cilantro

mariahp23
mariahp23 Posts: 57
edited October 4 in Recipes
Hello all! I had to buy some cilantro for a recipe, however I still have tons left! Anyone have any good recipes to use up my cilantro?

Also, does anyone know if I can freeze it?

Thanks!

Replies

  • sundancer1966
    sundancer1966 Posts: 478 Member
    Yes, you can freeze it. It is very versitile, you can sprinkle it in soups, it goes great with tomato soup, lentil soup and lentil dishes.

    you can also sprinkle it in salad.
  • Legalchica
    Legalchica Posts: 462
    YUM!! love it in like everything!! I make my own beans from dry and use it in them. also use it to flavor pretty much any kind of meats :) great fresh on mexican carne asada tacos :)
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    Cooking Light's Chicken Posole and Tortilla Meatball Soup!

    Just pull up their website and enter the recipe name in....

    Other great recipes on there include Ancho Pork Medallions and Linguini with Peppery Shrimp.... Mmmmm.... Love Cooking Light.....
  • christineanne8
    christineanne8 Posts: 24
    I'm not sure if you can freeze it. It's usually fairly cheap, so if you have to throw it away you're usually only out $1 or so. (even less if you get it at a farmer's market).

    I put cilantro on everything! Mix in with spinach in salads, add to any pasta, or mini home-made pizzas, you name it.
  • Susay2942
    Susay2942 Posts: 211 Member
    Might sound a little odd, but I like it on my sandwiches!
  • Ladymomo9
    Ladymomo9 Posts: 35 Member
    Try it on everything...I LOVE CILANTRO!!
  • sallyLunn
    sallyLunn Posts: 381
    freeze it :)
  • Indy_Mario
    Indy_Mario Posts: 532 Member
    Hello all! I had to buy some cilantro for a recipe, however I still have tons left! Anyone have any good recipes to use up my cilantro?

    Also, does anyone know if I can freeze it?

    Thanks!

    Don't freeze it!

    Make some salsa with lots of cilantro! Or guacamole.
    It's also great on salads, as another green mixed in there.
    Eat it fresh, since most palates unaccustomed to it don't appreciate it cooked in most things, although it can be used to add more flavor to just about anything.
  • blm211
    blm211 Posts: 6
    freezing it doesn't work so well - i ALWAYS have this problem. I like to make guacamole and always end up with so much left over. You can use it to add a little flavor to salads, grilled chicken, baked potatoes. This is the recipe I use for guacamole, it is bethenny frenkel's mock-a-mole:
    http://www.bethenny.com/2010/07/20/low-fat-mock-a-mole/
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    It's so much better fresh, so I wouldn't freeze it (although you can). Make some home made salsa....so easy. For a family sized batch: boil 4 medium tomatoes and 2-3 serrano peppers for about 20 minutes. Chop fresh cinlatro and yellow onion and put in blender. Add tomatoes and serrano peppers when done boiling, salt and puree (don't add water). Home made, authentic salsa!
  • EmBlazes
    EmBlazes Posts: 374 Member
    Blend it up in a dip (with cream cheese or avocado and lime or whatever you prefer) and then freeze it :)
  • tinydancer24
    tinydancer24 Posts: 98
    I grow it myself so I always have a fresh supply and I don't have to waste it. It grows very well indoors in the kitchen window.
  • Indy_Mario
    Indy_Mario Posts: 532 Member
    It's so much better fresh, so I wouldn't freeze it (although you can). Make some home made salsa....so easy. For a family sized batch: boil 4 medium tomatoes and 2-3 serrano peppers for about 20 minutes. Chop fresh cinlatro and yellow onion and put in blender. Add tomatoes and serrano peppers when done boiling, salt and puree (don't add water). Home made, authentic salsa!

    This sounds like a winner!
    And I know salsa!
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
    Mix it through rice with some toasted coconut and serve with Thai food :) Most Thai food will use some in the recipe as well!
  • Tangerine302
    Tangerine302 Posts: 1,509 Member
    One of my favorites is called Crispy Chicken Taquitos with Guacamole. There's a video on youtube with Cooking with Carolyn.
    The taquitos use a rotiserie chicken and I like to make her guacamole recipe. I use onion powder instead of onion and skip the jalapeno. You can use her salsa recipe or use jar salsa. They aren't the best for your health I'm sure as they are fried, but maybe you could alter the recipe and possible bake them. They are reallllly good though! :)
  • Bigmomma0u812
    Bigmomma0u812 Posts: 118
    I agree with Mario, it is great as a salsa topper. It also gives a totally different flavor to homemade quesadillas. I love the taste of cilantro but I hate the smell it leaves on my hands. I can't seem to get rid of it no matter how many times I wash them.
  • StarGeezer
    StarGeezer Posts: 351
    While it will not have as pungent a flavor as fresh, cilantro CAN be dried/dehydrated. You can use a food dehydrator, microwave or go "old school" and air dry it. For certain dishes you certainly want fresh, but for sprinkling into soups, stews, and the like, dried will work just fine. The leaves can often turn black if you're not careful when freezing, so I'd personally recommend drying the excess or using it to garnish meals.
  • riacurtis
    riacurtis Posts: 37 Member
    i make a chick pea salad with canned chick peas, red onions, lime and cilantro.


