Easy step by step instructions on how to dry oregano in 1 hour! This DIY method dries it in the oven on a baking sheet.
How to Dry Oregano
It’s the last full week of August. It doesn’t mean that Summer is over yet, or the gardening season is close to being over (does it really ever end?) but with a few months of growth your herb container might be getting out of hand. Your basil is green and lush, your mint spreads the best smells around the garden and your oregano has a mind of it’s own.
Oregano grows.. and grows.. and grows.. and takes over. Nothing can stop our oregano, including a harsh Winter. Somehow it didn’t care about the amount of snow or freezing temperatures we had because once Spring hit it started growing again.
(Before and After 1 Hour).
With a pot full of oregano growing wildly, I had to snip it down. In the past I have air dried oregano but honestly I’m a bit impatient. Plus it’s alot of work. You have to separate the oregano, tie it up, check it periodically, take it down. Ok, maybe it’s not that much work but it’s alot more work than this method.
Plus this method isn’t going to take up a bunch of space. When we air dry herbs we have to use the area near our front door which is already overrun with storing onions. This isn’t going to take up any room!
Drying Oregano in the Oven
How to Dry Mint worked so well (enjoying a cup of mint tea right now!) that I went back to this method for the oregano. Not only did it work great but it was even quicker! Drying oregano only takes 1 hour in the oven.
After it’s dried, crumble it up and put in a jar. Oregano is one of my favorite herbs to use in cooking and I use it from sprinkling on layers of lasagna to seasoning meat to adding to stews. Here are some of my favorite oregano recipes using dried oregano.
Enjoy this quick drying oregano method! How do you like to use dried oregano? Let me know in the comments!
How to Dry Oregano in 1 Hour
PrintIngredients
- Fresh Oregano
Instructions
- Pick oregano. Let oregano sit over night in your kitchen. This is a important step.
- On the following day preheat oven to 170 degrees F.
- Put oregano in one layer on cookie sheet.
- Bake oregano for 1 hour.
- Once out of the oven take oregano and crumble leaves into a container.
- Store in jar, preferably in a dry dark cabinet shelf.
Harriet G. says
Thanks! This was a GREAT way to dry oregano – both Greek & Italian. Can you do thyme the same way? Please LMK – thanks!
Melissa F. Kline says
Do you rinse the oregano first?
Pamela says
Usually I just give our oregano a little shake as it’s not very dirty – no rinsing is needed. If your oregano is dirty, you should wash it first and then let it sit or hang it overnight, before moving on to drying in the oven. Hope this helps.