What is the difference between oregano and marjoram

Marjoram is the sweetest and the mildest of the herbs in the Origanum family. When I eat it, its taste reminds me of honey, but with also taints of floral, citrus, and a touch of clove. Marjoram has a balanced and warm taste and has flavors that are reminiscent of comforting and homey meals. In contrast, oregano tends to be more bitter, spicy, and has a strong taste. It is sometimes described as having a sharp or pungent flavor. While there are some tones of clove to oregano, it has more mint, pine, and clove tastes.

The taste of oregano is so distinct, some experts have stated that it is best to think of oregano as a flavor, rather than a species of herb. Marjoram and oregano are the herbs at the heart of Mediterranean cuisine, and staples in Italian, Greek, and French cooking. These two popular herbs are not only interchangeable, but they are also great combined with other herbs such as basil and parsley, and with the addition of the unmissable salt and pepper to make a seasoning.

Marjoram is most famous for its place in the English recipe of roast goose with chestnut stuffing. You can find a recipe here. Marjoram is also a common ingredient in a seasoning used for German sausages. Marjoram works best with poultry, vegetables, cheeses and can be added to bread as well. In case you are curious, here is a recipe using marjoram in a creme brulee. If you have done even the most basic of cooking, you will know that oregano is a fundamental ingredient in pizza and pasta.

This is because oregano is a perfect match for tomatoes. However, with its stronger flavor, oregano also goes well with red meats. For example, oregano is usually found in many Greek lamb dishes but also works well with burgers. It is also well suited to beans and wonderful in bread. I forgot the oregano with kitchen below , one of my favorite recipes. As outlined by the Herb Society of America an average teaspoon of dried marjoram has 2 calories,.

It also has small amounts of a variety of other vitamins and minerals. Oregano has more than double the nutritional value of marjoram, with the same quantity of dried oregano having 6 calories,. It also contains 28 mg calcium, 30 mg potassium, and IU vitamin A. However, the major nutritional advantage of oregano is that it also includes two flavonoids galangin and quercetin which are rich in antioxidant activity.

Interesting to note the significantly higher value of vitamin A of oregano compared to marjoram. Just to have an idea, a healthy individual needs IU of Vitamin A daily. Marjoram and oregano have similar growing needs and can both be successfully grown indoors in containers. Given the proper conditions, you should be able to harvest leaves until the first frost if outdoors or all year long, if in pots inside.

You can start using the leaves, a few sprigs at a time, once the leaf stems reach 4" tall. Marjoram leaves are best used fresh, as their flavor is sweeter and milder. For this reason it is also best to add them at the last moment when you use them for cooking.

Marjoram has a slightly mintly, citrusy taste. Use marjoram's fresh taste to enhance salad dressings, seafood sauces, soups, and poultry. A chicken that has been rubbed with garlic, salt, course black pepper and marjoram, then grilled makes a quick and delectable summer treat -- one of my favorites.

Marjoram's flavor also works well with cheese, tomato, bean or egg dishes. Marjoram is most often used in recipes of French or English origin, whereas oregano's more robust flavor is often called for in the recipes of Italian, Greek, North African and Mexican cuisines.

Oregano's pungent, spicy flavor makes it a perfect match for tomato based sauces, eggplant, seafood, and grilled meats. Italian dishes are practically synonymous with oregano; it is hard to imagine pasta sauce or pizza without it. Oregano's rich flavor deepens and melds flavors of soups and sauces without overwhelming the dish. Because it retains its flavor well, oregano can be used either fresh or dried.

If you are using the fresh herb, use twice the amount of it as you would the dried called for in a recipe. Despite the heavy association of oregano with Italy, it is likely that oregano originated in Greece. Ancients Greeks used to let their cattle graze on fields of oregano, in the belief that it produced tastier meat. Even the name oregano comes from the Greek, meaning "joy of the mountain. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans would crown bridal couples with wreaths of marjoram to symbolize love, honor and happiness.

The most common oregano, i. Although Mexican oregano Lippia graveolens , which has a pepper-like flavor, is like oregano, it is not technically oregano.

Marjoram Origanum majorana is an aromatic herb in the mint family. It has fuzzy, green, oval-shaped leaves that grow opposite from each other, forming distinctive clusters. Marjoram is warm, slightly sharp and a little bitter. It has a taste similar to thyme but is sweeter and has a stronger scent. When compared to oregano, marjoram has a milder flavor. Marjoram is available in both fresh and dry form. Dried marjoram is stronger than fresh leaves. However, you have to add fresh leaves towards the end of cooking so that the flavor remains strong.

The information is always anonymous. Click to read the privacy policy Google, Inc. In this section you will find information about cookies that can be generated using this web service. Botanical-online, like most other websites on the Internet, uses its own and third-party cookies to improve the user experience and to offer an accessible and adapted browsing. Cookies are text files that browsers or devices generate when visiting Internet websites.

They are used to store information about the visit and meet the following requirements:. Cookies are associated with an anonymous user only. The computer or device does not provide references that reveal personal data.

It is reported, however, that the quality of the operation of the services may be affected. Cookies do not usually store sensitive information about the person, such as credit cards, bank details, photographs, personal information, etc.

The data they keep is of a technical nature. When browsing Botanical-online, own and third-party cookies will be generated. They are used to store and manage navigation configuration information, web analytics and ad personalization. The stored data are technical and, in no case, personal information to identify the navigator. Below is a table with identification of the most relevant cookies used on this website and their purpose:.

You can restrict, block or delete Botanical-online cookies, or any other website, using your Internet browser. Each browser has a different configuration.

You can see how to proceed in the Help section of the same. Next, we show a list to operate with the main current browsers:. It is recalled that you can review at any time the preferences regarding the acceptance or not of cookies on this site by clicking on "More information" in the acceptance message or by clicking on " Cookies Policy " present at all times on all pages of the website.

Medicinal plants Medicinal plants list. Plants components. Medicinal plants importance. History of medicinal plants. Plant preparations. Special: Tea. Special: Sage. Special: Chamomille. Special: Rosemary. Natural medicine. Special: Cholesterol. Special: Obesity.

Natural food. Vegetarian recipes. Mediterranean diet.