CILANTRO: Still Full Of Flavor Even AFTER It Bolts. How To Keep Picking & Using It ALL Season Long

There's one herb that I make sure to grow every single season; it's cilantro or is it coriander?
We love it! It has such a refreshing flavour and always adds a great taste to many of our recipes.
The problem with cilantro is that it hates hot weather and that will trigger the plant to bolt to seed. But did you know that even after bolting, it can still offer tons of flavour ALL season long? I’m going to show you how…
Most gardeners enjoy growing this herb usually with a goal of just using the leaves but after the plant goes to seed we can collect those and use them as a spice as well. The fresh leaves and the dried seeds have different flavours and uses in cooking.
In most of North America we call the plant cilantro and just the dried seeds as coriander. This is where many people get confused because most of the world doesn't even use the word cilantro at all. Instead they refer to the whole plant as coriander and ask for coriander seeds when they just want the spice.
It grows best in cool weather so it's a good one to plant in the early spring and also in the fall. It's very easy to start growing. In fact, if you grew it last year then you're pretty well guaranteed to have another crop this year without even trying. It self seeds so easily.
Although it's an easy plant to start, it changes in hot weather. It gets difficult to keep growing lush and full all summer long. Usually what happens it'll be growing so well in the spring then we'll have a period of summer heat and that triggers the plant to switch over to its bolting stage. At that point it starts preparing to make seed. You’ll know when it's starting to bolt when it begins to switch from a thick and lush compact plant to one that is tall and gangly. Even the leaves start to change.
The new ones that form are no longer large and full. They now start to get very sparse and spindly. They still have that same flavour we want but it's difficult now to pick enough to even make it worthwhile.
At this point many gardeners will decide to just toss the plant on the compost pile and I understand but I’m telling you don't do that. The plant can still provide us tons of flavour. We actually love using it when it reaches this stage because if you let the plant continue to bolt it'll start to produce loads of delicate small white flowers and soon these will lead to hundreds of green berries. These are what we're waiting for.
We can pick those berries green and use them in the kitchen. They have that same leaf flavour and I think it's even more concentrated. In some recipes we like using it instead of the leaves as the flavour is much more intense and isn't lost as much when you cook it.
We'll add the crushed berries to whatever we're cooking and sometimes even add the whole berries themselves.
When you bite into them you get a rush of that fresh flavour.
Another huge benefit with these berries is that you can keep them in the fridge and have that fresh taste available for quite a while.
Cover them with olive oil to keep them from drying out it and they will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a few weeks. The oil will also absorb any flavour that is given off by the berries. Just take a spoon to add what you want and then put the jar back in the fridge.
If you see that you have a lot of berries on the plants and you don't want them all to mature into coriander seeds I’d recommend harvesting as many as you can while they're still green, add the oil, but store them in the freezer so you can enjoy their taste all winter long.
Finally, you may not realize it but the entire plant is edible everything from the flowers down to even the root itself and it all has that same flavour as the leaves to different degrees. So once it's bolted, if you've already picked all the sparse leaves you can and the berries haven't quite formed yet, by all means start using some of the flowers. They have a ton of flavour as well.
At the end of the season the entire plant will turn brown. The seeds will be almost dry and probably some have already begun falling off. Before they all spread on the ground make sure to carefully pick the entire plant and let it finish drying out in your garage. You'll be able to use all those seeds as a spice in the kitchen as well as for planting your crop next season.
Thanks for watching and when you garden well you'll always eat well!

[@paulajleal]

you have that story tellers voice... so nice.. thanks for the info

[@whereswipa2268]

I had no idea about using the green berries. I will save some this year as you suggested. Cilantro and coriander spice is a MUST in our house.

[@GardenWellEatWell]

That's great! Glad you found it helpful. Paul

[@troystallard6895]

I live in sunny inland southern California, and my cilantro started bolting in early June. I've already discovered that people saying it loses its flavor when it bolts are wrong. Now that I know about using the seeds green, I'll go ahead and just enjoy watching it blossom....

[@judeenxuto6334]

You made my day. By mistake a larger stem got broken off my precious coriander plant and I wanted to make sure the green seeds were edible. All the information was helpful. Thank you for sharing.

