50 + Fresh & Zesty Cilantro Recipes

If you don’t like cilantro and think it tastes like soap (this is a real thing!), you may exit this post now. Otherwise, the fresh cilantro recipes below will easily provide you with some great options.

Bunch of fresh cilantro on a board with a knife.

As a flavorful herb, cilantro can easily make a great dish even greater. Regardless of what the dish consists of, your grains, vegetables, protein or beans will be elevated with the taste of this earthy herb.

Many of these cilantro recipes will fall into more than 1 category but they've been placed within the category that best suits them. A couple of my favorites on this list are the homemade chipotle sauce and nachos with carne asada. Enjoy!

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Recipes That Use a Lot of Cilantro (1 Cup or More)
Rice + Cilantro Recipes
Chicken & Cilantro Recipes
Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes
Cilantro Salad and Dressing Recipes
Guacamole With Cilantro Recipes
Cilantro Pesto Recipes
Soup Recipes with Cilantro
Seafood Cilantro Recipes
Pasta & Cilantro Recipes
Miscellaneous
Cilantro FAQs
More Recipe Round Ups
Which Recipe Will You Pick?

Recipes That Use a Lot of Cilantro (1 Cup or More)

If you’re looking for recipes that use an abundance of cilantro because you love it that much, here are a few to check out.

Sense and Edibility

Authentic Puerto Rican Sofrito

Sofrito, sometimes referred to as recaito, is a delicious seasoning sauce that many dishes use within the Caribbean community. It’s simple to make this sofrito and it has a nice blend of garlic, peppers, onions, cilantro and culantro. Culantro is not the same herb as cilantro! This variation excludes tomatoes, which allows it to have a greener appearance.

Authentic Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipe

Spice up the Curry

Cilantro Chutney

This chutney is bursting with vibrant green color! As a chutney, the addition of cilantro provides an earthy, fresh base for this blender sauce. By incorporating a serrano chili, you add a nice hit of heat.

Cilantro Chutney Recipe

Mad Creations Hub

Cilantro Chimichurri

This versatile low-carb sauce can be used as a dip or sauce for proteins (like steak, chicken or seafood). It’s full of that fresh flavor that lifts your meal with bright, earthy flavors. This recipe also includes instructions for making it with a Thermomix.

Cilantro Chimichurri Recipe

Babaganosh

20 Minute Cilantro Lime Shrimp

If you’ve got 20 minutes on hand, please do make this cilantro lime shrimp dish as an appetizer or side dish. The lime really adds some zing to the flavor profile and for all of the cilantro lovers out there, you know what it brings to the table! Not only are you marinating the shrimp in the cilantro mixture, but you are brushing it on after cooking for a fresh and cooked version of the sauce colliding into one.

Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Recipe

The Pypers Kitchen

Strawberry Mango Avocado Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

This strawberry mango avocado salad is livened up with a fresh cilantro vinaigrette to compliment the fruity flavors. The dressing uses an entire cup of cilantro to be sure you get the full flavor of this complex herb. Simply toss the salad with the vinaigrette and it’s a match made in heaven.

Strawberry Mango Avocado Salad Recipe

Rice + Cilantro Recipes

Using cilantro is a great way to spruce up plain rice whether it's to eat as is or add to burritos, rice bowls, etc.

Sparkles to Sprinkles

Instant Pot Chipotle’s Cilantro Lime Rice

With the use of an instant pot, this fresh and zesty cilantro-lime rice comes together with very little prep. The cilantro gives the rice a nice infusion of flavor and turns plain rice into a fluffy, flavorful delight. It’s a great copycat of Chipotle’s famous rice with the same name.

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Daily Dish

Fluffy Cilantro Lime Rice In A Rice Cooker

If you make your rice in a rice cooker, then you’re going to want to make this version of cilantro rice! It might just remind you of the fluffy rice in those burrito bowls at Chipotle Mexican Grill!

Rice Cooker Cilantro Rice Recipe

Amanda's Cookin'

Cauliflower Copycat Chipotle Rice

Go low carb instead and try this cauliflower copycat version of Chipotle rice. It’s a healthy twist on a classic! You know this recipe is going to be good when the creator of it recreated the Chipotle recipe due to an absence of the restaurant where she lives in Europe. Now that is dedication.

