Fresh cilantro can turn limp and slimy after just a few days in the refrigerator, even when the leaves looked green and firm at the grocery store. Placing the bunch in a plastic bag and leaving it in the crisper drawer seems like a way to protect it, but that storage method can leave the herb in poor condition before there’s time to use it.
Cilantro has tender leaves and thin stems that lose moisture after harvesting. When the herb sits inside a bag, trapped moisture can also collect against the leaves, contributing to deterioration.
A method tested by former Serious Eats culinary director J. Kenji López-Alt treats cilantro more like cut flowers. Instead of laying the bunch inside a bag, the stems stand in water inside a covered container in the refrigerator.
Stand the cilantro stems in an inch of water
Choose a container large enough to hold the cilantro upright, such as a one-quart food storage container.
Pour approximately one inch of water into the bottom, then place the bunch inside with the stem ends submerged.
The water supplies moisture through the stems, while the leaves remain above the waterline.
Fold the leaves into the container without crushing them, then secure the lid.
If the bunch is too tall for a fitted lid, place an inverted plastic bag over the top and secure it around the container with a rubber band.
The cover helps reduce moisture loss from the leaves while the stems remain in contact with water.
Place the container in the refrigerator, keeping it upright to prevent spills.
The covered container protects the leaves from drying out
In herb-storage tests conducted by López-Alt, keeping cilantro upright in water under a cover performed better than storing it loose inside a plastic zip-top bag.
The method also worked for parsley, another tender herb with stems that can take up water.
The combination addresses two problems: the stems have access to moisture, while the cover limits the drying effect of refrigerator air.
Check the water during storage and replace it if it becomes cloudy. Remove any leaves that show signs of decay.
The method doesn’t guarantee that every bunch will last the same number of weeks. Freshness at purchase, refrigerator conditions, and the herb’s condition during storage can affect the result.
Genevieve Yam of Serious Eats reports that using this approach helped prevent the wilted, slimy cilantro she had found when storing bunches in plastic bags.
Instead of leaving the herb flat in a crisper drawer, the container keeps it standing with water around the stems and a cover over the leaves.
The same arrangement used to keep cut flowers fresh can help cilantro remain usable for weeks instead of turning limp inside a refrigerator bag.
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