Every so often, I love deep diving into the nuts and bolts of cooking. Okay, maybe this occurs a little more often than every so, who am I kidding? Learning a little bit about the building blocks of favorite recipes – the ingredients – and why they’re there can help understand how best to wield them in your own kitchen in different ways, and it just might make you more exited about cooking in the first place. The joy of cooking is more readily excavated once confidence and understanding have been established. While I find this notion proves true in a universal sense, I think it applies particularly well to the wonderful world of spices. I’ve got scads of spices from every corner of the globe in my kitchen and as such, I’ve determined to get to know them a little better. Today, with our beautifully simple Any Fish Oreganata recipe, we’ll begin that journey by kicking off a My Kitchen Little Spice series. Our spice of choice today? Oregano. We’ll explore this gorgeous herb in all its glory, unearthing some of the different types of oregano as well as some common uses for the herb, where it’s grown, and what some of its unique properties are.

In This Post

If all of this intrigues you, and you find yourself reading this post, genuinely intrigued as to its contents, then I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that we’re kindred spirits, cut from the same culinarily curious cloth. With that, let’s talk oregano …

What is Oregano and How is it Used?

Familar and beloved thanks to dishes such as pizza and pasta sauce, oregano is enjoyed both as a culinary herb and a medicinal one. One of the most widely-used herbs worldwide, oregano is found all over Mediterranean and Mexican cuisine which makes sense, as it grows beautifully in those warmer, dry climates. While both are found year-round dried oregano is probably more common than fresh, but fresh oregano is also employed in some dishes, and I personally love what fresh oregano can do to a dish, both flavor-wise and aesthetically.

What Is Oregano and What Does it Taste Like?

Grown in drier, warm climates such as the Mediterranean, Mexico, Syria, and Turkey.
Earthy, floral, somewhat bitter, and astringent in flavor, oregano’s aroma has notes of camphor, mint and hay, and a taste that is at once pungent, earthy and green.
Oregano blossoms, often bright pink and purple in color, can also be eaten and taste much like the fresh and ground version of the fully grown herb. I sprinkled some on the tops of the gnocchi with pesto cream that I prepared for a previous recipe post, and they lent their beautifully floral aroma and color to the whole plate.

Lovingly referred to by Greeks as “the joy of the mountain,” and by everyone else as “the pizza spice,” oregano is an herb composed of the fresh or dried leaves of the oregano plant. The plant itself consists of small leaves that lend a floral, almost perfumed aroma and notice-me flavor to so many foods across not only the Mediterranean and Mexico, but in Northern Africa and parts of the Middle East as well. As with most herbs, it is gluten-free and enjoyed as a dynamic flavor agent in vegan, keto and paleo recipes.

What are the Different Types of Oregano?

Oregano is sold in several varieties – different cuts/shapes/sizes, and deriving from different locales – and it was actually my own wondering as to the differences in these varietals that inspired this post. Is there a difference between say, Mexican oregano and Mediterranean, the two types you’re most likely to find in a typical grocery store? Turns out, the answer is a resounding YES.

Mediterranean oregano

A member of the mint family (ah ha! That’s where the hint of mint comes from), Mediterranean oregano grows throughout the region, from Italy to Greece, Spain, Turkey, and even North African countries such as Morocco and Egypt. It’s also known as wild marjoram, but shouldn’t be confused as actual marjoram – the two spices are similar but different things. Oregano from these areas is bold – it’s robust in flavor – but the exact flavor profile will vary from one varietal to the next. Bitter, sweet, pepper … etc. Greek oregano is typically the most earthy, while Italian is more mild and Turkish is more pronounced, more astringent. Used fresh or dry, Mediterranean oregano is great in tomato sauces, pizzas, grilled meats, and other dishes with bold flavors (it can hold its own and will stand up to them).

Mexican oregano

A relative of lemon verbena and native to Mexico (um, duh), Mexican oregano also grows around Central and South America and is sometimes referred to as Puerto Rican oregano. While this type of oregano does shares the poignant, pungent flavor of Mediterranean oregano, it also has notes of citrus and mild licorice – the two types are noticeable different. Used fresh or dry, Mexican oregano is delicious when paired with cumin and chiles. Add it to Latin American dishes, your favorite chili, and all manner of salsas.

Health Benefits of Oregano

Oregano oil has antifungal, antimicrobial and also antiviral qualities and it can also act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Both oregano tea (hot water steeped with dried varieties of oregano) and oregano oil have been used as a natural remedy for indigestion, coughs, allergies, arthritis, and to stimulate menstruation. Essential oils derived from oregano are sometimes used in organic chicken farming instead of antibiotics. Be aware that oregano oil can interact with anti-diabetic drugs and anticoagulants.

