Oregano

Mexican oregano isn’t oregano

The “Mexican oregano” used in southwestern US and Mexican cooking is a different plant entirely — Lippia graveolens, in the verbena family rather than the mint family. It tastes superficially similar but has more citrus and licorice notes than Mediterranean oregano.

In Mexican-style chili, posole, and tamales, the recipes typically assume Mexican oregano. Substituting Mediterranean oregano changes the flavor noticeably — more “Italian” and less “southwestern.”

Dried beats fresh

Most Mediterranean herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro) are dramatically better fresh than dried. Oregano is an exception — the dried form is more intense and arguably better for most savory cooking applications.

The volatile oils that give oregano its character are released during drying and concentrated in the dried leaves. Fresh oregano is milder and sometimes feels grassy in dishes that need oregano’s punch. Italian and Greek cooks often prefer dried oregano even when fresh is available.

Pizza’s defining herb

The combination of tomato + oregano + cheese + dough essentially defines pizza in the Western culinary imagination. Oregano isn’t optional — it’s the herb that makes a tomato sauce taste like “pizza sauce” rather than just “tomato sauce.”

This is why dried oregano is in nearly every pizzeria’s shaker jar, alongside parmesan and red pepper flakes, for diners to add to taste.