Are Culantro And Cilantro The Same Thing?

Cilantro is a top contender in both herb popularity rankings and extremely divisive herb opinions. Culantro, on the other hand, well, some people don't even know what it is. Though they share some flavor qualities, culantro and cilantro aren't the same plant. Cilantro is coriander, an annual herb that grows best in cooler climates. Culantro is recao, a tropical biennial herb popular in Latin America, the Caribbean, and many Asian countries – particularly Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. It goes by a few other names: saw leaf herb, fitweed, ngò gai, and shado beni to name a few.

It's easy enough to tell the two apart when you know what you're looking for, since they look virtually nothing alike. Visually, cilantro has small, paddle-shaped frilly leaves, while culantro has long leaves with spiky edges. Culantro also has a stronger, more pungent flavor than cilantro. Many describe it as having a citrusy zest, tasting like parsley and a touch of cilantro. For those who don't think eating cilantro is like chowing down on a bar of soap thanks to their genes (it was the fresh herb Julia Child loathed for that reason), it tastes refreshing and peppery, with a hint of parsley and lemon. 

Cilantro certainly seems like the more well-traveled herb, as it's difficult to get your hands on culantro if you don't have a specialty grocery store nearby. But both cilantro and culantro pack flavorful punches that work well in many dishes, making them each worth trying. Typically, you use cilantro in salads, soups, curries, salsas, and as a garnish. Culantro often stars in soups and sauces, but people also mix it into beans, rice, chutneys, marinades, and sofritos. Don't use it fresh like you would cilantro. Adding it to cooking meats, stews, and stocks like you would with onion or garlic is the best way to extract its flavor.

As far as recipes go, this zingy cilantro ranch dressing is perfect for tossing on all your favorite sauce vehicles with reckless vigor — pizza, chicken wings, or tacos anyone? These mushroom fajitas feature cilantro in various components and have a juicy, savory oomph that'll leave your taste buds craving another bite before you're even through with your first. Meanwhile, culantro takes center stage in this Trinidadian curry mango, a savory and faintly fruity dish that makes use of the mild flavor of partially ripened mangoes. It also shines in this sweet potato stuffing from St. Croix that checks all the boxes — it is savory, herbaceous, and has just a bit of kick expected of the island's cuisine. As long as you aren't cursed with the cilantro soap gene, you'll find either herb an absolute mealtime win.