[@chikitiki0]

Oh God I love this video! 😍 I'm from Ukraine and many people here don't like the smell of cilantro, but I adore it in dishes, so I'd decided to grow it this year at my grandma's garden. By accident, it overgrew and bolted, and no longer looks edible, so I was wondering how I can use it. I couldn't find any decent piece of information within the ukrainian content, and here it is - a treasure! I'm definitely gonna use the berries!!! 👍 Thank you so much for the video ❤

[@GardenWellEatWell]

I'm glad you found the video so helpful! Thanks for watching Paul

[@suekol]

Thank you SO much Paul!. I love coriander, plant it every year, use the green leaves then it bolts, and I just wait for the seeds, takes ages!. Thanks to you I'll use the whole plant now, really excited to know about the green berries and the flowers 😀. Loved the video!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks for checking out my channel @suekol ! I'm glad you found this video so helpful ! Paul

[@wizpig64]

my first cilantro plant bolted and the flowers tasted AMAZING. wont bother trying to stop it.

[@GardenWellEatWell]

That's great! Make sure to leave a few flowers so you can try out those berries too! Thanks for watching Paul

[@adem82ants]

My cilantro plant bolted already -- fast! I like that this video shows me many options even after bolting. Was totally shocked by the fact that it's really coriander. Who knew?! ...well, you did. Thank you! Off I go to find my green seeds! :-)

[@callumclark3358]

🤣I wondered what on earth cilantro was! Turned out it was just coriander …

[@tmontero8492]

This is just what I've been wanting to know about cilantro. Thanks a million!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

You're welcome. Glad you found it so helpful! Paul

[@socreative]

thanks a lot! I never realised how beautiful coriander plant can be

[@josiahhill4993]

Wow, well made video and nicely informative!

[@donnacarter7781]

Wow. I learned a lot. Im not afraid to plant it now. Thank you.

[@JohnJeshurun]

One of the best videos on KZbin 😊

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks so much! Glad you found it so useful! Paul

[@JohnJeshurun]

@@GardenWellEatWell yes Paul, it was too the point that I could use the cilantro "fruit"

[@jlseagull2.060]

Awesome! It brings back my memory that when I was a kid I saw elders, aka adults, cooking and eating the whole plant! Somehow I lost that kind of wisdom over the years. It is nice someone like you makes videos to educate and re-educate us. I wish I could have found your channel much earlier. Just subbed after watching some of your vids 👍 My cilantros bolted last April as soon as the weather warmed up then died 9b. Looking forward to the fall to grow again!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks @jlseagull2.060 ! Glad you found my channel! Paul

[@brigitteshantieaglemeare4350]

I am always so disappointed when the coriander bolts! Now I know how to enjoy the flavour much longer, thank you!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Hi Brigitte, I'm glad you're finding the channel helpful! Thanks for watching, Paul

[@sherischneider2390]

I agree. Thought I had to just disguard it. Now I know better. Thank you.

[@BE74297]

@@GardenWellEatWell I have a bunch and I plan to make a salad with flowering coriander, cucumber, avocado, mabye a little cherry tomato, olive oil and lemon or apple cider vinegar.

[@snowywool1226]

This is so helpful! I had been wondering how to handle my bolted cilantro. I’ve just watched a few of your videos and they are super practical. I’m subscribing. Thank you so much😊

[@khalidosman]

Great video on Coriander 101. Thank you for the information.

[@firequeen2194]

Absolutely phenomenal information, thank you!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Hi Melissa, glad you found my channel Thanks for the great support! Paul

[@hpysparrow]

This was amazing! Learned so much 😀

[@growagarden54]

Great video. Yesterday I cut the bolted branches and tossed them :( Now I've learned what to do thanks to your video :)

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks for watching Virginia! Too bad you just got rid of them...but you'll be ready when they bolt next time! Paul

[@maryduffy2086]

Thank you, this was so informative.

[@sandyalibel]

This was very helpful thank you

[@tanyacarver851]

Excellent video.

[@rachellebrooke4614]

Amazing video!

[@m24_4]

Very helpful and useful video, thank you!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks for watching Lauren! Paul

[@rottweilerventuresregister7293]

Yours is the best I have watched so far. I have a question, maybe I missed it? You said when the seeds dry out they get hard and are not pleasant but then you said all the plant can be used but I didnt see any part on how you can use those hard seeds?

