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Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant herb ( Coriandrum sativum) in the family Apiaceae.
Most people perceive the leaves as having a fresh, slightly citrus taste. Due to variations in the gene OR6A2, some people perceive it to have a soap-like taste, or even a pungent or rotten taste.
It is native to the Mediterranean Basin. All parts of the plant are edible, but the fresh leaves and the dried seeds are the parts most traditionally used in cooking. It is used in certain cuisines, like Mexican cuisine, Indian cuisine and Southeast Asian.
The are borne in small , white or very pale pink, asymmetrical, with the petals pointing away from the centre of the umbel longer () than those pointing toward it (only long). The fruit is a globular, dry schizocarp in diameter. The pollen size is approximately .
Different people may perceive the taste of coriander leaves differently. Those who enjoy it say it has a refreshing, lemony or lime-like flavour, while those who dislike it have a strong aversion to its pungent taste and smell, characterizing it as soapy or rotten. Studies also show variations in preference among different ethnic groups: 21% of East Asians, 17% of Caucasians, and 14% of people of African descent expressed a dislike for coriander, but among the groups where coriander is popular in their cuisine, only 7% of South Asians, 4% of Hispanics, and 3% of Middle Eastern subjects expressed a dislike.
About 80% of identical twins shared the same preference for the herb, but fraternal twins agreed only about half the time, strongly suggesting a genetic component to the preference. In a genetic survey of nearly 30,000 people, two genetic variants linked to the perception of coriander have been found, the most common of which is a gene involved in sensing smells. The gene OR6A2 lies within a cluster of olfactory-receptor genes, and encodes a receptor that is highly sensitive to aldehyde chemicals. Flavour chemists have found that the coriander aroma is created by a half-dozen substances, most of which are aldehydes. Those who dislike the taste are sensitive to the offending unsaturated aldehydes and, at the same time, may be unable to detect the aromatic chemicals that others find pleasant. Association between its taste and several other genes, including a bitter-taste receptor, have also been found.
The earliest attested form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek (variants: , , ) written in Linear B syllabic script (reconstructed as , similar to the name of Minos' daughter Ariadne) which later evolved to koriannon or koriandron, and Koriander (German language).
Cilantro is the Spanish word for coriander, also deriving from coriandrum. It is the common term in US English for coriander leaves due to their extensive use in Mexican cuisine, but the seeds are referred to as coriander in American English.
In Israel, fifteen desiccated were found in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B level (six to eight thousand years ago) of the Nahal Hemar Cave, and eleven from ~8,000–7,500 years ago in Pre-Pottery Neolithic C in Atlit-Yam. If these finds do belong to these archaeological layers, they are the oldest find of coriander in the world.
About of coriander mericarps were recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamen. As coriander does not grow wild in Egypt, this could be proof that coriander was cultivated by the . The Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian text dated around 1550 BCE, mentioned uses of coriander.
Coriander may have been cultivated in Greece since at least the second millennium BCE. One of the Linear B tablets recovered from Pylos refers to the species as being cultivated for the manufacture of perfumes. It was used in two forms: as a spice for its seeds and as an herb for the flavour of its leaves. This appears to be confirmed by archaeological evidence: the large quantities of coriander retrieved from an Early Bronze Age layer at Sitagroi in Macedonia could point to cultivation of the herb at that time.
The taste of the leaves differs from that of the seeds. The seeds exhibit citrus overtones. The dominant flavorants in the leaves are the aldehydes 2-decenal and 2-dodecenal. The main flavorant in the seeds is (+)-linalool.
The variety C. sativum var . sativum has a fruit diameter of , while var. microcarpum fruits have a diameter of , and var. indicum has elongated fruits. Large-fruited types are grown mainly by tropical and subtropical countries, such as Morocco, India, and Australia, and contain a low volatile oil content (0.1–0.4%). They are used for grinding and blending purposes in the spice trade. Types with smaller fruit are produced in temperate regions and usually have a volatile oil content of around 0.4–1.8%, so they are highly valued as a raw material for the preparation of essential oil.
