Use it up · Herbs and aromatics

Cilantro

Have extra cilantro? Here’s how to choose, store and prep cilantro, plus 18 family recipes to use it all up, best matches first.

🍽 See the recipes 🧺 Pick a few things you have

🛒 Choosing it

Pick a bright green bunch with no slimy or yellow leaves.

🧊 Storing it

Fridge: 1 to 3 days for best quality; stand the stems in a glass of water

Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F. Freezer times are for best quality; food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. When in doubt, throw it out. Times from Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

🔪 Prepping it

Rinse and dry. The tender stems are full of flavor; chop them with the leaves.

🥣 Make it from scratch

Homemade staples that use cilantro:

Fresh tomato salsa

🌱 Grow it

You can grow your own: culinary herbs. The Food Garden Planner shows how much to plant for your family and when it comes in.

🌱 Plan a garden with it →

📊 Nutrition per 100 g

Fresh cilantro. 100 g is about 3 1/2 ounces.

Calories	23 kcal	1%
Protein	2.1 g	4%
Total fat	0.5 g	1%
Saturated fat	0.0 g	0%
Total carbohydrate	3.7 g	1%
Dietary fiber	2.8 g	10%
Total sugars	0.9 g
Sodium	46 mg	2%
Calcium	67 mg	5%
Iron	1.8 mg	10%
Potassium	521 mg	11%

% Daily Value for adults (FDA). From USDA FoodData Central 169997 (SR Legacy).

🍽 Recipes that use it up

18 recipes, the ones that use the most cilantro first.

With a smaller amount

Plan them into your week in the meal planner, or find recipes for two or three things at once with the “What can I make?” picker.

More herbs and aromatics

Onions Green onions Garlic Fresh ginger Shallots and leeks Parsley Basil Dill Rosemary and thyme Mint All ingredients →

Storage times and buying tips are general guides from the sources below; follow any date or instructions on the package. Cook meat, poultry, fish and eggs to the USDA safe temperatures in each recipe.