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Here’s how to make oregano tea with fresh or dried leaves in just 5 minutes! This caffeine-free herbal tea takes only two ingredients and one mug.
Did you know you can make herbal tea with fresh herbs and boiling water? Enter this oregano tea. Fresh oregano transforms in 5 minutes into an earthy, fresh drink that’s positively restorative. All you need is a few sprigs and boiling water!
When Alex and I tried this for the first time, we were astonished by the flavor. It’s a fun way to make DIY tea, and it makes drinking your daily water much more interesting. Here’s what to do!
5 Star Reader Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Made this last night because for the last few weeks I have been battling a bad sinus infection. Nothing has been working. I followed your recipe and added a teaspoon of honey. I slept all night without coughing. It was nice to get a good night rest.” -Kristen
How To Make Oregano Tea
All you need is two ingredients for oregano tea: fresh oregano and water! While oregano is best known for flavoring Italian recipes, its flavor lends intrigue to tea. This recipe is best in the summer when you’ve got fresh herbs growing in your garden or in pots. But you can still make it in the winter using fresh oregano from the grocery store. Here’s how to make oregano tea:
- Boil: Boil a pot of water. We use an electric tea kettle (that we also use for our morning coffee).
- Harvest herbs: Add 2 large leafy oregano sprigs — see the photo for the amount we used.
- Steep: Fill up a mug with the boiling water. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then enjoy!
What Oregano Is Best For Tea (Fresh Vs Dried)
Fresh is my preference: it has the very best flavor here. I like using Greek oregano, which is what I grow in my garden. You can also use other types like common oregano (what you’ll find at the store) or Italian oregano.
You can also use dried oregano if it’s all that you have. Use about 2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water in a strainer or infuser, and steep 5 to 7 minutes.
What It Tastes Like
I really love the flavor of oregano tea: it tastes savory rather than sweet: it’s earthy at first, with a peppery and slightly minty finish. It really tastes more like a light broth than a chamomile tea.
If your first sip reads as too intense, next time steep 3 minutes instead of 5, or use one sprig instead of two (or half the dried amount).
Oregano Tea Benefits
Fresh oregano is known to have benefits such as fighting bacteria and decreasing inflammation, and it contains antioxidant compounds that research suggests could help in cancer prevention. Read more here: Benefits of Oregano (Healthline).
Most of the research on oregano’s health benefits is actually with concentrated oil or lab extracts (not two sprigs in a mug of water), so the health benefits might not scale down to the amount in a tea cup. You can enjoy oregano tea as a hydrating, zero-calorie drink — if you’re pregnant, nursing, or have a health condition, talk to your doctor before drinking oregano tea regularly.
Grow Your Own Oregano
Oregano is easy to grow at home: you don’t even need garden space. All you need is a pot and a sunny ledge! It’s got the best flavor and you can use it in recipes all summer long (see below). Go to How to Grow Herbs for more on growing herbs at home.
More Herbal Teas
- Thyme tea
- Mint tea
- Ginger tea or Lemon ginger tea
- Rosemary tea
- Sage tea
- Lavender tea
- Lemon tea
- Basil tea (uses black tea)
More Ways To Use Oregano
This fresh herb is a powerhouse for bringing Mediterranean flavor to a recipe! Here are a few more ways we love to use fresh oregano:
- Pizza: Top White Pizza or Mushroom Pizza with Herbs with beautiful fresh oregano.
- Veggies: Fresh oregano adds herby flavor to Sauteed Mushrooms and Steamed Carrots.
- Grains: Add to grain dishes like simple rice or Farro with Mushrooms.
- Infused water: Try a few sprigs in Fruit Infused Water or Cucumber Water.
Dietary Notes
This oregano tea recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can, but steeping makes a better cup. A hard boil drives off the aromatic oils and pulls out more bitterness. Pour boiling water over the herbs instead and steep 5 minutes.
Use about 2 teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling water in an infuser, and steep 5 to 7 minutes. Whole dried leaves work better than ground.
Earthy, savory, and peppery with a slightly minty finish.
Greek oregano has the most classic, aromatic flavor. Italian is milder. Mexican and Cuban oregano are a different plant so avoid those types.
Any tine! It’s naturally caffeine-free, so it works as easily in the evening as the afternoon.
Oregano Tea
Here’s how to make oregano tea with fresh or dried leaves in just 5 minutes! This caffeine-free herbal tea takes only two ingredients and one mug.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Tea
- Cuisine: Herbal
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 large leafy fresh oregano sprigs (or 2 tsp dried oregano)
- Boiling water
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Wash the oregano thoroughly (for fresh oregano).
- Place the oregano sprigs in a mug (or place the dried oregano in a tea strainer), and pour over the boiling water. Allow the herbs to steep for 5 minutes. Remove the oregano and enjoy. (Alternate method: If you prefer, you can also chop the fresh oregano leaves and place them in a tea strainer before steeping.)
Made this last night because for the last few weeks I have been battling a bad sinus infection. Nothing has been working. I followed your recipe and added a teaspoon of honey. I sleep all night without coughing. It was nice to get a good night rest.
The BEST tea ever! So good and healthy 10/10 would recommend!
Think I have Cuban oregano (Vick’s plant). It’s strong tasting and grows like a weed. Made oregano oil w it, going to try tea.
The herb in the photo looks more like mint than oregano. My oregano looks much different. Are there different types or oregano?
There are different types of oregano. This one has larger, almost fuzzy leaves. The tastes are similar, but can have varying levels of spiciness.
Great couple…keep it up!
I have realy learnt alot from you. Thank you so much.