A quick and to the point review of Gourmet Garden Stir-In Paste, a line of herb and spice mix-ins sold in the supermarket produce section.
My love of food isn’t just something I write about. It’s something I live, as part of every aspect of my life, every day. Most weeks, I make a plan for all the dinners we’ll eat and shop for everything we need. Most evenings, I cook dinner — often from scratch.
That said, in order to do this, I sometimes need little shortcuts to make the puzzle pieces of my day fit together. So, when I see a product that would eliminate the need to chop herbs (and the associated dirty knives and cutting boards), it intrigues me.
When I first saw Gourmet Garden Stir-In Paste at the grocery store a few years back, I was skeptical. Why trade fresh herbs for paste ones? But eventually, I bought them to try because … well, why not?
The Good: The flavors are fresh — basil tastes like fresh basil, cilantro brightens guacamole brilliantly, ginger is appropriately gingery. Also, it’s super easy to use. Just squeeze out and stir into whatever you’re making. Measuring is so easy. The Gourmet Garden ginger paste and cilantro paste, in particular, have become mainstays in our kitchen.
The Bad: Sometimes only fresh herbs will do, such as when you want to sprinkle them on as toppings or when you want to mix them into a salad. Also, if you’re making pesto, you’ll want to stick to fresh as well. So this isn’t an all-purpose product.
The herb pastes also aren’t that pretty. Should that matter? It depends on how you are using the herb pastes. Also, if you need a larger quantity of fresh herbs for a recipe, these can get expensive fast.
The Verdict: I really love Gourmet Garden’s line of stir-in pastes. They make cooking with fresh herbs so easy on busy nights. The cilantro and basil pastes are almost always in my fridge. The Gourmet Garden ginger paste has totally replaced fresh ginger in my house — it’s just so much easier. But for herbs, I still use fresh too, because only freshly chopped herbs will do.
I wish, however, that you could buy larger tubes as well. An 8 oz. tube size for basil and cilantro would be perfect.
Find It: I most often purchase these Gourmet Garden Stir-In Paste tubes at my local Hannaford Supermarket. But I have also seen them at Shaw’s, Walmart and other stores as well. They run about $3-$4 per tube.
Add the paste at the end of your cooking to burritos, curries, salsas, stir-fries, rice and so much more.
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The Good: The flavors are fresh — basil tastes like fresh basil, cilantro brightens guacamole brilliantly, ginger is appropriately gingery. Also, it’s super easy to use. Just squeeze out and stir into whatever you’re making. Measuring is so easy. The Gourmet Garden ginger paste and cilantro paste, in particular, have become mainstays in our kitchen.
That said, in order to do this, I sometimes need little shortcuts to make the puzzle pieces of my day fit together. So, when I see a product that would eliminate the need to chop herbs (and the associated dirty knives and cutting boards), it intrigues me.
The herb pastes also aren’t that pretty. Should that matter? It depends on how you are using the herb pastes. Also, if you need a larger quantity of fresh herbs for a recipe, these can get expensive fast.
Find It: I most often purchase these Gourmet Garden Stir-In Paste tubes at my local Hannaford Supermarket. But I have also seen them at Shaw’s, Walmart and other stores as well. They run about $3-$4 per tube.
My love of food isn’t just something I write about. It’s something I live, as part of every aspect of my life, every day. Most weeks, I make a plan for all the dinners we’ll eat and shop for everything we need. Most evenings, I cook dinner — often from scratch.
Store the paste in mason jars in the fridge for up to 3 months or store in zip-lock bags in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Slowly drizzle the olive oil as you continue to pulse the food processor. Then, take out the blade and add in the fresh, squeezed lemon. Mix it well with a spoon.
Add the cilantro, garlic, onions, jalapeno, Italian seasoning, oregano and melted butter into a food processor. Pulse the food processor about 15-20 times or until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed well.
It never fails around this time of year that we have an abundance of cilantro going at the homestead. We use it as much as we can and give some away to neighbors but when there is just too much for our family to consume I refuse to just let it go bad! Last year I came up with the idea of turning our cilantro abundance into something our family can enjoy for a long time. And it is delicious!
1 Tsp Dried Oregano (You can omit this if you want, I like a strong oregano flavor)
How To Make Cilantro Paste
FAQ
Does cilantro paste need to be refrigerated?
What is coriander paste used for?
Does cilantro paste taste good?
What is cilantro paste used for?
This cilantro paste is something I make often. I use it on all kinds of meat dishes as a marinade and even as a salad topper. Its pack with flavor and I am excited to share the recipe with you!
What are the health benefits of using cilantro?
The word cilantro is the Spanish name for coriander leaves. Benefits are protects against oxidative stress, lowers anxiety and improves sleep, lower blood sugar levels, protects against cardiovascular diseases, prevents urinary tract infections, prevents against food poisoning, obesity and seizure severity. Cilantro helps cure ulcers, inflammation, spasms and protects the liver.
Can cilantro be used in cooking?
Every part of the Cilantro can be used in cooking. Which parts of the plant to use will depend on what you’re making. Leaves: These are the most commonly used part, especially as a topping or in dishes that are prepared raw. That’s because the leaves lose most of their flavor when cooked with heat.
How do you use cilantro stems in pesto?
Cilantro stems infuse pesto with a fresh and pungent flavor that’s great to enjoy on pasta or pizza. Ingredients: Directions: In processor, pulse cilantro, Parmesan cheese, almonds, garlic and lemon juice with motor running. Stream in olive oil and process until smooth. Toss with cooked pasta or drizzle over pizza. Are cilantro stems good for you?