This Lemon Oregano Pesto recipe is a great way to use fresh oregano you have growing. Love this on fish or chicken or even Italian subs! Simple to make this fresh oregano pesto beats basil any day!
I love oregano and recipes with oregano.
You will never catch me eating pizza without oregano.
And chicken Marbella made with oregano is one of my favorite chicken dishes.
Oregano grows in my herb garden and is just starting to flower, which means harvest now or forget about it.
I could dry it, and I will, but I thought I'd try pesto with my favorite herb this year.
Table of contents
What Lemon Oregano Pesto Is and Why It's Great
Don't get me wrong. I do love basil pesto, but oregano is such a great change.
I love the fact that I don't have to replant it every year, like I do basil.
Oregano comes back every year and flourishes in my herb garden.
I love its pretty purple flowers and I love finding new ways to use it.
FAQ's
Oregano thrives in warm, mountainous climates, like the Mediterranean. The Greeks believed Aphrodite created the sweet, spicy scent as a symbol of happiness. Oros ganos, a Greek word meaning joy of the mountain, defines the mountainsides of Greece where oregano and marjoram flourish.
They are different herbs. Mexican oregano has citrus and licorice notes, where as Italian or Greek oregano has earthy, more peppery tones. Greek oregano is in the mint family and Mexican oregano is part of the verbena family. Though they are substituted for each other, the truth is they have very different flavor profiles.
Marjoram is the best substitute and it's also in the mint family.
Ways to Use Oregano and Oregano Pesto
Oregano is used in furniture polish to make the air more fragrant. I can attest that honeybees love my oregano. Now, if I could just find that hive!
Did you know oregano was used as an herb in Egypt to preserve, heal, and disinfect.
In Europe, because of its sweet scent, it was also used in nosegays.
Oregano is one of my favorite fresh herbs. I love the flavor it gives to pizza and tomato sauce. I also love it on subs with Giardiniera and this salad dressing rocks.
I love pesto of every sort. With some extra oil or vinegar, pesto is easily made into salad dressings. Stir this sauce into rice or any grain dish, creating a new favorite dish. Of course, pesto always works with pasta.
It tastes savory on fresh tomatoes and gives eggs and cheese a definite warmth. Butter or extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and oregano brushed on fish or shrimp is heaven in my book.
You can try some mixed into your favorite vegetable. I plan on trying this oregano sauce over grilled corn.
Pesto is great with goat cheese as a spread on crackers or a baguette. It's also great over tomatoes—no questions asked.
Stirred into mayonnaise, it makes a great flavored spread for any sandwich. Love grilled cheese sandwiches? Use this!
Tonight's dinner plan is delicious pesto spread over grilled fish. I can't wait. A dollop of pesto in soup gives so much flavor. You get the idea. It is a workhorse in the kitchen.
Pasta is also a lovely companion to pesto of any kind.
Ingredients You Need (Plus Easy Substitutions)
Olive Oil - Olive oil has many flavors so make sure you use one you like. Some are more bitter, some more grassy and fresh and many taste even buttery. Though I love Costco's Spanish olive oil I often shop at an olive oil store so I can try many varieties.
Scallions - Not often found in traditional pesto, I do like the flavor they add-not to mention the extra green color. You might even try grilling them for extra, extra flavor!
Garlic comes in many sizes! I always choose the largest, but you do you!
Walnuts - I like the flavor of walnuts, but pine nuts are traditional in pesto. Should they be toasted? Pesto is supposed to be sweet and fresh, so toasting the nuts makes this aa stronger tasting pesto. Substituting pumpkin seeds would also be something to try!
Lemon and lemon zest - All pesto needs a little punch. Some add a touch of vinegar. I like lemon, but I might even try a version with lime.
Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano is my choice for cheese in pasta. Any hard, grating cheese will work so if you want to use Pecorino or Grana Padano be my guest.
Italian parsley adds flavor and freshness, besides adding the color green.
Oregano - Pesto is a fresh sauce so do not substitute dried. However in recipes calling for dried oregano remember one teaspoon of dried oregano equals 3 teaspoons of fresh.
Freeze Your Homemade Pesto
One of the best things about fresh pesto is that it can be frozen. That is great news for your summer’s bounty of herbs because it means you can taste summer all winter long. How good is that?
Leftover fresh oregano leaves can also be stacked flat in a freezer container. When frozen, you can take them out and use them as you would fresh oregano.
Pesto can be frozen in a small airtight container or ice cube trays, transferring the frozen cubes into a Ziploc bag. If you want a little flavor, all you have to do is pop one out. One cube really can flavor the soup pot!
To store the pesto in the fridge make sure it is always covered with a thin layer of olive oil. This keeps the color vibrant.
Tip For Perfect Pesto Texture
Cook's Tip: For a pesto with great texture, pulse the ingredients in a food processor rather than blend continuously — this preserves tiny pieces of herbs and gives you a fresh, vibrant sauce. Also some have commented this pesto tends to be dry. Add more oil to reach the consistency you prefer.
The proper way is using a mortar and pestle which gives the creamiest and smoothest texture. I'm sorry though-I don't usually have the time!
Tonight, I’m sprinkling a little bit of dried oregano, salt, and pepper on my fish. As soon as it is grilled through, I’m going to top it with a dollop of pesto and serve it on a bed of pasta with some fresh, juicy red tomatoes thrown in.
Pesto sauce is a delicious recipe and I love to make this when I have fresh oregano in the garden.
In fact, I love this more than the traditional basil pesto.
Oregano is one of my favorite herbs and this homemade pesto with its bright green color is one of my favorite ways to use it.
