What is the difference between cilantro criollo and common coriander?

They are species of related but distinct families. Common coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is native to the Mediterranean, with feathery leaves and a mild aroma that is lost on cooking. Cilantro criollo or cimarron (Eryngium foetidum) is American, with elongated toothed leaves in a rosette and a more intense, durable and pungent aroma. Both belong to the Apiaceae family but to different genera.

What does cilantro criollo taste like?

It has a herbal flavour similar to common coriander but much more intense, pungent and persistent, with notes recalling parsley, anise and a slightly medicinal touch. Its aroma withstands prolonged cooking without losing strength, which makes it ideal for broths, soups and stews. Raw it is more piercing than common coriander; cooked it becomes aromatic and deep.

How is cilantro criollo used?

Fresh, finely chopped or whole. It is added to chicken and seafood broths throughout cooking (it keeps its aroma); to long fish, black-bean and seafood stews; to southern tamales; to ceviches and raw salsas. In south-eastern Mexico it is preferred over common coriander for long preparations because it withstands the heat without oxidising or losing fragrance.

Where does cilantro criollo come from?

It is native to tropical America, particularly the Caribbean and Central America. It grows wild in the humid forests of south-eastern Mexico: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo. It is native to the New World, unlike common coriander which is Mediterranean. In the Caribbean it is known as culantro or chadon beni and is used identically in Cuban, Puerto Rican and Trinidadian cooking.

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Cilantro criollo or cimarron: the herb of the south-east

What is it?

Cilantro criollo, also known as cilantro cimarron, perejil de monte or chadon beni, is an aromatic herb of south-eastern Mexico and the Caribbean, distinct from common coriander. It belongs to the Apiaceae family and has long toothed leaves in a basal rosette, with soft thorny edges and an aroma very similar to common coriander but more intense, pungent and persistent. It is grown and grows wild in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo, where it is part of the cooking of the humid tropics. It is used in salsas, ceviches, soups (especially caldo de gallina criolla), seafood stews, southern tamales and Afro-mestizo preparations. Its advantage over common coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is that it keeps its aroma during long cooking, which makes it ideal for broths and slow stews. In the Caribbean (Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Cuba) it is called culantro or chadon beni.

Origin and history

Cilantro criollo (Eryngium foetidum) has a tropical American origin, possibly from the Caribbean and Central America, naturalised in south-eastern Mexico since ancient times. The Mesoamerican peoples of the tropics (Maya, Zoque, Popoluca, Totonac) gathered it wild and used it as a seasoning. CONABIO Enciclovida documents its presence in humid forests and disturbed soils of south-eastern Mexico. Larousse Cocina lists it as cilantro cimarron or cilantro de monte, an aromatic herb of the south-east. Unlike common coriander, native to the Mediterranean and brought by the Spanish, cilantro criollo is native to the New World, which paradoxically makes it more 'Mexican' despite its name. Its use in the Caribbean and Central America is widespread under the name culantro (not to be confused with Hispanic cilantro). In Veracruz and Tabasco cooking it has been maintained as part of country and riverside fish preparations. In the Maya south-east it forms part of criollo and Campechano cooking, where it replaces or complements common coriander.

Characteristic ingredients

Cilantro criollo is a perennial plant in a basal rosette, 20-40 cm tall, with elongated lance-shaped toothed leaves of glossy green, and a central flowering scape with thorny heads of small white or greenish flowers. It grows in shaded, humid forest soils, backyards and field edges in warm-humid climates. Its leaves contain essential oils with eryngial (E-2-dodecenal) and other aldehydes similar to those of common coriander but in higher concentrations, which explains its more intense aroma. It also provides vitamins A, B, C, iron, calcium and antioxidants. It is always used fresh, finely chopped or whole according to the preparation. Unlike common coriander, which loses its aroma in prolonged cooking, cilantro criollo tolerates cooking very well and keeps its perfume, which makes it especially suitable for chicken broths, long seafood stews, beans and mojos. The younger central leaves are the most tender; the outer ones can have a slightly more bitter touch. It keeps in water or refrigerated in a sealed bag for up to a week.

Cultural significance

Cilantro criollo is an aromatic marker of southern and Caribbean Mexican cooking, particularly in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas and the Yucatan Peninsula. It appears in emblematic preparations such as caldo de gallina criolla, fish and prawn ceviches, seafood stews in sauce, black beans with lard, coastal tamales with masa and meat, and raw Afro-mestizo salsas. Its use allows aromatic accents that common coriander cannot maintain after prolonged cooking. Larousse Cocina lists it as cilantro cimarron, part of the tropical Mexican repertoire. CONABIO documents its ethnobotanical value. Although it does not have a protected designation of origin, it is present in traditional Mexican cuisine declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, particularly in the regional cuisines of the Gulf and the Maya peninsula. Its cultivation and gathering sustain family economies in coastal and rural villages of the south-east. It is a food bridge with Caribbean cooking: it shares practically identical culinary uses with Cuba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad, making it a herb of the wider gastronomic Caribbean.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between cilantro criollo and common coriander?: They are species of related but distinct families. Common coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is native to the Mediterranean, with feathery leaves and a mild aroma that is lost on cooking. Cilantro criollo or cimarron (Eryngium foetidum) is American, with elongated toothed leaves in a rosette and a more intense, durable and pungent aroma. Both belong to the Apiaceae family but to different genera.
What does cilantro criollo taste like?: It has a herbal flavour similar to common coriander but much more intense, pungent and persistent, with notes recalling parsley, anise and a slightly medicinal touch. Its aroma withstands prolonged cooking without losing strength, which makes it ideal for broths, soups and stews. Raw it is more piercing than common coriander; cooked it becomes aromatic and deep.
How is cilantro criollo used?: Fresh, finely chopped or whole. It is added to chicken and seafood broths throughout cooking (it keeps its aroma); to long fish, black-bean and seafood stews; to southern tamales; to ceviches and raw salsas. In south-eastern Mexico it is preferred over common coriander for long preparations because it withstands the heat without oxidising or losing fragrance.
Where does cilantro criollo come from?: It is native to tropical America, particularly the Caribbean and Central America. It grows wild in the humid forests of south-eastern Mexico: Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo. It is native to the New World, unlike common coriander which is Mediterranean. In the Caribbean it is known as culantro or chadon beni and is used identically in Cuban, Puerto Rican and Trinidadian cooking.