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Dried oregano

Aromatic leaves

Dried oregano

Origanum vulgare

Dried oregano: an earthy, peppery Mediterranean herb for pizza, tomato sauces, Greek and Mexican dishes.

Also called: oregano, kekik (dried), rigani

  • Herbal & green
  • Pungent & sulphurous
  • Earthy
  • No heat
Buying & storing72 recipes

Photo: Revital Salomon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

Flavour and aroma

peppery, bitter-herbal, earthy, warm. Earthy, peppery, slightly bitter.

Heat
No heat
Forms
dried, fresh

How to use it

  • crush · Dry grinding technique

    Rub between your palms over the pan to release the oils. As a guide, 1 teaspoon dried replaces 1 tablespoon fresh.

  • bloom in fat · Tadka (tempering) technique

    For tomato sauces and braises, add with the garlic to the warm oil for 15–30 seconds, or in the first part of cooking so it softens.

  • use raw

    Sprinkle Greek rigani over Greek salad, feta and grilled meat with olive oil and lemon.

  • Pizza and tomato sauces
  • Greek salads, souvlaki and roast potatoes
  • Mexican pozole and salsas (Mexican oregano)
  • Marinades and rubs
  • Bean and lentil soups

Identifying good quality

Greyish-green crumbled leaves (sometimes with flowers, as in Greek rigani). It should smell strong and peppery when rubbed between the palms; faded, khaki leaves with little scent are stale.

  • Not to be confused with Dried marjoram: Marjoram is a close relative: sweeter, softer and more floral.
  • Not to be confused with Dried thyme: Thyme leaves are tiny and needle-like.

Origin and history

Origin: The Mediterranean and western Asia (Origanum vulgare and related species).. Grown and used: Grown in Greece, Turkey, Italy and Mexico; used across the Mediterranean, Latin America and the US..

Oregano has been a Mediterranean seasoning since antiquity; Greek rigani is dried wild oregano on the stem. It is commonly said to have become popular in the US after soldiers returned from Italy after the Second World War, along with the spread of pizza. 'Mexican oregano' is mostly Lippia graveolens, a different plant with a stronger, more citrusy flavour.

Commonly told; not firmly documented

In masalas, pastes and sauces

Recipes with dried oregano

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