Oregano has rightfully earned its place on my family’s table. Not just on the table, but on the windowsill too! Having first tried oregano as a spice on pizza, I now add the fragrant leaves to nearly all my dishes.
Oregano holds a special place in European cuisine. To me, the Italian table smells like oregano—pizza, sauces, spaghetti and pasta, soups… Slavic people use oregano to pickle mushrooms, cucumbers, zucchinis, and tomatoes.
It’s great when you can buy fresh bunches of oregano—dried oregano changes its aroma and flavor, losing some of its fragrant essential oil . You can also grow oregano on a windowsill in a pot , as I do.
I suggest trying a few interesting recipes with oregano. Let’s start with sauces.
Sauces with Oregano
A small introduction. Oregano will enhance the flavor of any tomato, creamy, cheesy, or even grape sauce, as well as chicken broth-based sauces. It pairs perfectly with garlic, thyme, basil, and rosemary.
Salad Dressing with Oregano
- Vegetable oil 2 tbsp
- medium tomatoes - 2 pcs
- bell pepper - 1 pc
- green onion - 1 small bulb
- garlic - 1 clove
- oregano - a handful of leaves or 1 tsp dried
- basil - a few leaves
- salt to taste, 1 tsp sugar
Peel the tomatoes, scald the pepper with boiling water, and remove the skin. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend. Best eaten immediately, do not store. A great vegan sauce suitable for both salads and meat.
Oriental Sauce with Oregano
- Vegetable oil (olive, mustard) - 50 ml
- soy sauce - 2 tbsp
- oregano - a few leaves
- garlic - 2-3 cloves
- a pinch of sugar
Finely chop the garlic and oregano, place in a sauce dish, add soy sauce, and a little sugar. Stir and add the oil. Perfect sauce for vegetables, meat, or salads. You can add a little vinegar and store it in the fridge.
Marinara Sauce
- Peeled tomatoes - 1 kg
- garlic - 2 cloves
- onion - 1 small bulb
- small carrot
- oregano - a small bunch
- bay leaf - 1 leaf
- basil - a few leaves
Finely chop the herbs and garlic, grate the carrot. Sauté the onion and carrot in heated oil, adding the garlic at the very end. Add the herbs and peeled tomatoes to the pan, salt, and add a little sugar and vinegar to taste if desired. Simmer for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Store in the fridge.
Soups with Oregano
Italian Soup with Zucchini and Oregano
- Creamy cheese (mozzarella) - 200 grams
- zucchini or squash - 2 small ones
- onion - 1 pc
- olive oil - 3 tbsp
- fresh oregano - a few leaves, 1 tbsp
- chicken or vegetable broth - 0.5 liters
- peppers to taste
- salt
Cut the cheese into cubes, season with finely chopped oregano and 1 tbsp of oil, and a pinch of salt. Sauté the chopped onion in a pan. Dice the zucchini and add it to the pan with the onion. Sauté lightly. Add the broth and simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
Add the herbs, peppers, and salt, purée the soup in a blender, pour into bowls, and top with cheese and oregano leaves. You can add potatoes, other types of cheese, or garlic. The soup will surprise you, guaranteed!
Turkish Cold Soup with Oregano
- Kefir - 1 liter
- oregano - a few leaves
- dill - a bunch
- garlic - 1-2 cloves
- sparkling water - 1 glass
- cucumber - a few small ones
- salt and pepper to taste
Grate the cucumbers, mix with kefir and water, tear the oregano into small pieces, crush the garlic, and chop the dill. Mix everything and enjoy!
Salads with Oregano
Potato Salad
- Potatoes in their skins - 3 pcs
- green onion - a bunch
- oregano - a few leaves
- bell pepper - 1 pc
- cucumber - 2 pcs
- vegetable oil, salt, and pepper to taste
Dice the potatoes, cucumbers, and pepper, chop the greens, and dress with oil and salt.
Fish Salad with Orange and Oregano
- Hake or any other white fish - 0.5 kg
- green onion
- orange - 1 pc
- half a cup of rice
- vegetable oil
- oregano, dill, parsley
- lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Boil the fish and rice, peel the orange, and cut it into thin slices. Thinly slice the onion. Layer the ingredients and garnish with orange and greens.
In the next article, there will be more recipes with oregano —meat dishes, appetizers, and baked goods with oregano.