Cauliflower Copycat Chipotle Rice Recipe

Borrowed Bites

Yummy Pineapple Rice

This recipe gives you instructions for both instant pot and stove-top so it’s a win-win! And if you’re looking to go for Hawaiian feels for the night, this is the recipe to put on your dinner menu. I can already feel the humidity and warm nights just by thinking about this tropical-infused cilantro rice dish.

Pineapple Rice Recipe

Masala Herb

Aromatic Cilantro Lime Rice

Helene puts an Indian twist on your classic cilantro lime rice that can be served with many different proteins. This not only adds aromatic flavors but a beautiful, yellow color to the rice. She recommends to only use very fresh cilantro leaves.

Indian Style Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Hoorah to Health

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice

In case you prefer brown rice for various health reasons, here is a recipe for cilantro rice that will suit your needs. It’s fragrant, flavorful and simple to make; you’ll just need a little more time to cook the brown rice as it is a whole grain–that’s not a bad thing!

Cilantro Lime Brown Rice Recipe

Chicken & Cilantro Recipes

Both chicken and cilantro are commonly used in Mexican cuisine. These dishes combine the two in divine ways.

Skillet Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas have everything you could possibly want in a dish: spice, cheese, sauce, and meaty, savory flavor, all wrapped up in a tortilla. The finished dish is covered in fresh cilantro, adding to the vibrant, fresh flavors of this Mexican favorite.

Skillet Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Fresh Off the Grid

Cilantro & Lime Grilled Chicken Tacos

Now that it is grilling season, I had to include some outdoor cooking cilantro recipes. And these grilled chicken tacos definitely fill that void! I mean, just look at them. I’m ready for this taco party. Are you?

Cilantro & Lime Grilled Chicken Tacos Recipe

Dine Dream Discover

Air Fryer Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings

How ever they are cooked, chicken wings are always a hit! But, if you can’t imagine cooking anything without your air fryer, this is the recipe you've been waiting for. There are of course instructions for cooking them in the oven, if you prefer. Back to the wings; they are cooked in a cilantro sauce and then topped with the fresh herb to finish it off.

Air Fryer Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings Recipe

Laura Fuentes

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

This whole 30, paleo meal with juicy, cilantro-lime marinated chicken and a fresh avocado salsa over cilantro cauliflower rice hits all of the right notes. All of the components come together to make this dish great as a whole and each component contains the fresh herb. So, if you can’t get enough of cilantro, click over to this recipe!

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa Recipe

Get Inspired Everyday

Jalapeño Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken

This dish looks like you are about to eat the rainbow; it’s a Mexican fiesta on a plate! The homemade sauce is loaded with 2 cups of chopped cilantro. The chicken is marinated in it and brushed with some reserved sauce at the end, so this recipe definitely doesn’t skimp on the cilantro flavor.

Jalapeño Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Recipe

Spend with Pennies

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Just look at those grill marks! This chicken is also marinated in a cilantro sauce and grilled to perfection. You can use either chicken breasts or thighs, bone in or boneless, whatever you prefer. It’s a simple recipe that comes together quickly after marinating the chicken. No worries if you have leftovers because it tastes amazing shredded into tacos or sliced on top of a salad.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Recipe

Kristine's Kitchen Blog

Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs

In this cilantro lime chicken thigh dish, you get a juicy piece of chicken that comes from a nice marinade of cilantro, garlic, lime juice etc. Once marinated, you can enjoy either grilling or pan-frying and then baking the chicken and adding your favorite side dishes! There are instructions for both methods.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs Recipe

Chicken skewers, cilantro, lime wedge and bowl of salsa on wooden board.

Bitz n Giggles

Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

If you’re like me and you love grilled food on a stick, go ahead and try these cilantro lime chicken skewers! Bite-size pieces of chicken are marinated in a cilantro & lime honey garlic sauce, skewered and then grilled before moving on to a range of options for serving. You can serve them on the stick with a carb and a veggie, over rice and topped with salsa, in a salad, etc.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers Recipe

Craving California

Chicken Thighs with Citrus-Cilantro Salsa Verde

Incorporating fresh cilantro with some spices and citrus flavor helps create a perfect pairing with your chicken! Besides chicken, this salsa verde would also work great with a nice fish, steak, or pork with some vegetables.

