I don't like the cilantro stems.

Cafe Society
1

I am someone who loves cilantro and always have. I do not like the stems to be cut up with the leaves. I will spend 10 minutes separating the stems out instead of just chopping them up.

This is kind of irrational because I don’t dislike the taste of the stems. Cilantro is a garnish for Thai foods. I want a little sprinkle of cilantro leaves, and not one cilantro sprig placed on my Pad Thai that I have to then peel the leaves off of. I don’t like eating a burrito and finding a green stem sticking out of it; I pull the stem and there’s no cilantro attached! It’s just a stem!

However, when I order extra cilantro at a restaurant, I don’t tell the server to make sure that the stems are removed. I just take my chances.

2

I’ve often suspected that the stems are what people are tasting among the “Cilantro taste like soap” crowd.

In a perfect world, I prefer not to have stems with mine either. But I lack the patience to pick them all out.

3

As a member of the tastes like soap crowd, nope, it’s not the stems. It all tastes like soap.

4

To me, cilantro doesn’t taste like soap. It tastes… (read at your own risk)… the way your mouth tastes after you throw up.

5

The stems taste exactly the same as the leaves to me. I use it all as nature intended.
As for the soap thing, yep I taste it as weird and soapy as well but I like it (and some German Pilsners have a slight “soapy” taste to them as well and they are some of my favourites

6

The stems should taste different, definitely have a different texture. I don’t think there’s a lot of difference in the taste, but Cajun Chef Justin Wilson used to say use the stems because it’s like adding another seasoning. If you don’t like the stems in your food that’s your privilege. I wouldn’t miss the stems if you made me a dish without them. I mentioned in another thread about stripping the stems from collard greens. Those things are think and heavy and add little flavor. I like collards just about any way people make them but when I see whole stems, not even chopped, that’s a sign of a lazy cook to me.

7

well if it’s any consolation i do the EXACT SAME THING and i also have no compelling rationale for doing so other than i simply don’t like the stems. if i get a dish in a restaurant that includes leaves and stems, i can deal with it just fine.

8

I dislike cilantro because it tastes like soap (and is also the taste for Thrills gum, if you know what that is).

That’s better than my wife, who carries an epi-pen because she is allergic to cilantro.
For you weirdos that like it – what does it taste like?

9

It tastes soapy and leafy green but with a unique pungency.

/cilantro lover

10

Cillantro to me tastes kinda minty, kinda grassy/herb-y. It doesn’t taste the same, but it has similar effect to parsley in the slight cooling effect. It’s a rather light flavor, but adds sensation.

Sure, if I eat it by itself, it’s kinda bitter, but it adds a “fresh” taste to salsa, for example.