What Does Parsley Taste Like? Not Just A Garnish! 2023

Parsley is so popular around the world, but what does parsley taste like? It is usually used as a garnish to decorate the final dish, but it also does a great job of enhancing the flavor of some dishes. So what taste does parsley add to your dish?

In this very post, I will give you some information about this amazing herb as well as its taste and the ways to use it as creatively as you can! Sounds interesting, huh? Let’s get started right now!

But before that, maybe you should take a look at the basic information about parsley!

Leaf Parsley — Parsley is a great herb that is not just used as a decoration for your dish!

Table of Contents

Something You May Not Know About Parsley

Parsley, or also called garden parsley, is a member of the Apiaceae family. It originates from the Mediterranean region. It is a biennial plant that grows yellow flowers every two years. Nowadays, parsley is commonly cultivated globally as a culinary herb or vegetable.⁽¹⁾

Parsley is an extremely famous herb around the world! You can find it in any local market, supermarket, or herb store near your house. For culinary purposes, it is used widely in European, Asian, and American cuisines as an ornament or spice to boost the dish’s flavors.

Sometimes, parsley is so popular as a simple garnish on top of the dish that people forget about its flavor. It actually tastes mild to strong depending on the specific types. It is also easy to grow at home, so why not plant some parsley seeds in your garden!

Learn how to grow parsley from seeds to fulfill your lovely garden!

Watch this video: How to Sow Parsley Seeds

The Taste Of Each Parsley Type

In general, parsley tastes bright, clean, peppery, earthy, and aromatic. However, parsley varies in taste because there are many types and varieties of it. The two most common species of parsley are curly-leaf and flat-leaf parsley with distinctive characteristics.

The appearance and flavor of each parsley type are different and unique. So here’s a brief table for you to see how different they are between some common kinds of parsley!

Parsley Type	Appearance	Taste	Culinary Uses
Curly-leaf parsley	Curly, ruffled leaves	Mild, grassy, muted	Decoration
Flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)	Tall, look like cilantro, dark-green color	Robust, flavorful, herbaceous, basil-like	Flavor enhancing
Japanese parsley (Mitsuba parsley)	Look like flat-leaf parsley with larger and rounder leaves	Celery-like, bitter	Decoration
Root parsley (Hamburg parsley)	Root: White, carrot-like root Leaves: dark green, like Italian parsley	Root: Crunchy, fresh Leaves: Mild, not as flavorful as other types of parsley	Root: Flavor enhancing Leaves: Decoration
Dried parsley	Smoky green, yellowish crushed pieces	Bright, herbaceous, a bit bitter	Flavor enhancing

Curly-Leaf Parsley

Fresh Curly Parsley — Curly-leaf parsley is usually used as a decoration for the dish.

Curly-leaf parsley has a mild and hard-to-recognize taste that is usually used as a garnish or decoration on top of a completed dish. It is used widely in many parts of Europe and Western Asia. Like the name, this parsley type has beautiful curly, ruffled green leaves.

This standard French parsley is so popular as a garnish that most of you may see it on top of a typical restaurant meal. It does not add any specific taste to the dish, and people often discard it before enjoying the dish.

The two most common varieties of curly-leaf parsley are Forest Green parsley and Extra Curled Dwarf parsley. They are all versatile and easy to grow. Use fresh chopped curly-leaf parsley to garnish your dish!

Flat-Leaf Parsley (Italian Parsley)

Fresh Parsley — This parsley from Italy can add many flavors to dishes.

The flat-leaf parsley is one of the tallest parsley types. Italian flat-leaf parsley looks so much like cilantro that people usually can’t tell them apart, although they are very different in taste. It also has a dark green color.

Flat-leaf parsley is more robust and flavorful than the curly type; thereby, it’s usually used to enhance the dish’s original taste rather than decorate it. This parsley is also more tolerant and easier to grow than the curly one, so the gardeners prefer it.

Japanese Parsley (Mitsuba Parsley)

Japanese Seri Parsley — The Japanese type of parsley has a distinctive taste and appearance.

Japanese parsley comes from Eastern Asia. Every part of this parsley is edible and can be cooked in different ways. The leaves and roots are used as veggies or garnish; the seeds can be used as a spice.

