Out of Cilantro, one case

Substitute for cilantro in salsa

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Flat-leaf parsley

Same amount as the cilantro

In salsa, replace cilantro with the same amount of chopped flat-leaf parsley and an extra squeeze of lime. That keeps the fresh green bite and the look but not the cilantro flavor, which is the point if cilantro tastes like soap to you. If you are simply out of it, culantro is the closest in taste at half the amount, and a salsa with no herb at all is still a good salsa.

Verdict —: You'll taste it
The tweak —: Chop it fine, stir it in at the end and add an extra squeeze of lime juice.
Best for —: pico de gallo and fresh tomato salsa
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cilantro card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cilantro substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of cilantro	Verdict
1	Flat-leaf parsleypico de gallo and fresh tomato salsa	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
2	Culantrosalsa verde	½ × the amountTweak it	Tweak it
3	Basilmango, peach and pineapple salsa	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
4	Chivespico de gallo	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Dried cilantrocooked salsas	1 tsp per 1 tbspYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Flat-leaf parsley

grassy and mild; the citrusy cilantro note is gone

The same tender leaf and the same green flecks in the bowl, with a mild, grassy flavor. Lime juice puts back some of the brightness the cilantro had.

Best for: pico de gallo and fresh tomato salsa, anyone who dislikes cilantro, restaurant-style blended salsa
Prep: Chop it fine, stir it in at the end and add an extra squeeze of lime juice.
Where it fails: Tomatillo salsa verde and other salsas where cilantro is a main flavor: with parsley it is a milder, different sauce. Curly parsley is tougher and tastes of little.

Culantro

the same flavor as cilantro, stronger

A long, saw-edged leaf sold as recao, sawtooth herb or ngo gai in Latin, Caribbean and Southeast Asian markets. It tastes like cilantro, only stronger, and it holds its flavor when cooked.

Best for: salsa verde, cooked and roasted salsas, when you are out of cilantro and want the same flavor
Prep: Start with half the amount, slice it very thin because the leaf is tough, and add more to taste.
Where it fails: No help if you dislike cilantro: it has the same taste, more of it.

Basil

sweet and peppery, closer to bruschetta than to salsa

A soft, sweet herb that takes a salsa in a different direction. With fruit it tastes deliberate; with tomato it reads as Italian.

Best for: mango, peach and pineapple salsa, fresh tomato salsa, strawberry or watermelon salsa
Prep: Tear or slice it just before serving; cut basil darkens as it sits.
Where it fails: Tomatillo salsas and smoky dried-chile salsas, where the sweetness sits oddly.

Chives

mild onion, with no herbal note

Chives give the salsa its green and a mild onion bite. Nothing about them tastes of cilantro, but they belong with the tomato, onion and chile already in the bowl.

Best for: pico de gallo, corn and black bean salsa, when no leafy herb is in the fridge
Where it fails: A salsa that is already heavy on raw onion gets sharper.

Green onion tops do the same job but are stronger: start with half the amount, or cut back the onion already in the salsa.

Dried cilantro

faint and hay-like next to fresh

The jar from the spice rack. Drying takes most of the flavor out of cilantro, so this keeps a faint trace of it and none of the freshness.

Best for: cooked salsas, jarred or canned salsa you are doctoring
Prep: Stir it in and let the salsa stand so the flakes soften before you serve it.
Where it fails: Fresh pico de gallo, where the herb is half the point.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeCilantro

In salsa, cilantro goes in raw at the end, and it is doing two things: a fresh green bite against the tomato and chile, and its own citrusy, pungent flavor. Any tender herb covers the first. Only culantro covers the second, which is why the right swap depends on whether you are out of cilantro or avoiding it.

Tips for substituting cilantro

5 tips

Pico de gallo and other fresh tomato salsas: parsley and extra lime, in the same amount as the cilantro. Add it just before serving so it stays bright.
Salsa verde with tomatillos: cilantro is a large part of the flavor. Culantro at half the amount is the closest; with parsley, add extra lime and expect a milder, grassier salsa.
Mango, peach or pineapple salsa: basil suits the fruit better than parsley does.
Cooked and roasted red salsas: leave the herb out, or stir in a pinch of dried Mexican oregano while the salsa simmers.
Salt and lime do as much for a salsa as the herb. Taste again after the swap and adjust both.

Questions

4 questions

Can I just leave cilantro out of salsa?

Yes. Plenty of cooked red salsas are made without it, and a fresh salsa still works on tomato, onion, chile, lime and salt. Add a little extra lime juice so it does not taste flat, and parsley or chives if you want the green.

What if cilantro tastes like soap to me?

Use flat-leaf parsley with extra lime, or basil in a fruit salsa. Skip culantro and dried cilantro, which carry the same flavor. The soapy taste is linked to a variation in smell-receptor genes, so the fix is a different herb.

Can I use ground coriander or coriander seed in place of cilantro in salsa?

Not as a replacement. Coriander is the seed of the same plant, but it tastes warm, nutty and citrusy, nothing like the fresh leaf. A pinch can go into a cooked salsa as a spice. In a fresh salsa, use a fresh herb or leave the cilantro out.

Can I change the cilantro in a salsa recipe for canning?

In a tested canning recipe you can leave the cilantro out, and the National Center for Home Food Preservation suggests adding fresh cilantro when you serve the salsa if you want more of it. Treat a substitute the same way: stir the parsley in when you open the jar. Do not add extra fresh herbs, onions or peppers beyond what the recipe lists, because they are low-acid and the recipe's acidity is what keeps the jar safe.