Chicken Thighs with Salsa Verde Recipe

Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes

There are many vegetarian and vegan cilantro recipes on this list but these ones stood out as perfect choices for a plant-based diet.

Tomatillo Salsa

The cilantro in this recipe is cooked with all of the other ingredients to really meld the flavors together before getting pulsed in a blender. This green salsa is a nice switch up from your typical red tomato type. If you can’t wait to get dipping, click on the recipe below!

Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

Strength and Sunshine

Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad

Char-grilled corn is removed from the cob and tossed with a vegan Mexican street corn dressing, resulting in a creamy, smoky, tangy, crunchy combination! It has plenty of cilantro mixed in which contrasts nicely with the bright yellow corn.

Vegan Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe

Chef Jar

Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus

Turn your hummus vibrantly green with cilantro and jalapeño to create a healthy dip that is beyond fresh. This easy recipe provides you with a great addition to pork roasts or just as a dip for veggies and crackers. The combination is a lovely way to make plain old hummus exciting again.

Cilantro Jalapeño Hummus Recipe

Simply Stacie

Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy caviar, or Texas caviar, is a dip loaded with not fish eggs but colorful veggies, cilantro, beans and spices. It can be served as a dip or salad at your backyard BBQs. Your guests will appreciate the deliciousness and the beauty of it!

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Lemons & Zest

Cilantro Lime Spicy Black Bean Burgers

These spicy black bean burgers are an excellent vegetarian-friendly option for a BBQ! The jalapeños provide some kick and the patties aren’t short of cilantro. They are held together with a flax egg but freezing the mixture for a bit before forming them also helps to hold the delicious plant-based ingredients together.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers Recipe

Cilantro Salad and Dressing Recipes

Here I have a selection of both salads and salad dressings that are focused on using cilantro. Salad dressing from scratch is so much more fresh than store-bought–plus, it’s rewarding to look at that bottle of yumminess knowing you made that!

Blackberry Babe

Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw

Mixing cilantro and lime with coleslaw gives it a nice tang and some extra fresh flavor. It’s a great choice for a side dish if you’re looking for some low carb options.

Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw Recipe

Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Chimichurri Chicken Salad

I just love a good chimichurri sauce and this version uses mostly cilantro rather than parsley. It is then slathered all over poached chicken cubes in this chimichurri chicken salad! You can stuff it between bread slices, in pitas and wraps or on top of a bed of greens. It’s perfect for cold make-ahead meals and lunch on-the-go!

Chimichurri Chicken Salad Recipe

Peak to Plate

Shaved Jicama and Blood Orange Salad

This is a unique salad with jicama and blood oranges as the main ingredients. The trick to this recipe is to slice the jicama very thin and let it absorb all of that yummy cilantro dressing. It is absolutely stunning!

Shaved Jicama and Blood Orange Salad Recipe

Our Happy Mess

Cilantro Lime Dressing

This bright and sunny cilantro dressing/vinaigrette has a base of oil and vinegar and a few other simple ingredients, including cilantro. This recipe comes together in only 5 minutes, so why not make it asap for your salad?!

Cilantro Lime Dressing Recipe

Bite on the Side

Cilantro Cucumber Salad

This cucumber salad is super creamy with the Greek yogurt and sour cream. Some diced red onions add a bit of crunch and a heaping of cilantro makes it extra fresh! Using garden fresh cucumbers would make it even more epic.

Cilantro Cucumber Salad Recipe

A Virtual Vegan

Tomato Chickpea Salad

Last on our list of cilantro salads is this easy, tomato chickpea salad with citrusy-herby flavor and a nice combination of textures. It would be great as a side salad but filling enough to eat on its own.

Tomato Chickpea Salad Recipe

Garnish and Glaze

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

This cilantro lime dressing packs a lot of flavor with the added spices and creaminess. It can be utilized for an array of foods such as tacos, burritos, salads or as a dip. The Ranch flavoring with sour cream takes this dressing to another level, while the cilantro provides a fresh component!