Its taste can be described as celery-like with a slightly bitter note. It looks pretty like the flat-leaf parsley with larger and rounder leaves. As the name suggests, it is widely used in Japanese as well as Asian cuisines. It is usually used as a garnish in soups and stir-fries.

Root Parsley (Hamburg Parsley)

Root parsley, or also called Hamburg parsley, is grown to harvest the thick root. Its root looks like a kind of vegetable, such as carrot or parsnip. It’s more special than any other type of parsley because of the huge root that can be used as a culinary ingredient.

Root parsley is popular in central and eastern European cuisines. With the crunchy, fresh taste of the root, it is widely used as a vegetable in casseroles, soups, and stews. Its root can also be eaten raw as a fun snack, just like a carrot. What an interesting veggie, right?

About the dark green leaves of root parsley, you can also use them if you want. They look much like Italian flat-leaf parsley, but not as flavorful and versatile as them. The leaves can be used as a decoration for your dishes.

Dried Parsley

Dried parsley is one of the best sources of apigenin that can help prevent skin cancer. Since it is dried from fresh, the available apigenin is stimulated and develops, making it a superb healthy spice. ⁽²⁾

The taste of dried parsley is bright, herbaceous with a bitter note. It is crushed into small pieces and contains a smoky green, yellowish color. Like other dried herbs, it can last longer than fresh parsley, but it is not commonly used as a spice.

Do you know how to dry parsley? This instruction video is very detailed and easy to follow!

Watch this video: How to Oven Drying Parsley

Parsley is just like any other fresh herbs and leaves, which are easily rotten after only 1 to 2 days if you don’t do anything to them. So how to deal with the fresh parsley? Read the next section to find out the answer!

The Ultimate Method To Store Fresh Parsley

When you buy home a bunch of fresh parsley and can not use up all of them in one time, then how to store them for the next use? Read this step-by-step instruction to keep your parsley fresh for up to a few weeks!

What You Need To Prepare:

Fresh parsley
A knife and a cutting board
Paper towel
Jar or water glass
Plastic bag(s)
Water

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare The Parsley.

Take your parsley out of the packaging and cut off all the bottom of the stems. The leaves should be dry. If they are wet, put them on a paper towel to get rid of the water. Make sure that your parsley is completely dry before the next step since it’s a key detail.

Step 2: Put the Prepared Parsley Into a Container With Water.

Pour the water into a jar or a glass until it reaches half of the container. Put the stem end part of the parsley into the jar/glass. Place them carefully so that they can stand.

Step 3: Cover the Leaf Part With a Plastic Bag.

Design your available plastic bag so that it can cover all the above part of the parsley. Put the bag on the parsley loosely, not wrap so tightly that the air cannot get into it.

Step 4: Place Them in a Refrigerator, or at Room Temperature.

Parsley can be stored in both ways, in the fridge or at normal temperature. But if I were you, I would preserve it in the fridge so that it can last a bit longer. If you leave them outside of the fridge, you can hardly control the heat sources and moisture.

Step 5: Change the Water in the Container if There’s Any Discoloration.

Remember to watch your stored parsley regularly, so that you can change the water whenever it turns into a yellowish liquid that is not good for storing fresh herbs.

Here are some other methods for you to keep your parsley fresh!

Watch this video: How to Store Parsley for Long Time

If you do it right, following this detailed instruction, your fresh parsley can incredibly last up to a few weeks, maintaining the same taste and smell as parsley from day one! Try this method now and share with me your result below the comment section!

Some Recipes That Make Parsley Shine Like A Star

Besides being a decorative element for a dish, parsley can also be the main ingredient that provides the key taste for some sauces and salad dressings. Note down these delectable recipes in your cookbook and make them someday!

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce is an easy-to-make Argentinian sauce with some fresh ingredients that don’t need to be cooked. Fresh flat-leaf parsley is the star of this dish, its taste plays an important role in the sauce. The sour flavor of vinegar also matters.

With just some components available right in your kitchen, you can make Chimichurri sauce within a few minutes by putting all of them into a blender and mixing them all together. This can be a delectable dipping sauce or marinade for your chicken!

Parsley Pesto

Parsley pesto is such a versatile condiment that can suit many dishes such as sandwiches, pizzas, pasta, etc. It’s pretty like the traditional basil green pesto, with the parsley in place of the basil.

