What's the difference between curly and flat parsley ?

[chillybits]

Does anyone if it matters which one you use taste-wise ? Recipe advises curly - I bought flat and really don't want to go shopping again!

Its for parsley sauce (not very adventurous but I haven't made it before)

It's varietal, mostly. There may be a slight difference in flavour but I doubt it would be all that noticeable.

Flat leaf ("Italian") is more flavorful.

Curly gives a retro decorative touch. Curly is also probably the one your grandmother used.

In practice they are interchangeable but I prefer flat leaf.

It really doesn't matter. I like flat because it's easier to chop up.

I prefer flat leaf anyway - it has a better flavour IMO. I'm not a big fan of curly parsley, plus it's stiffer. Flat leaf is much softer.
You should be fine using flat leaf in a sauce rather than curly - might want to chop it a bit less though.

Lovely thanks all

Where I live curly-leafed parsley has a stronger flavour than flat-leafed. Perhaps, a sharper flavour would be a better way of putting it. I use flat-leafed parsley in salads and curly-leafed in stocks and sauces. I don't often use flat-leafed but that is mostly because curly-leafed grows like a weed in my garden.

There is no difference in taste, only in appearance. I used to think flat leaf was better, was always being told to by tv chefs but it's not and people are coming clean about it.

All a big con. Either will do.

another here who agrees there is no difference.

we used the curly one when i was at catering college (years ago)

Personally, I prefer flat leaf...I love the fresh green taste of the Mediterranean...wonderful for making Taboulie, Greek / Lebanese salad...
try it!
simply chop up a bunch of flat leaf, roughly 5 or 6 tomatoes, 4 spring onions, roughly 40 grams of (cooked) Bulgar wheat, and a few mint leaves...loads of flavor with salt and pepper, juice of 1 and a half / 2 lemons, and lots of olive oil...mmm fresh and clean and lovely.
...goes ever so well with Greek Kleftico, which if you like I can give you the recipe to...?