper towels and place them in a resealable bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate. This method, which allows the herbs to retain plenty of moisture, will keep your parsley fresh and wilt-free for 3–5 days.

Properly stored, fresh parsley will usually keep well for about 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator.

Parsley can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. According to Harold McGee, basil is ideally stored at room temperature and not in the refrigerator, because it is susceptible to damage from cold.

Put chopped parsley on everything: Don’t chop it too finely — bigger pieces are prettier and have more flavor. Throw it with abandon on top of grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, a cold green-bean salad, stews, soups, pasta, hot or cold grain dishes like couscous or quinoa or tabbouleh or …

Cilantro leaves are more rounded, while parsley leaves are pointed. However, the best way to tell the two apart is by smelling them. Parsley has a fresh, mild herbal scent, while cilantro has a much stronger, spicy, citrusy aroma. Some people describe the smell and taste of fresh cilantro leaves as soap-like.

Fresh parsley is very rich in Vitamin A and potassium. Fresh cilantro is also very rich in Vitamin A and potassium but it is higher than parsley in calcium and dietary fiber. It is also moderately rich in Vitamin C and folate (folic acid). Both cilantro and parsley are naturally low in calories, fat, and sodium.

Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts. Bleeding disorders: Cilantro might slow blood clotting. There is concern that cilantro might increase the risk of bleeding in people with bleeding disorders when eaten in large amounts.

Parsley. Parsley is a bright green herb that happens to be in the same family as cilantro. It’s slightly more bitter but brings similar fresh, flavorful notes to your dishes — just like cilantro. Italian, flat-leaf and curly-leaf parsley varieties all work well as substitutes.

Substitute For Cilantro

First, If you or your family don’t like it and you’re making guacamole, just leave it out. OR – substitute flat-leaf parsley which is related but lacks that “soapy” flavor loved (or hated) by many. OR – You can also use Vietnamese cilantro which has a very similar taste.

Of course some of this dislike may come down to simple preference, but for those cilantro-haters for whom the plant tastes like soap, the issue is genetic. These people have a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to strongly perceive the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves.

Method 2: Freeze Cilantro in Ice Cube Trays

You can also preserve pre-portioned amounts of cilantro using ice cube trays. To do this, finely chop the fresh cilantro (use the stems, too—they have lots of flavor). Press it into an ice cube tray, top with a splash of water and freeze.

Freezing in Water

For long-term storage, tender herbs like mint, parsley and cilantro can be removed from their stems and frozen into ice cubes. Once frozen, cubes can be transferred into a Ziploc bag or other airtight container for easy, single-serve access.

Place the cilantro on a paper towel and dry it completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you completely dry the cilantro, it wilts a little. Remove any dried leaves promptly.

Place the cilantro in a jar and cover both the leaves and the mouth of the jar with a plastic bag. Do this gently to keep from damaging the leaves. Next, place them on a bed of damp paper towels and roll them up. Place the roll into a zip lock bag for storage in the refrigerator.

Fresh cilantro is often very sandy, so before using it, it’s best to give the leaves a good rinsing. To wash cilantro, hold the bunch by the stems and agitate the leaves in a large bowl of cold water. Change the water once or twice, or until it is free of grit. (The small stems are okay to keep and chop.)

Cilantro clippings can grow in water, though not as well. To “reset” this plant, simply harvest the cilantro, leaving between a half-inch and an inch of stem, and wait for it to grow again.

Properly stored, fresh cilantro will usually keep well for about 7 to 10 days in the refrigerator.