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Home » Method » Drying & Storing
5 from 6 reviews

How to Dry Oregano in 1 Hour

1 hour 5 minutes
oregano
By: Pamela Reed
Posted:12/15/20
Updated:9/4/23
Jump to Recipe

Easy step-by-step instructions on how to dry oregano in 1 hour!  This method is the quickest way to dry herbs.

hand crumbling oregano leaves into white bowl

What is the best way to dry fresh oregano?

There’s 2 popular ways to dry fresh herbs. You can hang the herbs up indoors and let them dry naturally. This works great, but it takes up space, and it takes time. I live in a NYC apartment, and I’m impatient, so I usually don’t do this method.

The other way, the one I prefer, is drying herbs in the oven. This method only takes around an hour, from start to finish. It’s really as easy as putting the herbs in the oven, checking on them, and crumbling the dry leaves into a jar.

And if you have a garden filled with lots of different herbs, you can easily make this a drying day (herb party everyone!) and get everything done quickly.

Here’s a video I made to show you how easy it is to dry oregano!

How long does it take to dry fresh oregano?

Fresh oregano takes 1 hour to dry in the oven. You want to make sure the oregano is completely dry before putting it into the oven. If it’s wet, it’s going to take longer.

Do you wash oregano before drying?

If you’re drying organic oregano that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals (like in your own garden) then you don’t have to wash it. I like to just shake the oregano to remove any remaining dirt on it.

If you bought the oregano and unsure if any chemicals were used, it’s best to wash it to be safe. Gently run the oregano under cold running water and then pat dry. I recommend leaving the oregano on a towel overnight to make sure it’s completely dry. You can also give the oregano a spin in the salad spinner to speed up the drying process.

Do not move on to drying the oregano in the oven until it’s completely dry.

fresh oregano on brown towel

How to Dry Oregano in the Oven

Wash and dry oregano (if needed). See above for directions.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees F. If your oven only goes down to 180 degrees F, that’s ok.

Place oregano in a single layer on a baking sheet. You can dry directly on the baking sheet or put down parchment paper. Place in the oven for 1 hour.

fresh oregano leaves on baking sheet on parchment paper

After 1 hour the leaves should be completely dried. If they aren’t, continue baking for 10 minutes. Repeat until oregano leaves are crumbly to the touch.

dried oregano leaves on baking sheet

Remove from the oven and crumble the leaves into a bowl. You can easily do this by hand.

hand crumbling oregano into white bowl

Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle to crush them finely.

hand using mortar and pestle crushing oregano

Store your dried oregano in a glass herb jar, in a dark cabinet. If stored properly your dried oregano will last 2-3 years.

oregano in glass jar on white table

Hope you enjoyed this post! Have fun drying your oregano!

Can I dry different herbs together?

Yes, you can definitely dry some herbs together. This makes things easier if you have a herb garden and want to dry a bunch of different things at once. I have a couple herb drying posts that might be helpful to you. Find the ones that have similar temperatures and dry together.

How to Dry Parsley in the Oven
How to Dry Basil in the Oven
How to Make Mint Tea
How to Dry Garlic to Make Garlic Powder

Other Garden Posts You Might Like:

How to Dry Parsley In The Microwave
How to Make Parsley Tea
How to Make Tomato Powder Out of Tomato Skins
How to Store Lettuce to Last for a Month
Carrot Tops Vegetable Broth
Broccoli Leaves Vegetable Broth

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Easy step-by-step instructions on how to dry oregano in 1 hour!  This method is the quickest way to dry herbs.
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5 from 6 reviews

How to Dry Oregano in 1 Hour

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Easy step-by-step instructions on how to dry oregano in 1 hour!  This method is the quickest way to dry herbs.
By: Pamela Reed
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
serves 20

Ingredients

  • Fresh Oregano

Instructions

  • Wash and dry oregano. If you're drying organic oregano that you know hasn't been sprayed with chemicals you can just brush it off and skip the washing. If you're unsure, or the oregano is dirty, wash it first and then dry. I prefer drying it overnight on towels to remove any remaining moisture. Also, a salad spinner works great for helping dry oregano quicker! Do not move on to the next step until the oregano is completely dry.
  • Preheat oven to 170 degrees F. Place oregano in one layer on a baking sheet. Depending on how much oregano you have, you might need to use multiple baking sheets.
  • Bake oregano for 1 hour.
  • Remove oregano from the oven and crumble leaves into a container. Store oregano in a jar, preferably on a dry dark cabinet shelf.

Video:

Course: Side Dish
Keyword: how to dry herbs, how to dry oregano
Fall, Summer
Did you make this?I love seeing what you’ve made! Tag me on Instagram at @BrooklynFarmGirl and don’t forget to leave a comment & rating below.

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  1. Susan says

    July 19, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    How long can you store the dried oregano?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      July 20, 2020 at 9:58 am

      Properly stored, this dried oregano will last 2-3 years.

      Reply
  2. Erin says

    January 6, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    Can you do this with green onions?

