It’s no secret that pretty much everyone has foods they love and foods they hate. And culinary queen Ina Garten is no exception to the rule. While the Barefoot Contessa's philosophy is all about expanding palates, there’s one ingredient she famously loathes: cilantro.
The dreaded herb came up in a Time magazine interview when Garten was asked what food she won’t eat. Her response: “Cilantro. I just won’t go near it.”
And this isn’t the only time she's mentioned her disdain for cilantro. “I just can’t stand cilantro, that’s easy,” she told the Today Show. “It’s such a strong flavor and it overwhelms everything else.” Garten continued, “I actually think it's physiological.”
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Garten also points out that “Julia Child didn’t like cilantro either," so at least she’s in elite culinary company. Child didn't just hate cilantro, she famously told Larry King that the herb has a “dead taste” to her. Child also said if she spotted cilantro on her plate, “I would pick it out if I saw it and throw it on the floor.”
But these two culinary greats aren’t the only people who hate cilantro. Here’s why Garten isn’t a fan, plus what she uses instead of the divisive herb.
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Why Do So Many People (Like Ina Garten) Hate Cilantro?
Garten hasn’t gotten deep into her hatred of cilantro, other than she’s just not a fan. But, to be fair, a lot of people don’t like the herb.
A study conducted by researchers at Cornell University noted that cilantro is “polarizing.” While some people love it, others find that the herb tastes like soap or dirt. The researchers did a genomic study of more than 14,600 people who found cilantro tastes "soapy" and compared the data to nearly 12,000 people who said they liked the taste of cilantro.
After digging into the data, the researchers concluded that it all boils down to the expression of each person's OR6A2 gene, which translates how the body perceives the scent of certain chemicals that are found in cilantro and soap. People with a difference in this gene find that cilantro tastes like soap.
This gene “codes for the receptor that picks up the scent of aldehyde chemicals,” which are chemicals that are found in cilantro and soap. That’s why many people say cilantro tastes like soap, according to the researchers—your nose basically has trouble distinguishing between the two. “These results confirm that there is a genetic component to cilantro taste perception and suggest that cilantro dislike may stem from genetic variants in olfactory receptors,” the researchers wrote in their conclusion.
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Getty ImagesWhile you won’t find cilantro anywhere near Garten’s plate, she’s found a herb she often uses instead. It’s basil, and Garten will even add it to chili in place of cilantro to bring a little something extra.
If you love the taste of cilantro, more power to you. But if you’re like Ina Garten and can’t stand the flavor, consider swapping in basil and see if that substitute works for you.
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For the True Haters: How to Tell Cilantro and Parsley Apart
Word to the wise, cilantro and parsley can look very similar when you shop in the produce aisle, but there are a few easy ways to tell them apart. Cilantro has more rounded, lace-edged leaves and a bold, citrusy (or I guess, soapy to some) scent. Parsley—especially flat-leaf Italian parsley—has pointier leaves and a milder, grassy aroma. If you want to be super-sure you picked up the right herb, here's a handy hack: rub a leaf between your fingers and take a sniff.
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