    Also cilantro lime rice.
  • Indy_Mario
    Indy_Mario Posts: 532 Member
    While it will not have as pungent a flavor as fresh, cilantro CAN be dried/dehydrated. You can use a food dehydrator, microwave or go "old school" and air dry it. For certain dishes you certainly want fresh, but for sprinkling into soups, stews, and the like, dried will work just fine. The leaves can often turn black if you're not careful when freezing, so I'd personally recommend drying the excess or using it to garnish meals.

    Not only do the leaves more often than not turn black when you freeze it, but once you thaw it, you have minutes to use it for once it de-freezes, it'll wilt. If you can dry it, do it. If not, make it into something (like salsa or dip) and refrigerate that. Cilantro rice is the bomb!
  • tkbyerly
    tkbyerly Posts: 2 Member
    You can add it to store bought salsa for a fresh kick, I have to take my lunch to work so I add it to Healthy Choice soups at lunch for a fresh kick.
    It stores best wrapped in wax paper and foil in the refrig. It keeps it from wilting as fast.
  • SouthernArt77
    SouthernArt77 Posts: 223 Member
    I LOVE cilantro!! It's great in salsa, black beans, on fish tacos, in dips...Check out skinnytaste.com for some really good recipes using cilantro. One of my favorites there is the cilantro lime shrimp.
  • hiddensunshine
    hiddensunshine Posts: 3
    Cilantro is my FAVORITE thing to use in cooking. It can really change a dish!

    -Season a chicken breast with cumin and paprika- chop up cilantro (and onion) and toss it in with the chicken then cover with foil and bake in the oven.

    -Toss chicken breast into a deep pan on the stove (I prefer to cut mine into bite sized pieces). When chicken is starting to brown on one side, flip and add balsamic vinegar (enough to almost cover the chicken), chopped cilantro, and a package of cherry tomatoes. Simmer until tomatoes begin to cook down, stirring occasionally. Toss everything over whole wheat pasta, and stir in/garnish with feta cheese.

    -I LOVE caprese salad, and it's my go-to comfort food. At home, I chop up tomatoes, mozz cheese, red onion, and cilantro and mix it together in a bowl. Season with fresh ground black pepper (and sometimes a pinch of salt) and enjoy!

    -When roasting chickens are on sale, I'll boil one down and pick all the meat off of it. Then, I go soup crazy! Try adding cilantro to chicken noodle soup! Yum! I also add red peppers, jalapenos, green peppers, extra carrots, celery, tomatoes, (what ever veggies are in the fridge!) a small can of tomato paste, and more cilantro to my boring chicken noodle soup and top it with a dalop of sour cream for an awesome chicken tortilla soup!

    I could go on, and on, and on.... I add cilantro to everything! Enjoy!
  • jmruef
    jmruef Posts: 824 Member
    Corn salsa!

    1 can of corn, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can black beans. Lime juice, lemon juice (to taste), black pepper, and chopped cilantro. Easy Peasy and YUMMY. Serve w/ Tostitos Scoops...or just a big ol' spoon. :glasses:

    (You could use fresh instead of canned stuff, I'm sure - but it's more labor intensive and I am SO not about that.)
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    You can definitely freeze it! I did that last time b/c cilantro bunches are so huge and I barely use 2 tbsp per recipe and only cook that type of food a couple times a month.

    I scraped off the leaves and major stems and put it into zip lock baggies. It was still flavourful and delicious for months.
  • nkswans
    nkswans Posts: 469 Member
    I love cilantro! Agreed, you can put it on everything to just add some extra flavor. I had an abundance of cilantro left one time and made cilantro pesto. Blend cilantro, almonds, olive oil, splashe of lemon juice, garlic and parmesan cheese. Freeze it in ice cube trays and take out a cube when you need it. You can put it on chicken, fish or pasta.
  • mpcass
    mpcass Posts: 86
    Throw some chicken breasts, your cilantro, a jalapeno or pablano pepper, some onion and some cumin in a crock-pot on low and let it go for like 6-8 hours. shread the chicken and it is awesome in tacos.
  • mariahp23
    mariahp23 Posts: 57
    Great tips everyone! Thanks :)
  • LaSirena29
    LaSirena29 Posts: 84
    I love to toss chopped fresh cilantro into my scrambled egg whites in the morning. It's a great flavor boost and makes for a nice change from plain egg whites.
  • sanrog
    sanrog Posts: 68
    I like to make Mango Salsa - 1 Diced mango, 1 Can Black Beans, Chopped Red onion, Lime Juice, Cilantro.

    You can eat it as a side dish or if you leave out the black beans it is greaaaaat on grilled chicken.
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