does fresh cilantro freeze very well?”
You can freeze it, but it gets really mushy when it thaws and you lose a lot of the flavor kick. I tend to dry it if I’m going to store it. You’ll lose some of the bold flavor, but it’s less of a mess in the end. You can always add a little more “cilantro kick” later with some ground coriander seeds too.
I grow it in the summer, cut it, rinse it, make sure it’s thoroughly dry, and then freeze it whole, stems and all. When I want to use it, I just pull out a bunch, hold it the stems like a little bouquet, and snip it with scissors into whatever I’m cooking. I find I can use it this way even in recipes that call for fresh cilantro. The fact that it’s slightly wilted because it’s been frozen makes no difference. Cilantro is my favorite herb. It has such a fresh taste. To me it’s what “clean” would taste like if it had a flavor.
