Is There Any Hope For People Who Taste Soap In Cilantro?

For many people, cilantro (also known as coriander) is an herb used to lend a bright, citrus-y flavor to whatever dish you add it to, whether that's tacos, guacamole, or soup. In fact, according to Instacart, it's the most popular herb in America. For many other people, however, cilantro is the devil's lettuce — a horrible, astringent explosion of bitterness that instantly soaks one's tongue in the taste of soap. Some of our most famous chefs and cooking personalities have expressed their hatred of the herb, like Julia Child, Ina Garten, and Andrew "Babish" Rea— and there's a reason behind that hatred that makes it difficult, albeit not impossible, to let go.

You see, people with a certain gene, OR6A2, will eat cilantro and taste only soap, while those without that gene can eat cilantro with no problem. The gene is most common among East Asians and Caucasians, while much rarer in ethnicities whose cuisines frequently use cilantro, like Hispanic and Middle Eastern people. Because it's genetic and not just a matter of personal preference, it can be hard to get over or work around this aversion — luckily, there are substitutes you can use to stand in for the offending herb.

In order to properly replace cilantro, it's important to first understand what qualities cilantro lends a dish — in a perfect world without genetic aversions to the herb, anyway. It's herbaceous, of course, but it's also bright, zesty, and a bit pungent. Which herbs you use as a substitute depend upon what qualities you want to emphasize — and in some cases, it might be a number of herbs working in tandem.

One common substitute is a mixture of parsley, tarragon, and dill. Parsley is part of the cilantro family, but it's much milder in flavor — that's where the more robust tarragon and dill come in, adding that sharp brightness that cilantro does so well. If you want a more citrus-forward flavor, you can use lemon zest (just be sure to zest your lemon properly); if you'd like something stronger and more pungent, Thai basil is a great choice.

Alternatively, you can try to push past your aversion and use cilantro anyway; it helps if you crush or finely chop the herb, as it softens the flavor.