Parsley pesto is a quick, convenient sauce that you can make a lot at once and store for long usage. It is tangy, garlicky, and cheesy! What’s more perfect than a steak with some parsley pesto on?

Tabbouleh Salad

Tabbouleh is a traditional grain salad from Lebanon, with many chopped herbs, veggies, and bulgur wheat. It’s nothing complicated to cook this salad. All you need to do is cook the bulgur wheat and chop the remaining ingredients. Then, mix them all together.

This can be a great breakfast or lunch for your children or even a delicious side dish on the table. It’s fresh, flavorful, and worth trying! You can also make it from leftovers to save more time. The recipe is so simple to prepare, don’t hesitate any longer!

Fascinating Health Advantages That Parsley Bring You

Although parsley is just a garnish or a spice to your dish, it actually benefits you with many incredible nutrients and health advantages! Check out some of them!

Parsley is packed with minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin K. Consuming just one tablespoon of fresh parsley, you will fulfill 70% of vitamin K daily intake. How amazing is that?
Parsley can help you improve bone and eye health. With all the vitamins packed inside, parsley is a great source of nutrients to support your bone and eye health. The vitamin A in parsley is really good for you to protect the eyes.
Parsley can even prevent you from cancer. Dried or cooked parsley consists of flavone apigenin, which is a promising anticancer agent that can keep you away from cancer. ⁽²⁾

Do these health benefits of parsley wow you? Add more of it in your next dishes to get all the available nutrients!

FAQs

I think that’s enough for you to know about the taste of parsley. But there may still be some other concerns that need a specific answer. So here you are, the quick questions and answers section!

Do Flat-Leaf Parsley and Cilantro Taste the Same?

Flat-leaf parsley and cilantro may look the same, but their tastes are really different. Cilantro has a pungent, stronger flavor than parsley and that somewhat soapy scent; whereas parsley has a brighter taste, with a peppery note.

Is There Any Difference Between the Taste of Fresh and Dried Parsley?

Yes, there is. Fresh parsley tastes bold and adds a refreshing flavor and aroma to your dish; while dried parsley tastes subtle and more muted. So their flavors are quite different.

Can I Use Fresh and Dried Parsley Interchangeably?

Yes, you can. But you should consider carefully since the dried parsley doesn’t add any significant flavor to your dish, which is opposite to fresh parsley. It also depends on the dish that you’re going to make.

What Does Parsley Smell Like?

Most parsley types share the same aroma. They smell fresh, mild, herbaceous and grassy. The flat-leaf parsley may smell a little bit stronger and more pungent.

Why Does My Parsley Taste Like Nothing?

Some parsley types like curly-leaf and dried parsley taste pretty mild and it’s very hard to recognize their flavors. If you want a stronger and more aromatic taste of parsley, try different types of it such as Italian flat-leaf parsley or Japanese parsley.

Does Parsley Taste Bitter?

Parsley in general tastes wild, refreshing with a slightly bitter aftertaste. You can feel bitterness when eating fresh parsley or cooked parsley in a dish.

What Is the Flavor of Parsley Sauce?

Fresh parsley, butter, English mustard, milk, and flour are usually used to make parsley sauce. They give the sauce a fresh, creamy, milky, buttery, and a bit spicy taste. It is an exploding taste to try!

What Can I Serve With Parsley?

Parsley can go well with carrot, parsnip, potato, tomato, citrus fruits, duck, and seafood. Many other herbs and spices like rosemary, cardamom, basil, sage, etc. can also pair well with parsley.

How Does Parsley Tea Taste?

Parsley tea is a herbal and healthy tea that may be prepared using fresh or dried parsley. It’s very simple to make and has a grassy and earthy flavor.

Not Only A Garnish, But Also A Flavor Treat To Your Dish

After reading this post, have you imagined in your head about the taste of parsley? I think that you all have tasted parley before but maybe you did not notice it.

I have tried to provide you with a specific description about different types of parsley, so that you could easily compare them and choose the most suitable one for your next dish. Hope that you enjoy this informative post and if it’s helpful to you, please share it!

Also, comment below some of your concerns or sharings about culinary experiences on this wonderful herb and I will reply to all of them as soon as possible! Sharing is caring!