    Reply
  3. Karen says

    September 7, 2019 at 8:09 am

    Works very well, thanks so much for the recipe. Was wondering what the reasoning behind leaving it on the counter for a day. Just curious.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      September 7, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      Hey Karen, glad this worked well for you! We let it sit out so it’s completely dry. Often times the oregano might be a little wet if you’re bringing it in from the garden or farmers market and if it’s wet… it will take forever to dry! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Jonathan says

    August 9, 2019 at 11:09 am

    Nice tutorial! I was wondering though, is it 170 degrees Farenheit or Celsius?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      August 9, 2019 at 1:15 pm

      Hey Jonathan, it’s Farenheit. 🙂

      Reply
  5. lori @ The HealthMinded.com says

    September 4, 2014 at 5:55 pm

    Oregano is one of my favorite spices to cook with, grow in my yard (so easy) and it is full of health benefits. Studies are indicating the oil of oregano can be a great antibacterial as well! This is a great post on how to dry oregano and I will pin for sure. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says

    August 30, 2014 at 10:49 am

    Perfect timing for finding this conversation! I have a lot of mint, rosemary, and basil that I know will die once the cold sets in for the fall. I know what I will be doing this weekend. Thanks! Pinning

    Reply
  7. Craftynail says

    August 28, 2014 at 5:59 am

    what a cool post. i didn’t know you could dry herbs in a hour!

    Reply
  8. Kelly says

    August 27, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    I love this tutorial! I usually have a whole bunch of garden herbs that end up going to waste since I can’t use them all in time before the winter – I can’t wait to dry them this year instead 🙂

    Reply
  9. marcie says

    August 27, 2014 at 11:08 am

    This is a great way to utilize those herbs — and what a great gift to give someone! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says

    August 27, 2014 at 3:54 am

    Such great post! Love drying my own herbs! Oregano is definitely my favourite!

    Reply
  11. Isadora @ she likes food says

    August 26, 2014 at 11:36 pm

    I’ve been drying a lot of my herbs lately and I get a bit impatient with them too! That is a great tip to dry them in the oven! I didn’t grow oregano this year, so maybe I’ll go to the store and buy some fresh stuff just so I can dry my own 🙂

    Reply
  12. Ashley says

    August 26, 2014 at 1:40 pm

    I love this tutorial! I’ve never tried drying my own herbs before … but I really should give it a go! Oregano seems like a good place to start 🙂

    Reply
  13. Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says

    August 26, 2014 at 9:56 am

    Pamela – I think your oregano’s hardiness is testimony of your plant growing/revitalizing skillz!
    Love this one hour drying technique – thanks so much for sharing it!

    Reply
  14. Chris @ Shared Appetite says

    August 26, 2014 at 8:32 am

    Your oregano is tough! It lasted through the winter?!?! That’s amazing! Loving how you preserve all your herbs! I’m going to have to try this!

    Reply
  15. Choc Chip Uru says

    August 26, 2014 at 7:43 am

    This is a great pictorial, thanks for all the tips 😀

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

    Reply
  16. Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today says

    August 26, 2014 at 6:57 am

    Great tutorial!

    Reply
  17. Anna Johnston says

    August 26, 2014 at 12:49 am

    As always, you are most helpful Pamela! 🙂
    Fabulous tute! I really should start drying my herbs, as the herbs in my garden seem to be the one thing I always get right.
    Hmmm… I use dried oregano is salad dressings, in risotto, pasta … actually, it seems to be an ingredient I use a bit in lots of my cooking.

    Reply
  18. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

    August 25, 2014 at 8:00 pm

    That was a VERY interesting post. I have a ton of oregano. Thanx

    Reply
  19. Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says

    August 25, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    What a great tutorial! Next year, I am definitely drying my herbs. I didn’t plant a garden this year (boo!), but last year I did, and I had so much thyme and rosemary, etc. Drying it is a great idea!

    Reply
  20. Sarah @ People, Places & Plates says

    August 25, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    So simple, going to try this soon!

    Reply
  21. Mary Frances says

    August 25, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    Great tutorial!

    Your GIF is super cute! I want to see more!

    Reply
  22. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    August 25, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    I literally just put some oregano on the table to sit!

    Reply
  23. Alessandra // the foodie teen says

    August 25, 2014 at 4:14 pm

    Love this post! I have a bazillion herbs I want to dry now!

    Reply
  24. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    August 25, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    What a great tutorial, Pamela! I definitely need to starting drying out my herbs more. Pinning for the future!

    Reply
  25. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

    August 25, 2014 at 2:14 pm

    I just dried some rosemary and thyme yesterday…thanks for sharing this, Pamela. The gif is cute.

    Reply
  26. Kelly @ Trial and Eater says

    August 25, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    I just made my first gif! So fun 🙂

    Reply
  27. cheri says

    August 25, 2014 at 12:46 pm

    Hi Pam, will try this method, very smart leaving the leaves on the stalk to dry and then removing them after drying, much easier. Great post!

    Reply
  28. Mason Canyon says

    August 25, 2014 at 12:13 pm

    If only I could get my herbs to grow that well. Great tip for drying herbs quickly, thanks.

    Reply
  29. Consuelo - Honey & Figs says

    August 25, 2014 at 9:24 am

    Ohh I love those customised gifs, they look so cute! Keep them going please!
    And thanks for this brilliant idea! I’d have never said that itwas possible to dry oregano in the oven. Such a helpful tip indeed!
    Enjoy the rest of the summer! (And that cup of tea) xxx

    Reply
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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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