When and How to Use Fresh vs Ground Oregano?

And is often the case for most herbs/spices, the dried, ground versions of oregano will always be more potent than their fresh counterparts. Fresh, leafy green oregano (pictured below) still maintains the earthy, somewhat astringent quality of the dried stuff, but just with less “POW!” I find myself purchasing more and more of the fresh stuff, however, as I love to garnish everything from pastas and pizzas to soups and long braises with it. It’s sturdier than say, a fresh basil, and easier to find year-round in my store … at least in conditions that are appealing.

Fresh oregano can be used inside dishes just like the ground versions, but as I stated above, the flavor is more muted. Because it is a fresh green herb, I tend to like to finish dishes with it, so as to not compromise its texture and consistency. I don’t want the heat and trauma of cooking to totally obliterate it, if that makes sense. So, when it comes to the oregano that I use inside recipes, like this Any Fish Oreganata, I stick with the dried stuff.

Storing Fresh Oregano

Fresh oregano will typically keep in your fridge, wrapped in a wet paper towel, for about 3 to 4 days. If you want to use up some excess fresh oregano that you’ve got lying around, though, try blitzing it up in your favorite salad dressings, pestos, and even finishing oils (think salty oregano oil for finishing a pasta or soup – yum!).

Where to Buy Oregano

Oregano is very easy to come by, and can be procured at just about any supermarket, grocery store, or spice slinging place you see fit. Fresh oregano is typically kept with the other fresh herbs in your grocer’s produce section, whereas the dried versions are right in the spice aisle. I’ve seen both Mexican and Greek oregano available in my big-box supermarket, and for the more obscure, or “boutique” varieties (such as broken leaf Mexican, Turkish, Syrian, etc.) you can fin them online.

That said, I’ve been enjoying playing around the with different varieties of dried oregano I received recently in the mail from The Spice House (this isn’t sponsored). They’re an online small-batch spice shop and you can hand pick which of their herbs and spices you’d like to try, and they’ll ship them to you in handy flat packs.

Cooking with Oregano

Oregano is a hugely popular spice that most of us probably have, in one way or another, in our kitchens most of the time. It really stands up to some serious cooking, and as such, I love using it in everything from pastas, pizzas, soups, and stews, and it would make a fantastic addition (if I haven’t already listed it) to any of the following recipes:

Mediterranean Sun Dried Tomato Chicken with Farro

Incredible Slow Cooker Marinara

Crispy Potato and Burrata Pizza with Honeyed Tapenade

Easiest Hands-Off Spaghetti and Meatballs

The recipe I’m sharing today, however, really puts our friend Oregano front and center – she’s the main event in this one. Oreganata is a classic Italian preparation, most traditional applied to fish and seafood (clams, shrimp, salmon, white fish, etc.) and it epitomizes clean, fresh simple weeknight cooking. I chose this recipe to highlight our Spice Series post on oregano because it really bills the herb as its star. Put this way, if it weren’t for the lovely dried oregano running through the breadcrumbs, this recipe would be much more like a Milanese than anything else. It’s the oregano that sets it apart, and you know that from the second the recipe title leaves your lips … or-eh-gah-nah-tahhhh. Even the name is delicious.

How to Make Any Fish Oreganata

I’m calling this “Any Fish Oreganata” because you can really use any fillet o’ fish that you like or that is on sale or that just looks particularly fetching in the store, or if you have it on hand already … you get the idea. It’s very flexible and this simple flavor combination of lemon + garlic + oregano + salt/pepper applies to literally any water dwelling creature out there. I’ve used tilapia in these photos, and it turned out moist, tender, perfectly flavored, crunchy (thanks to the panko), lightly brown (thanks to the olive oil in the panko), and delicately scented with oregano.

I sprinkled in some of the Greek oregano pictured above, and it mixed and mingled with the coating, perfuming everything wonderfully. I also sprinkled a little bit of fresh chopped oregano over the fish right after removing it from the oven, the heat from which opened up the aromas immediately.

Served with some quick sautéed zucchini and a simple salad, this was a delicious, healthy and light dinner that my husband and I both felt better for having eaten – it’s that kind of thing. What type of fish would you like to “oreganata?” The world is kind of your oyster there, you know? Or, rather, your shrimp … or clams … or …

Here is a ready-made pin for you! Simply save it to your “Healthy Recipes” or “Simple Dinners” boards and you’ll be all set when the craving strikes.