Oregano pesto is one of my most popular recipes. If you are an oregano lover, do not miss this!
I'd love to hear if you make this recipe!
Please share a review or rate the recipe,
and be sure to tag me on social!
Recipe
Lemon Oregano Pesto
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 Minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: American
Description
Lemon Oregano Pesto is a great way to use fresh oregano you have growing. Love this on fish or chicken or even Italian subs! Simple to make this pesto beats basil any day!
Ingredients
¼ c olive oil
2 chopped scallions
1 halved garlic clove
1 T walnuts, toasted or not
1 ½ t lemon juice
Zest of half a lemon
⅓ c grated Parmesan
1 c of lightly packed Italian parsley
1 c of lightly packed fresh oregano leaves (Remove the leaves from the stem by running your hand backward UP the stem)
Salt, Pepper and red chili flakes to taste
Instructions
Toss ingredients for pesto in a food processor and process until well combined and pesto-like! If it iss too thick, drizzle in more oil.
Use a blender if you want and puree until smooth. If you like more oil feel free to drizzle more in.
Notes
- If you can’t find oregano, you could use cilantro, mint, or basil instead!
Recipes With Oregano
Lemon Oregano Greek Grilled Chicken
Melissa says
I had so much left over oregano in my garden (and parsley) so I gave it a shot. I thought the oregano would be overpowering but it wasn't at all. It was delicious, nice alternative to basil pesto. I followed the recipe, except added a little extra oil because my blender wasn't doing a great job. I served with pasta, chicken and cherry tomatoes, will definitely make again.
Abbe says
So glad you like it Melissa. Such a nice change from basil, right? Thanks for reading, Abbe.
Healthy World Cuisine says
This pesto sounds so refreshing! A perfect condiment to anything grilled or pasta this summer. Can't wait to give this recipe a go. Stay well and take care
Chef Mimi says
This is fascinating to me. I never would have made a pesto highlighting oregano. But I liked that you included parsley. Oregano is just so strong to me, but then, basil is pretty potent as well! Great recipe!
Judee Algazi says
My husband is a lemon lover, and I'm always on the look out for more ways to enjoy lemon. Lemon Pesto is interesting and useful-- can't wait to try it!
Jesica m says
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time and effort in writing the blog. I am appreciating your effort.
Shulie Foodwanderings says
Love this version of pesto. Seems so lemony fresh with the oregano. You can slather this on anything not just pasta. So tasty.
Abbe Odenwalder says
You're right Shulie. Slather away! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you had a good vacation!
Laura Dembowski says
Pesto is so yummy and versatile. I love something that I can make and then use all different ways and it tastes really different. Pasta, sandwiches, with a spoon . . . the possibilities are endless!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Definitely the best thing about pesto, Laura. And this one turned out really good!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
This looks so fantastic - and my oregano is out in my herb garden, just waiting for an exciting recipe like this! Perfect! Love that you give so many wonderful ideas of how to use the pesto and the suggestion to freeze it!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Shelley, this would be perfect for your healthy kitchen. And make some to freeze for later, too!
cquek says
i love to try that, never had pesto in my life
Abbe Odenwalder says
Cquek, don't wait. Pestos in any variety are soooo good!
shannon weber says
oh this looks so good! I feel like i can smell it...just the lemon and the oregano together must be heaven. I've never made pesto with oregano leaves before, but what a great idea! i have some in the garden this year, and i'm always challenged to use it up; this is an awesome way to do just that.
Abbe Odenwalder says
Shannon, that's what challenged me. I have a lot, too and wanted something different to do with it! Try it and let me know what you think!
Amy says
I love oregano because of the spiciness. This is a wonderful twist on the classic. 🙂 Now...I need to get a new plant of oregano as the previous one didn't survive. Can't wait to try this.
Abbe Odenwalder says
You are right, Amy. It does have a certain spiciness. And remember herbs like hot and dry places with poor soil. At least mine do!
ChgoJohn says
I'm probably as big a fan of pesto as you are, Abbe, using it on meats, poultry, sandwiches, and in soups and sauces, too. Although much of Italy uses oregano, Marche, where the Bartolini come from, uses marjoram instead. You're right. it isn't as strong as oregano. No matter which you prefer, some dishes just wouldn't be the same without them. 🙂
Abbe Odenwalder says
You are right John and I know that Mario Batali loves marjoram for his tomato sauce. My mom had some and it does work very well!
Angie Schneider says
Me too, me too, a fan of all different kinds of pesto. This looks awesome!
Abbe Odenwalder says
It's a good one Angie. Thanks!
nancycreative.com says
I like oregano a lot, too–this pesto sounds really good with lemon added!
Abbe Odenwalder says
The lemon gives it zing! Thanks, Nancy!
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
I´m a total pesto fanatic! I can eat it for days and days, on everything. Never made one with fresh oregano though. Dried oregano is probably the most commonly used herb here, because we eat a lot of italian sauces and pizza. An amazing recipe this one Abbe!
Abbe Odenwalder says
I had no idea oregano was so popular in Argentina. It is fun to use in different ways so I thought I'd try this. Thanks, Paula!
Kitchen Riffs says
I like oregano a lot, too, and use it whenever I can. Mine has basically flowered, alas, although I'm still getting some fresh oregano. Still, dried oregano is good quality (at least IMO) so that's a great substitute. I love any kind of pesto, and this one has some quite nice, bright flavors to it. Good stuff! Thanks.
Abbe Odenwalder says
I love dried oregano, too! This pesto turned out well and tasted great on the fish last night. Nice to have something besides basil!
technology capitalists says
What time is that starting? I don't want to be late! 🙂