How to freeze dry cilantro

Loosely cover the leaves with an upside-down plastic bag and pop it in the fridge. Storing cilantro this way will keep it fresh for as long as a month — just make sure to occasionally refresh the water in the jar. You can also use this same method for other leafy herbs like parsley and mint.

Once frozen through, transfer the cilantro cubes to a resealable plastic bag for long-term storage—they will last in the freezer up to six months.

Drying cilantro

To dry, preheat oven to 250-300 degrees F. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with baking spray to help with sticking. Strip the leaves off the stems of the cilantro, and spread the leaves in one layer on the cookie sheet. Let the leaves dry out in the oven for 20-30 minutes, check once.

Air-drying is the best way to prepare cilantro for long-term storage. Simply tie a bunch of cilantro with a string and hang it in a moisture-free area to dry naturally. Crush the dry leaves and store them in an airtight container for as long as 2 years.

A super simple way to freeze cilantro for later is to stash in a zip-top freezer bag. To do this, wash your cilantro and pat dry with a clean dishtowel. Place the sprigs in resealable bags and toss in the freezer.

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.

You can also freeze the cilantro whole, and break off a few leaves whenever you need them. Consider tossing the cilantro with some olive oil. This will protect the delicate herb from the cold and keep it from going mushy. Simply place the herb into a bowl and toss it with a teaspoon to a tablespoon of olive oil.

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.

The main sign of a supertaster is an dislike of certain foods. Cilantro, famously, is a turn off for supertasters. They taste the bitterness in it that others do not. The salt lessens the bitter taste, and supertasters like the taste of salt more than the rest of us do.

In his Basics video for Chicken Tikka Masala, he mentions his dislike of cilantro as an “affliction”, which means he seems to be aware of the genetic condition.

Cilantro is a green, leafy herb that resembles parsley. It’s the leafy part of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum), which produces seeds that are used as a spice. For those who appreciate it, cilantro tastes like a stronger version of parsley, with a tangy citrus flavor.