Spices & seasonings · Dried herbs
Dried oregano
Dried oregano: an earthy, peppery Mediterranean herb for pizza, tomato sauces, Greek and Mexican dishes.
Also called: oregano, kekik (dried), rigani
A kind of spices
Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it
Photo: Revital Salomon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
What it is
Dried oregano is the crumbled leaves of a Mediterranean herb in the mint family. It is one of the few herbs many cooks prefer dried, as drying concentrates its warm, peppery, slightly bitter flavour. Mexican oregano is a different plant with a more citrusy, grassy taste. Marjoram is a gentler, sweeter relative.
Origanum vulgare
How it’s used
- Pizza and tomato sauces
- Greek salads, souvlaki and roast potatoes
- Mexican pozole and salsas (Mexican oregano)
- Marinades and rubs
- Bean and lentil soups
Characteristics
Storage
Cool, dry and dark. Airtight jar away from light; rub between fingers to check it still smells strong.
Diet, allergens and safety
No major allergens in typical versions.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 265 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrate
- 68.92 g
- Fat
- 4.28 g
- Fibre
- 42.5 g
- Sugars
- 4.09 g
USDA FoodData Central: Spices, oregano, dried.
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
- Dried marjoram — Use a little more; milder.
- Dried thyme — One-for-one in tomato sauces.
Related ingredients
Recipes with dried oregano
See all 72
Anticuchos de corazón
Peruvian · 45 min · 491 kcal
Arroz con gandules
Puerto Rican · 1 h 10 min · 328 kcal
Baked ziti
American · 1 h 30 min · 487 kcal
Belizean rice and beans with stew chicken
Belizean · 1 h 25 min · 844 kcal
Birria de res
Mexican · 4 h · 563 kcalCajun seasoning
Southern US · 5 min · 7 kcal · Vegan
Carnitas
Mexican · 3 h 10 min · 611 kcal
Cazuela de vacuno
Chilean · 2 h 5 min · 404 kcal
Chicken souvlaki
Greek · 2 h 27 min · 370 kcal
Chili con carne
Tex-Mex · 1 h 30 min · 434 kcalChimichurri
Argentine · 45 min · 104 kcal · Vegan
Choripán
Argentine · 1 h 5 min · 648 kcal
60 more
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- Ensalada de nopales · Mexican
- Fërgesë (peppers, tomatoes and cheese) · Albanian
- Gigantes plaki · Greek
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- Grilled steak with chimichurri · Argentine
- Htipiti (roasted red pepper and feta dip) · Greek
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- Jambalaya · Southern US
- Keftedes (Greek meatballs) · Greek
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- La bandera dominicana · Dominican
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- Za'atar · Levantine
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