Coriander is commonly found both as whole dried seeds and in ground form. Roasting or heating the seeds in a dry pan heightens the flavor, aroma, and pungency. Ground coriander seed loses flavor quickly in storage and is best ground fresh. Coriander seed is a spice in garam masala, and Indian curries, which often employ the ground fruits in generous amounts together with cumin, acting as a thickener in a mixture called dhania jeera. Roasted coriander seeds, called dhania dal, are eaten as a snack.
Outside of Asia, coriander seed is used widely for pickling vegetables. In German cuisine and South Africa (see boerewors), the seeds are used while making sausages. In Russian cuisine and Central European cuisine, coriander seed is an occasional ingredient in rye bread (e.g. Borodinsky bread) as an alternative to caraway. The Zuni people of North America have adopted it into their cuisine, mixing the powdered seeds ground with chili peppers, using it as a condiment with meat, and eating leaves as a salad.Stevenson, Matilda Coxe 1915 Ethnobotany of the Zuni Indians. SI-BAE Annual Report #30 (p. 66)
Coriander seeds are used in brewing certain styles of beer, particularly some Belgian wheat beers. The coriander seeds are used with orange peel to add a citrus character.
Coriander seeds are one of the key botanicals used to flavor gin.
One preliminary study showed coriander essential oil to inhibit Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli.
Coriander is listed as one of the original ingredients in the secret formula for Coca-Cola.
Origin
Coriander grows wild over a wide area of Western Asia and Southern Europe, making it difficult to define where the plant is native and where it was only recently established. (2025). 9780198503576, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198503576 Recent works suggest that wild coriander in Israel and Portugal might be an ancestor of cultivated coriander. Article number 138. They have low germination rates and a small vegetative appearance. Israeli coriander has an extremely hard fruit coat.
(2025). 9780199549061, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199549061
(2025). 9780415927468, Routledge. ISBN 9780415927468
Allergies
Some people are allergic to coriander leaves or seeds, having symptoms similar to those of other Food allergy. A cross-sectional study of 589 cases where food allergies to spices were suspected found 32% of pin-prick tests in children and 23% in adults were positive for coriander and other members of the family Apiaceae, including caraway, fennel, and celery. The allergic symptoms may be minor or life-threatening.
Uses
Nutrition
Raw coriander leaves are 92% water, 4% , 2% protein, and less than 1% fat. The nutritional profile of coriander seeds is different from that of fresh stems or leaves. In a reference amount, leaves are particularly rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, with moderate content of dietary minerals. Although seeds generally have lower vitamin content, they do provide significant amounts of dietary fiber, calcium, selenium, iron, magnesium, and manganese.
Culinary
All parts of the plant are edible. Fresh leaves and dried seeds are the most commonly used in cooking. Coriander roots are an important element of Thai cooking. Coriander is used in cuisines throughout the world.
Leaves
The leaves are variously referred to as coriander leaves, fresh coriander, Chinese parsley, or cilantro (US, commercially in Canada, and Spanish-speaking countries). The fresh leaves are an ingredient in many foods, such as and salads, salsa, guacamole, and as a widely used garnish for soup, fish, and meat. As heat diminishes their flavour, coriander leaves are often used raw or added to the dish immediately before serving. In Indian cuisine and Central Asian cuisine recipes, coriander or dhania leaves are used in large amounts and cooked until the flavour diminishes. The leaves spoil quickly when removed from the plant and lose their aroma when dried or frozen.
(2025). 9783527306732 ISBN 9783527306732
Seeds
The dry fruits are coriander seeds. The word "coriander" in food preparation may refer solely to these seeds (as a spice), rather than the plant. The seeds have a lemony citrus flavor when crushed due to the linalool (which comprises about two thirds of its volatile components) and pinene. It is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavoured.
Roots
Coriander have a deeper, more intense flavour than the leaves and are used in a variety of Asian cuisines, particularly in Thai dishes such as soups or Thai curry.
In culture
Coriander was mentioned by Hippocrates (around 400 BCE), as well as Dioscorides (65 CE).
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