Kalliopi's KitchenYIAYIA'S GREEK FOOD RECIPES

Herbs

Oregano

Ρίγανη · Rigani

Dried Greek oregano, rigani, tied in a bunch

Rigani is the single most identifying smell in Greek cooking, and it is worth knowing that the plant behind it, a wild form of oregano that grows on dry, sun-baked hillsides across the country, is genuinely more pungent than the oregano sold in most other markets. Greek cooks use it dried almost exclusively, rubbed between the palms straight over the dish rather than measured, which is the opposite of how basil or parsley are treated.

It is scattered raw over a horiatiki salad and a plate of grilled meat rather than cooked into a sauce, which means the oregano you taste in a Greek salad has never been near heat at all. That raw, sharp, slightly medicinal hit is what a bottle of supermarket oregano, grown for mildness, usually cannot reproduce.

Wild rigani, gathered from hillsides in summer and dried in bunches hung from a kitchen ceiling, is still how many families source it, and dried Greek oregano sold still on the stem, rather than pre-crumbled in a jar, is the version worth seeking out if the flavour matters to a dish.

Photo: Oregano dried.JPG by Miansari66, Public domain.

Recipes with oregano

50 recipes on the site using it.

A tray of Greek moussaka with a browned bechamel top, one square lifted out Greek Main CoursesGreek Moussaka Μουσακάς · 1h 55m · serves 8 A Greek village salad with tomato wedges, cucumber, red onion and a whole slab of feta topped with oregano Greek SaladsGreek Salad Χωριάτικη σαλάτα · 12m · serves 4 Charred pork souvlaki skewers on a wooden board with lemon wedges and oregano Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Souvlaki Σουβλάκι · 32m · serves 4 A dish of baked giant beans in a rich orange tomato sauce with parsley and olive oil Greek Main CoursesGigantes Plaki Γίγαντες πλακί · 2h 5m · serves 6 Greek Side DishesGreek Lemon Potatoes Πατάτες λεμονάτες · 1h 35m · serves 6 A barley rusk topped with grated tomato, crumbled white cheese, olives and oregano Greek SaladsCretan Dakos Ντάκος · 12m · serves 4 Thin strips of crisped pork gyros piled in a warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki Greek Main CoursesGreek Pork Gyros Γύρος · 2h · serves 6 A plate of golden brown Greek meatballs with lemon wedges and fresh mint Greek Meze and AppetisersGreek Keftedes Κεφτέδες · 45m · serves 6 A bowl of thick Greek white bean soup with carrot and celery, olive oil pooled on the surface Greek SoupsFasolada Φασολάδα · 1h 45m · serves 6 A slice of golden fried Greek cheese in a small pan with a lemon wedge Greek Meze and AppetisersGreek Saganaki Σαγανάκι · 15m · serves 4 A tray of collapsed roasted Greek vegetables, browned at the edges and glossy with olive oil Greek Main CoursesBriam Μπριάμ · 2h · serves 6 Slow-cooked Greek lamb kleftiko falling off the bone with potatoes and lemon Greek Main CoursesGreek Kleftiko Κλέφτικο · 4h 25m · serves 6 Charred grilled octopus tentacles dressed with olive oil, vinegar and oregano Greek Meze and AppetisersGreek Grilled Octopus Χταπόδι στα κάρβουνα · 1h 30m · serves 4 Prawns baked in tomato sauce with melting feta and parsley in a small pan Greek Main CoursesGarides Saganaki Γαρίδες σαγανάκι · 37m · serves 4 Greek scrambled eggs with tomato and crumbled feta in a pan with bread Greek Breakfast RecipesStrapatsada Στραπατσάδα · 23m · serves 3 A bowl of thick Greek lentil soup with olive oil and a small jug of vinegar Greek SoupsFakes Φακές · 1h 7m · serves 6 Crisp Rhodian chickpea fritters piled on paper with lemon wedges Greek Meze and