Chilean Oregano

This one took me a long time to fully figure out. 

Twenty-two years ago, when I started trying to replicate the flavors of Chile in my Houstonian kitchen, I noticed that the dried Mediterranean oregano was not the oregano I grew up with. Next time I was at the grocery store, I bought Mexican oregano, and everything got sorted. I recognized the flavor right away.

So I have been telling readers of my blog for a long time to use Mexican Oregano when making our Chilean recipes in the USA.

I didn’t know I was lucky to be in Texas, where Mexican oregano is everywhere. Here in Seattle, I need to buy in bulk or order online, and to get a plant I ordered from a nursery in Canada. 

Only last year (2024), when talking to a friend who is an expert in herb gardening, did I learn that Mexican oregano is not oregano at all but a different plant species. Always be aware of the common names of plants. So, to be super clear, if you want to grow Oregano to cook Chilean dishes, get a Lippia graveolens. I got mine at Richters.

I also learned from the cookbook “New Native Kitchen” that Mexican oregano is a traditional herb among the indigenous peoples of North America. It makes sense since the plant is native to this continent. There, they describe the flavor as “closer to lemon verbena with earthy clay undertone, deep citrusy scent.”