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing Recipe

Guacamole With Cilantro Recipes

Cilantro is a must in guacamole! I found a few delicious recipes below that really make the cilantro shine in this delicious, green Mexican dip.

Tex Mex guacamole in bowl on brown wooden background.

Guacamole 4 Ways

This recipe has 4 creative and tasty ways to mix up some guacamole. The variations include the basic classic, protein packed, spicy Tex Mex and a sweet, fruity version. Quickly whip up your favorite or go for all 4 to give your guests some variety!

How to Make Guacamole 4 Ways Recipe

Guacamole with a tortilla chip in a glass bowl on wooden background.

Angry BBQ

Homemade Guacamole

If you love dips for tortilla chips, then you need to know how to make this homemade guacamole. This rich, creamy dip is perfect when the avocados are nice and ripe. As Mike from Angry BBQ puts it, this is definitely better than that goop from the grocery store!

Homemade Guacamole Recipe

Elise Tries to Cook

Easy 4 Ingredient Guacamole

If you don’t want to get too complicated but want more than some mashed up avocado with your chips, then check out this 4-ingredient only guacamole. Cilantro is, of course, one of the staple ingredients because it just wouldn’t be a good guacamole without it!

4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe

Cilantro Pesto Recipes

Pesto is typically made with basil leaves but the basil is swapped out for cilantro in these tasty pesto recipes.

An Edible Mosaic

Pistachio Cilantro Pesto

Being a fan of basil pesto may have you changing your mind once you make this cilantro pesto. With cilantro and pistachios, it gives it a different spin on the traditional green pesto that uses basil and pine nuts. It’s worth a try!

Pistachio Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Moon and Spoon and Yum

Nut Free Cilantro Pesto

Nuts are one of the main ingredients in a pesto, but when you have to ensure your food is safe for someone with a nut allergy, you don’t have to skip the pesto; you can just prepare this nut free version with loads of cilantro!

Nut Free Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Delicious on a Dime

Super Easy Cilantro Pesto

Next time you are carving pumpkins, save the seeds! This cilantro pesto is also nut free, using pumpkin seeds instead for a fall touch and a whole lot of cilantro. It comes together nice and thick in a food processor.

Super Easy Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Give it Some Thyme

Spicy Cilantro Pistachio Pesto

If you like all things spicy, like me, then you might as well enjoy your pesto spicy too with this cilantro pistachio pesto recipe. The jalapeños bring the heat to the cilantro base and the pistachios offer up a different nutty flavor from your typical pine nut.

Spicy Cilantro Pistachio Pesto Recipe

Soup Recipes with Cilantro

Cilantro works great as a fresh topping for soups but it also amps up the flavor when it’s cooked in. Check out both ways in these hot and yummy soups.

Mexican Soup

This easy, slow cooker soup has all of the Mexican flavors and ingredients you could ask for! The tortilla strips add some nice crunch to the finished soup. Chopped cilantro is added as a fresh garnish.

Mexican Soup Recipe

Vidhya's Home Cooking

Lemon Cilantro Tofu Noodle Soup

Srividhya from Vidhyas Home Cooking suggests making this lemon-cilantro, noodle and tofu soup in large quantities, and I think that is good advice! The cilantro in this dish is not just a garnish; it, among other ingredients like lemon and ginger, gives this soup full flavor!

Lemon Cilantro Tofu Noodle Soup Recipe

Life Currents

Thai Coconut Noodles

In this quick and flavorful Thai coconut noodle soup recipe, the cilantro is sautéed before adding the rest of the soup ingredients, giving it a different flavor and texture than its fresh use. If that makes you just a bit curious, give the recipe a try below!

Thai Coconut Noodles Recipe

Seafood Cilantro Recipes

Fresh cilantro is known to complement seafood well, whether its shrimp, whitefish or salmon. Here are just a few that really sparked my interest.

Ceviche

If you are looking for a delicious dish that puts a new spin on seafood, then ceviche will be the way to go. By basically ‘cooking’ the cubed fish with lemon juice instead of heat, you get a delectable combination that allows the fish to be eaten fresh. The cilantro gives it some extra flavor that is not too overpowering.

Ceviche Recipe

Grilled halibut tacos on brown serving tray.

