Cilantro vs Italian Parsley: Difference and Comparison

Each country, state, and family has unique and different kinds of cuisines and dishes. Ingredients play a significant role in the making of a dish.

Various kinds of fruits, vegetables, and herbs are available in the market. Even the simplest ingredient can bring out the best in the form of flavours. The key is to use the best and fresh quality.

Key Takeaways

1. Cilantro has a strong, distinctive flavor described as pungent and citrusy.
2. Italian parsley has a milder taste and a slightly bitter aftertaste.
3. Cilantro is commonly used in Latin American and Asian cuisines, while Italian parsley is used in Mediterranean and European dishes.

Cilantro vs Italian Parsley

Cilantro leaves are more rounded, while parsley leaves are pointed. Parsley has a fresh, mild herbal scent, while Cilantro has a much stronger, spicy and citrus aroma. Italian parsley has darker, shinier leaves compared to Cilantro. Parsley is more preferred as it brings more vibrancy to the recipe.

Cilantro is a herb from the Apiaceae family, and Coriandrum sativum is its scientific name. All parts of cilantro can be consumed (edible). It is also called coriander, dhania, and Chinese parsley.

Italian parsley is a herb variety of the parsley plant; flat-leaf parsley is another name for Italian parsley. The leaves are flat, dark green, and pointy.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Cilantro	Italian Parsley
What is it	Cilantro is a herb that is part of the Apiaceae family and is an annual plant.	Italian parsley is a form of parsley herb which is a part of the Apiaceae family and is a biennial plant.
Scientific Name	Coriandrum Sativum.	Petroselinum neapolitanum.
Shape and Color of the Leaf	Round, lacy, and light or dark green	Flat, pointy, and a little dark green.
Native to	Southern Europe, northern Africa, to southwestern Asia.	Mediterranean (Turkey, southern Italy, etc.) and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Etymology	Cilantro is a Spanish word derived from the Latin word ‘Coriandrum.’	Italian parsley is derived from the Greek word ‘Petros’, which means rock as it grows in rocky terrain.
Used in	Indian chutneys, sauces, salads, and many Mexican dishes, etc.	Pasta sauces, garnishing in salads, Lebanese dishes, etc.
Other Names	Chinese parsley, coriander, or dhania.	Flat-leaf parsley.

What is Cilantro?

Cilantro is a prevalent and widely used herb. It is a part of the Apiaceae family and has a scientific name known as Coriandrum Sativum. Cilantro is an annual herb, i.e., it completes its life cycle in one growing season.

It has a strong flavour and aroma, bringing a beautiful touch to your dishes. Few people say it’s a little sour, like a lime or lemon, whereas few say it tastes like dish soap. Few people might also be allergic to cilantro.  

Cilantro is popular in America, and as we know, it is used worldwide; hence it has different names in different places. The other names are coriander, dhania (a colloquial term in India), and Chinese parsley.

Cilantro is very nutritious; it provides several vitamins like A, C, K, E, etc., along with many dietary minerals. A study proved that the flavour element in cilantro could help us kill dangerous bacteria called salmonella. It has many other health benefits.

What is Italian Parsley?

 Italian parsley is a form of the famous herb parsley. It is part of the Apiaceae family and has the scientific name Petroselinum neapolitanum. Italian parsley is a biennial herb, i.e.

Italian parsley is also known as flat-leaf parsley. The leaves are flat, dark, and pointy. Even though the whole plant is edible, only the leaves are the most commonly used. It is either used as a whole or chopped.

Italian parsley is rich in iron, is a low-calorie herb, and contains vitamins. It can also be used as a natural breath sweetener.

Italian parsley is used in salads, dips, pasta sauces, other Lebanese and French cuisines, etc. It can withstand heat during the cooking process.

Main Differences Between Cilantro and Italian Parsley

1. Southern Europe, northern Africa, to southwestern Asia is native regions of cilantro, whereas Italian parsley is native to Mediterranean (turkey, southern Italy, etc.) and Middle Eastern cuisines.
2. Cilantro is a Spanish word derived from the Latin word ‘Coriandrum’, whereas Italian parsley is a form derived from the Greek word ‘Petros’, which means rock as it grows in rocky terrain.

References

1. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf950814c
2. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jf00081a015

Last Updated : 11 June, 2023