99% of commercial oregano you’ve bought originates from Turkey, Greece and Mexico. It’s time to try Italian! Can you imagine your pasta or pizza sauce without it? Angela’s oregano’s pungent, spicy flavor makes it a perfect match for your tomato sauces, eggplant, seafood and grilled meats.
Is oregano Italian or Greek?
Common Types of Oregano
Origanum vulgare: This is the species most commonly known as oregano. Its best known variety is Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare var. hirtum). Sometimes known as true oregano or Italian oregano, this is the familiar herb used on pizzas and in tomato sauces.
Where is oregano originally from?
Mediterranean countries
Oregano is native to the hills of the Mediterranean countries and western Asia and has naturalized in parts of Mexico and the United States. The herb has long been an essential ingredient of Mediterranean cooking and is widely used to season many foods.
Is oregano grown in Italy?
An easy-growing plant for the garden or container, Italian oregano hails from the Mediterranean region. That means it thrives with lower humidity and well-drained soil. In the garden, use this oregano as an edging plant. Plants spread when happy, rooting along the stems.
Is oregano Mexican or Italian?
The two types of oregano are even native to different parts of the world: True oregano is native to most temperate climates in western and southwestern Europe and Asia, as well as most Mediterranean countries, while Mexican oregano comes from (surprise, surprise) Mexico, Guatemala, and some parts of South America.
Is there a Greek oregano?
Greek oregano is a common variety of the oregano plant — in fact, it’s often referred to as true oregano. Since there are Greek, Italian, and Turkish oreganos from the Mediterranean region, there are nuances that you should keep in mind when you use these in your recipes.
What is the history of oregano?
Oregano comes from Origanum, a genus of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Oregano originally came from warm climates in western and southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial plant that has the characteristics of an herb, green and leaflike, with round shaped leaves.
Is oregano native to Europe?
Origanum vulgare
L. Oregano or Pot Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) is a species of Origanum, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia.
What culture uses oregano?
Oregano is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe and Asia. Oregano was used by the Ancient Greeks and Romans in their food (2). Wild oregano oil is used throughout mediterranean cultures as a powerful medicine (3).
What cuisine uses oregano?
Oregano is a familiar herb that many people know from dishes such as pizza and pasta sauce. One of the most widely-used herbs worldwide, it is found in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine and is even one of the components of chili powder.
What is the Italian name for oregano?
Oregano is the key flavor in Italian food.
Origanum vulgare.
| Botanical Pronunciation | or-RI-ga-num vul-GAIR-ee |
|---|---|
| Light Needs | Full sun, Partial sun |
Can you eat Italian oregano?
Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The flavor resembles a blend of thyme, rosemary and sage. It goes well with eggs, cauliflower, tomatoes and in salads and marinades. Use it in herb butters, vinegars, stews and sauces.
Where does Italian oregano grow?
The herb prefers light, well-draining soil. Choose any spot in the garden that gets full sun or partial shade. If planting oregano in hot climates, be sure the plant gets afternoon shade. If planting several oregano plants, space them about 12 to 18 inches apart.
Why is Mexican oregano different?
Mexican Oregano is from a different plant, indigenous to Mexico, and maintains a more woodsy, earthy flavor than Mediterranean Oregano. Mediterranean Oregano, Origanum vulgare, is part of the mint family. Mexican Oregano, Lippia graveolens, is more closely related to the vervain family than to mint.
Why is Mexican oregano better?
Mexican oregano has lemon and citrus flavors as well as some tones of licorice. These flavors are a better fit with Mexican dishes. It is often found in chili and salsas because it pairs beautifully with spicy chile peppers.
What is difference between oregano and Mexican oregano?
In other words, Mexican oregano is completely different from what we consider “regular” oregano, a fact that would become obvious if you tasted the two side-by-side. Where Mediterranean oregano is sweet, with anise notes, Mexican oregano is grassy, with citrus notes.
Is Greek oregano the best?
The essential oil of Greek oregano is considered the best in the world, as recent studies have shown it to have the highest content in carvacrol and thymol, both of which have powerful antioxidant and cancer-fighting properties. It has antibiotic and antiseptic properties as well.
Why is oregano popular in Greece?
Oregano brings good luck
Back in ancient Greece, the tasty herb was thought to bring good luck and good health, but it also symbolized joy. This herb is known as the “brilliant joy of the mountain” and is still just as prominent in Greek cuisine and life as it was in ancient times.
What is Greek oregano called?
Essential Herb in Greek Cuisine
Greek oregano is called “rigani,” pronounced REE-gah-nee. Oregano is sold fresh and dried as cuttings of flower tops and leaves packaged in disposable containers or as dried, ground leaves packaged in sprinkle-pour bottles.
Is oregano poisonous?
In large doses, oregano oil may be toxic — and even lethal. Oregano may have diuretic effects. Large amounts of oregano can upset the stomach.
Is oregano a drug?
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is an herb used to flavor foods. It is considered safe in common food amounts, but has little evidence of health benefits.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.