Get a sharp chef’s knife. I cannot stress this enough. A dull knife will crush the cilantro and make you cry—literally, because you’ll be squeezing the life out of it. Use a rocking motion: keep the tip of the knife on the cutting board, and rock the handle up and down like you’re in a really slow-motion sword fight. Go back and forth, never lifting the blade completely off the board. This cuts the leaves clean, not pulverizes them.
How to Cut Cilantro Using Three Easy Methods
Chop until you have a fluffy, vibrant pile that looks like green snow. No little stem stubs longer than a grain of rice, please. You’re aiming for confetti, not mulch. And for heaven’s sake, do not chop it into oblivion—stop when the pieces are about the size of a fingernail clipping. Any smaller, and you’ve made cilantro dust, which belongs in a spice jar, not on your tacos.