What Goes With Cilantro? 28 Best Flavour Pairings

Cilantro goes best with lime, avocado, onion, chilli, tomato and tortillas, the core of Mexican salsas and tacos. Its bright, citrusy leaves are just as good with ginger, coconut, peanut and mango in Indian and Southeast Asian cooking.

Herbs

• Mint — complementary fresh, green aromas that share the stage in chutneys and Vietnamese salads.
• Thai basil — sweet anise notes alongside cilantro make a classic Southeast Asian herb plate.

Spices

• Coriander seed — same plant, different aroma: warm, orangey seed under fresh, green leaf.
• Cumin — earthy cumin grounds cilantro's brightness in salsas, curries and bean dishes.

Aromatics

• Onion — raw onion's sulfurous bite contrasts with cilantro's vivid freshness in salsa.
• Ginger — ginger's heat and cilantro's citrus notes are a standard base across Asian cooking.
• Garlic — pounded together, they form the base of green chutneys and Thai marinades.
• Lemongrass — cilantro's bright notes amplify lemongrass's citrus.
• Galangal — cilantro roots and galangal are pounded together in Thai curry pastes.
• Jalapeño — cilantro's freshness lightens a jalapeño's green heat.

Acids & Citrus

• Lime — both are bright and citrusy; lime keeps cilantro tasting fresh and sharp.
• Preserved lemon — salty, mellow citrus and cilantro meet in Moroccan tagines and salads.

Vegetables & Sides

• Tomatillo — cilantro's citrus brightens tart tomatillo in salsa verde.
• Avocado — creamy avocado softens cilantro's grassy punch in guacamole.
• Tomato — sweet, juicy tomato tames cilantro's intensity in pico de gallo.
• Corn — fresh cilantro contrasts sweet charred corn in esquites and salads.
• Cucumber — cool cucumber and cilantro make crisp raitas and Asian-style salads.

Fruit

• Mango — citrusy cilantro cuts ripe mango's sweetness in salsas and salads.
• Pineapple — tangy-sweet pineapple and cilantro are a taco al pastor favourite.

Dairy & Cheese

• Yogurt — cool yogurt tempers cilantro's sharp aroma in chutneys and raitas.
• Sour cream — cilantro's citrus notes sharpen sour cream's tang on tacos.
• Paneer — the bright leaf lifts mild, milky paneer dishes.

Grains & Starches

• Tortilla — fresh cilantro is the classic taco topping, scattered over a warm tortilla.
• Rice — stirred through just before serving for cilantro-lime rice.
• Quinoa — cilantro's citrusy aldehydes give quinoa salads some sparkle.

Proteins

• Black bean — cilantro lifts earthy black beans with a bright, citrusy finish.
• Shrimp — fresh cilantro contrasts sweet shrimp in tacos, ceviche and curries.

Nuts & Seeds

• Peanut — cilantro's fresh bite cuts roasted peanut's richness in satay and Thai salads.

Classic combos

• Cilantro + lime + onion + chilli — the backbone of every taco stand topping.
• Cilantro + avocado + lime + jalapeño — guacamole, fresh and creamy.
• Cilantro + tomatillo + jalapeño — tangy salsa verde for enchiladas and chilaquiles.
• Cilantro + mint + yogurt + green chilli — Indian green chutney, cooling and fiery at once.
• Cilantro + peanut + lime + chilli — the herby finish on Thai and Vietnamese noodle salads.

Pairings to avoid

• Long cooking — simmered leaves turn dull and lose their sparkle; add leaves at the end and cook the stems instead.
• Strong resinous herbs — rosemary and sage tend to clash with cilantro's bright, citrusy aldehydes.
• Delicate cream sauces — cilantro can dominate a gentle French-style sauce where parsley or chives would sit better.

Chef Fizz's pairing tip

Don't throw away the stems. Chop them finely and fry them at the start of a curry or blend them into salsa, then save the leaves for the very end.