[@DrewDoggg]

The fresh seeds can be just thrown into your food or eaten whole, the dried seeds are best ground up and used as a seasoning. He was just saying that they’re unpleasant if you try to eat them as is.

[@thegutdoc9811]

Wow just the video I was looking for thank you

[@GardenWellEatWell]

That's great! Glad you found my channel Paul

[@aprilcarr8079]

Thanks a new urban gardener and got stuck in the hospital for two weeks came home and my beautiful cilantro had grown into this thing I didn’t know what to do, thought I’d lost the whole once yummy stuff so thank you for telling me it wasn’t a complete waste used them in my lasagna and my speggetti so far and wow it was amazing thank you so much. PS. Haa my hands from picking the seeds off and grinding them for storage the aroma stuck on them even after scrubbing for hours still the smell was quite Potent and long lasting ha ha ha ha Perfume de-cilantro giggle I also put them into ice cubes and water and store he cubes in a freezer air tight container to keep them super fresh in the freezer for long term storage for that really fresh taste

[@GardenWellEatWell]

That's great April! I'm glad you saw the video! Paul

[@pumpkinkisses21]

Soo helpful, thank you!

[@identityrefused486]

would cilantro be a good one to plant in a container indoors and keep it indoors?

[@LB-gt4bh]

Excellent video thank you!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks @L B, glad you enjoyed it! Paul

[@minervaway5542]

Awesome info. Thanks

[@LS1PWER]

My dad cuts the cilantro when it starts flowering, then he uses it as a spice and OMG! the taste of any meat is increased by 1000%

[@floridacritter]

great video! very informative.

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks @floridacritter. Glad you found it helpful! Paul

[@chrisspringer614]

Thanks for the clarfication about cilantro and coriander. I bought a British cook book and they called for "fresh coriander". Had no idea what they meant, but figured they meant cilantro. Can you dry cilantro?

[@BE74297]

Hi, No not really. I actually worked at an herb shop long ago. They had over 100 jars of herbs and spices. But no dry cilantro leaf. And I've never seen it anywhere in my 50 + years. You can grow some or buy it.

[@angelfigueroa310]

Wow I learned so much

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks @angelfigueroa310, glad you found it helpful! Paul

[@denisevelasquez5079]

I learned so much. 👏

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks Denise! Glad you found my channel. Paul

[@bonniekoivuniemi2993]

Thank you I learned alot

[@janetteking5977]

If I take the plant that has flowers on it, can i dehydrate everything and make a dried cilantro?

[@VE7QRZ]

Awsome info thanks

[@GardenWellEatWell]

You're welcome Peter...thanks for watching! Paul

[@lucianafitch1]

Thank you for this video!

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Thanks so much for supporting my channel Gabriela! Paul

[@benxamin13]

Great video, thanks! Wonder if you find any differences from growing the cilantro from stem rather than from seed.

[@MakeAsylumsGre4tAgain]

Cilantro hates to be disturbed, so I would think growing from seed is most likely the best way

[@pattybays7372]

This was very helpful! 😂

[@streakybacon4479]

superb

[@cookies4three]

Thank you.

[@elizabethsydnor5247]

Thank God I don't have to throw them out!

[@Tigerus38]

Thank you so much

[@GardenWellEatWell]

You're welcome @Tigerus38 Thanks for watching! Paul

[@letsgetreal100]

Can a paste be made and freeze with the fresh seeds?

[@jcyork1767]

Eureka!

[@Nipthezephyr]

That was the most informationally dense yet highly digestible video I think I've ever seen. No non-useful information.

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Hi Shawn, I'm glad you found the video helpful and thanks so much for your great support! Paul

[@prakharbhatnagar4145]

Green leaves are just used for garnishing, and seeds are used as spice, so it is part of dish we cook.

[@BE74297]

I've never seen Indian cuisine use the leaves, mostly just the seeds.

[@susanm9078]

I dont like the flavor of the leaves, i just grow for the seeds. Been doing this for years.

[@MakeAsylumsGre4tAgain]

Awesome! Soooo glad to find out I can use the green berries too… subscribed. Thanks for the great info!! 🙂

[@GardenWellEatWell]

Terrific! Glad you found it helpful! Paul

[@Honeybarbee-bu5mo]

Great video!