Grilled Halibut Tacos With Salsa Verde

I love the contrasting, vibrant colors in this grilled halibut taco recipe. But it’s not only pretty to look at; it’s damn delicious too! The salsa verde with cilantro goes exceptionally well with the light, flaky fish without being overpowering.

Grilled Halibut Tacos Recipe

Joy Filled Eats

Keto Pesto Salmon

The cilantro-lime pesto is what makes this keto salmon dish pop! The cilantro is abundant in this recipe and so is the yumminess. The best part is, you can make it in 15 minutes.

Keto Pesto Salmon Recipe

The Food Hussy

Air Fryer Cilantro Lime Breaded Shrimp

This recipe takes me back to my grandma’s Christmas dinners where she always served breaded shrimp. This version, made in an air fryer, is so crispy and zesty with the cilantro-lime panko coating!

Air Fryer Cilantro Lime Breaded Shrimp Recipe

Pasta & Cilantro Recipes

Cilantro adds a fresh, colorful touch to a plate of cooked pasta.

The Blond Cook

Buttery Cilantro Lime Shrimp Pasta

Next time it’s seafood night in your house, give this buttery cilantro shrimp fettuccine a try. The pasta is drizzled with a white wine sauce and then topped with butter-cooked shrimp and fresh cilantro. It looks and sounds amazing!

Buttery Cilantro Lime Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Vidhya's Home Cooking

Cilantro Pesto Pasta

This cilantro pesto pasta is a great way to get your kids to eat their greens! Plenty of cilantro is blended into a pesto before being smothered all over their favorite pasta and packed away into lunchboxes.

Cilantro Pesto Pasta Recipe

Miscellaneous

Here are some miscellaneous cilantro recipes that didn’t quite fit into the other categories but are equally fresh and delicious!

Chipotle Sauce

Here is one of my favorite spicy condiments: smoky chipotle sauce! You may not easily see the cilantro in this recipe because it’s blended into a smooth, creamy concoction but it’s definitely in there and goes perfectly with the other ingredients.

Chipotle Sauce Recipe

Carne Asada Nachos

The cilantro-heavy dip in this recipe is absolutely perfect for these nachos topped with slices of carne asada, melty Monterey Jack and spicy jalapeños as well as other fresh toppings. You might want to double the dip - it’s that good!

Carne Asada Nachos Recipe

Food Meanderings

Pico de Gallo Salsa

Pico de gallo is a popular chunky salsa recipe known for its use of cilantro. It also goes by the name of “Salsa Fresca”. This version, with perfectly combined textures and flavors, is very easy to make and looks like it came out of a restaurant!

Pico De Gallo With Cilantro Recipe

The Spice Train

Ginger Beef Meatballs

These ginger beef meatballs are filled with fresh, flavorful ingredients, including cilantro, ginger and garlic. There is no sauce necessary as these taste great as they are. Serve them as an appetizer or over rice.

Ginger Beef Meatballs Recipe

Mayuris Jikoni

Coriander Garlic Chaas

You can even drink your cilantro in this coriander garlic chaas recipe from Mayuri's Jikoni. It has a yogurt base blended with a cilantro and raw garlic mixture and served on ice.

Coriander Garlic Chaas Recipe

Cilantro FAQs

Is coriander the same as cilantro?

They can sometimes be used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two. Here in America, cilantro is the name for the plant leaves and stems and coriander refers to the dried seeds. You cannot substitute one for the other as the fresh plant is entirely different from the dried seed. Elsewhere, both the plant and the seeds are called coriander.

How do you store it to keep it fresh?

The first step in storing cilantro is to remove the rubber band because it can cause quicker decay. Next, place them upright in a jar with 1 inch of water. Loosely cover the top with plastic wrap and into the fridge. That’s it! You can replace the water occasionally with fresh water and this should help them to last longer.

Why does cilantro taste like soap?

It only tastes like soap to a small percentage of the population (mostly from East Asia) and it comes down to their genetics. Due to a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes, they can sense the soapy-flavored aldehydes present in the cilantro. Places where cilantro has long been popular, like India and Central America, have the lowest population of cilantro soap-sensing individuals.