Oregano is a summer garden superstar, giving us plenty of harvests all season long. The only catch? Fresh sprigs only stay perky for a few days. If you want to keep that Mediterranean vibe going all winter, you’ll need to preserve it. Luckily, there are a few great ways to do just that!
How to Preserve Your Oregano
You can keep your oregano stash fresh and flavorful by:
- Drying it out
- Freezing it
- Infusing it in oil or salt
Timing Your Big Harvest
If you want the best flavor, timing is everything. You should harvest your oregano when its essential oils are at their peak. This usually happens in July or August right as the flowers start to open. Fun fact: the flowers are just as edible as the leaves, so feel free to include them in your preserving!
- Cut your oregano on a sunny morning.
- Wait for a stretch of a few sunny days before harvesting for the best flavor.
- Cut the stems down to just above the woody base.
Pro Tip:
Give your oregano bush a good spray with the garden hose a few days before you plan to harvest. This gets the dust off so the sprigs are clean. You want to avoid washing the oregano right after you cut it, as that can strip away some of those delicious aromatic oils.
Air-Drying Your Oregano
Believe it or not, dried oregano actually has a more intense flavor than fresh! That makes drying the gold standard for preservation. Keep the stems whole and just pluck off any damaged leaves. Tie about a dozen stems together into a bundle and hang them upside down in a dry spot away from direct wind. Make sure the bundles aren’t touching each other.
Your oregano should be crispy and dry in about a week.
If you’re in a hurry, you can use an oven or a dehydrator. Spread the sprigs out so they don’t touch. Keep the temperature low—no higher than 95°F (35°C). If using an oven, prop the door open slightly so moisture can escape.
Storing Dried Oregano
Once dry, strip the leaves off the stems and crumble them up. Store them in an airtight container, and your homegrown oregano will stay flavorful for at least a year.
Freezing Oregano
If you decide to freeze your oregano, it might lose a tiny bit of that signature punch, but it keeps its beautiful green color.
- Chop the leaves or leave them whole.
- Pack them into small, portion-sized bags.
- Label your containers with the date.
- Use within a year.
- Toss them directly from the freezer into your cooking!
Pro Tip:
Try putting chopped oregano into ice cube trays and topping them off with a little water. Once frozen, you’ll have perfect “flavor cubes” that you can pop into a freezer bag and grab whenever you’re making soup or sauce.
Other Creative Ways to Save the Flavor
Oregano is also fantastic when turned into herb oil or mixed with sea salt for a custom herb salt. There are tons of pickling recipes that feature oregano as a star ingredient, too. It’s definitely worth a quick search online to find a recipe that fits your taste!