AppetisersPitaroudia Πιταρούδια · 45m · serves 6 Charred Greek paidakia lamb chops on a grill with lemon and oregano Greek Main CoursesPaidakia Παϊδάκια · 25m · serves 4 A Greek bifteki patty cut open showing melted feta inside Greek Main CoursesBifteki Μπιφτέκι · 40m · serves 4 A tray of Greek lemon chicken and potatoes roasted golden Greek Main CoursesKotopoulo Lemonato Κοτόπουλο λεμονάτο · 1h 35m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesKontosouvli Κοντοσούβλι · 3h 30m · serves 6 Cretan antikristo lamb propped facing an open fire on skewers Greek Main CoursesAntikristo Αντικριστό · 4h 30m · serves 8 Greek Main CoursesSkordostoumbi Zakynthou Σκορδόστουμπι Ζακύνθου · 55m · serves 4 Greek melitzanes me feta baked aubergine with tomato and melted feta Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes me Feta Μελιτζάνες με φέτα · 1h 5m · serves 4 Grilled Greek sardines dressed in ladolemono olive oil and lemon Greek Main CoursesSardeles Ladolemono Σαρδέλες λαδολέμονο · 25m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesPsari Plaki Ψάρι πλακί · 1h 15m · serves 4 Greek Side DishesPatates Riganates Πατάτες ριγανάτες · 1h · serves 4 Grilled yogurt-marinated chicken souvlaki skewers with charred edges Greek Main CoursesSouvlaki Kotopoulo me Giaourti Σουβλάκι κοτόπουλο με γιαούρτι · 37m · serves 4 A small jug of Greek ladolemono olive oil and lemon sauce Greek Dips and SaucesLadolemono Λαδολέμονο · 5m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesFournaristo Kalymnou Φουρνιστό Καλύμνου · 3h · serves 8 A slice of Greek kreatopita meat pie showing layered phyllo and filling Greek Breads and PiesKreatopita Κρεατόπιτα · 1h 50m · serves 8 Greek Main CoursesMelitzanes Souvlaki Σουβλάκι μελιτζάνας · 37m · serves 4 Greek Main CoursesLamb Souvla Σούβλα αρνί · 4h 30m · serves 10 Greek Main CoursesArnaki Lemonato Αρνάκι λεμονάτο · 3h 40m · serves 6 A plate of sliced Greek domatosalata tomato salad with oregano and olive oil Greek SaladsDomatosalata Ντοματοσαλάτα · 10m · serves 4 A bowl of Greek kritharosalata orzo pasta salad with tomato, feta and olives Greek SaladsKritharosalata Κριθαρόσαλατα · 32m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesApaki Kritis Απάκι Κρήτης · 40m · serves 8 A whole roasted Greek galopoula turkey stuffed with chestnut rice filling Greek Main CoursesGalopoula Gemisti me Kastana Γαλοπούλα γεμιστή με κάστανα · 5h · serves 12 Greek Dips and SaucesGalotyri me Paximadi Γαλοτύρι με παξιμάδι · 10m · serves 4 Fried Greek galeos dogfish with skordalia garlic potato dip Greek Main CoursesGaleos Skordalia Γαλέος σκορδαλιά · 40m · serves 4 Greek kokoretsi lamb offal wrapped and grilled on a spit Greek Main CoursesKokoretsi Κοκορέτσι · 3h 30m · serves 8 Greek Main CoursesExohiko Εξοχικό · 1h 40m · serves 4 A bowl of Greek angourodomata cucumber and tomato salad Greek SaladsAngourodomata Αγγουροντομάτα · 10m · serves 4 A roasted whole leg of Greek katsikaki goat with lemon and herbs Greek Main CoursesKatsikaki Lemonato Κατσικάκι λεμονάτο · 3h 40m · serves 6 A bowl of Greek patsas tripe soup Greek SoupsPatsas Πατσάς · 4h 40m · serves 6 Greek Main CoursesSpetzofai Σπετζοφάι · 50m · serves 4 A loaf of Greek elioti olive bread, sliced Greek Breads and PiesElioti Ελιόψωμο · 1h 5m · serves 10 A whole baked Greek tsipoura sea bream with lemon and herbs Greek Main CoursesTsipoura Psiti Τσιπούρα ψητή · 40m · serves 2 Greek Main CoursesXifias Souvlaki Ξιφίας σουβλάκι · 40m · serves 4 Greek Meze and AppetisersFeta Psiti me Ntomata Φέτα ψητή με ντομάτα · 35m · serves 4

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