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    Home » All Recipes

    Author: Donna | Published: Jun 6, 2017 | Modified: Sep 9, 2019

    How to Use Up Lots of Oregano: Fresh Oregano Pesto

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    Fresh oregano pesto

    Garlic and Oregano Pesto is a great way to use up surplus fresh oregano. It is just bursting with bold flavors and tastes great on grilled foods, especially if you are looking for a delicious zesty Mediterranean flavor. Oregano pesto freezes well so you can preserve the season and enjoy year round. A great fresh oregano recipe essential for the home gardener.

    Ingredients for oregano pesto in a blender

    What To Do With All This Fresh Oregano? Make A Delicious Homemade Oregano Pesto!

    I have had so much oregano growing in my garden, I just had to come up with a few oregano recipes to make sure it doesn't go to waste.

    If you have been hanging around here at all then you know I just hate wasting food, especially something that I put so much effort into growing (ok the extent of effort with this was literally digging a hole and covering it up again...but still).

    So I have been on the hunt for oregano recipes using fresh oregano for the past couple of weeks, when I had a little bit of an 'a-ha moment' and decided to use it up like I did my excess fennel, and whip up a fun pesto.

    Oregano pesto in a glass mason jar

    Fresh Oregano Pesto Is So Easy

    We cut down a whole trees worth of oregano and got to pesto testing.

    Well let me tell you, it was delicious! And so easy too. It freezes well too, so you can pop a couple batches in the freezer and enjoy that fresh zesty oregano flavor all year round.

    Although, if your oregano is as crazy as mine, you will have the fresh stuff all year round anyway, but it's always nice to have something pre-prepared, right?

    To make your own homemade oregano pesto you are going to need:

    • Fresh oregano (of course)
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Garlic, peeled
    • Raw almonds
    • Salt and pepper
    • Olive oil

    That's it!

    Just pop it all into a blender and watch the magic happen.

    To store: pop into the fridge for around 5-7 days. I usually put an extra little layer of olive oil on top of the pesto and it helps to preserve it for a little longer and stops it from going brown on top.

    If you want to freeze it then I usually freeze my pesto in ice cube trays. Just pop the mixture into the ice cube tray, freeze, and once frozen remove and store in a ziploc bag until needed.

    oregano pesto

    I Have The Oregano Pesto, Now What Do I Do With It?

    I hope you guys love this fresh garlic and oregano pesto as much as we do!

    I use it anywhere I would normally use a good pesto. It goes particularly well with the following foods and recipes:

    • jazz up pizza/pasta sauces;
    • use as a pizza sauce itself;
    • make a simple oregano pasta
    • mix with some olive oil and drizzle in a nice salad;
    • dress up some roast potatoes like these potatoes from A Communal Table;
    • freshen up some oregano and lemon chicken skewers
    • use in this creamy pesto gnocchi recipe
    • add a dollop to some salmon and bake in the oven.

    Troubleshooting:

    1. I can't have nuts: you can sub sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead.
    2. I can't handle raw garlic: sauté the garlic and allow to cool before adding to the rest of the ingredients in the blender.
    3. I don't have enough fresh oregano: if you have other herbs on hand then play around. This works well with some basil or parsley. Pesto's are very forgiving so just blend away and have some fun.
    4. I am vegan or don't eat dairy: sub in nutritional yeast instead, it works really well.
    oregano recipes: oregano and lemon chicken skewers

    Need More Recipes Using Fresh Oregano?

    I have a few more oregano recipes here you should definitely check out if you have a surplus on your hands are are wondering what to do with all this fresh oregano:

    • Dehydrated Oregano Without A Dehydrator
    • One Pot Oven Roasted Chicken with Potatoes
    • Grilled Greek Potatoes In Foil With Lemon and Oregano

    If you try it and love it, be sure to pop back and leave a comment. Also, if you have any other ideas on how to use up lots of oregano make sure to leave those in the comments as well, so everyone can benefit 🙂 Happy eating.

    Oregano pesto served in a small mason jar with some fresh oregano in the background

    Garlic and Oregano Pesto

    Garlic and Oregano Pesto is a great way to use up surplus herbs. It is just bursting with bold flavors and tastes great on grilled foods, especially if you are looking for a delicious zesty Mediterranean flavor. Freezes well so you can preserve the season and enjoy year round.
    3.96 from 207 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Anytime
    Servings 10 serves
    Calories 150 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup fresh oregano, tightly packed
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
    • ½ cup raw almonds
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • ½ cup olive oil
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Add all ingredients but the olive oil to the bowl of a food processor and grind until the mixture is slightly combined.
    • With the processor still running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture becomes smooth.
    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze for later use (see notes for tips)

    Notes

    To store: pop the pesto into the fridge for around 5-7 days. I usually put an extra little layer of olive oil on top of the pesto and it helps to preserve it for a little longer and stops it from going brown on top.
    If you want to freeze it then I usually freeze my pesto in ice cube trays. Just pop the mixture into the ice cube tray, freeze, and once frozen remove and store in a ziploc bag until needed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 5.9gProtein: 2.8gFat: 14.2gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 4mgFiber: 3.7gSugar: 0.5g
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment HERE and let us know how it was!

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Erin says

      August 27, 2021 at 2:43 am

      Do you need to remove the leaves, or can stems go in as well?

      Reply
      • Donna says

        August 30, 2021 at 9:30 am

        The stems can go in as well, keeps it nice and easy!

        Reply
    2. Lisa says

      July 23, 2021 at 5:33 am

      OMG I was so hesitant to try this but WOW! Amazing, not overpowering with oregano, just savory and delicious. I used raw cashews instead of almonds and it was very creamy.

      Reply
      • Donna says

        July 23, 2021 at 11:48 am

        So glad you enjoyed this one! Reminds me I need to cut back my oregano again!

        Reply
    3. Jenny Jones says

      June 17, 2021 at 10:43 am

      My family loves your oregano pesto with almonds! Used it on pizza from sour dough crust recipe, spiral pasta, and to use up the remains in the blender I made vinaigrette dressing using home made basil wine vinegar from last year's harvest of basil. I did put some in ice cube tray to freeze too. I keep my Greek oregano in check each season with a straight blade shovel to keep it in its boundary of space. I had been drying it but your fresh pesto recipe is so wonderful I will be making it more often. I added fresh flat leaf parsley and lemon thyme to your Garlic and Oregano Pesto recipe.

      Reply
      • Donna says

        June 22, 2021 at 10:26 am

        Yum, that vinaigrette sounds amazing! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂

        Reply
    4. Anne Scottlin says

      June 11, 2021 at 10:19 am

      Never mind... just saw that you can freeze. LOL! Thanks!

      Reply
    5. Anne Scottlin says

      June 11, 2021 at 10:18 am

      How long does it keep? Thanks!

      Reply
    6. Angelique says

      June 06, 2021 at 5:47 am

      Just did it. Surprisingly delicious. Only ever did pesto with basil and wild garlic but with oregano is better than wild garlic. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    7. Darcy says

      June 02, 2021 at 11:53 am

      I made a batch and shared with a friend too! Yummy!

      Reply
    8. Vanessa says

      April 23, 2021 at 5:26 am

      Thank you for the recipe! I’m excited to try it. What other nuts do you think would work well? I always have cashews and walnuts on hand. I’m thinking the cashews might make the texture creamy... but is that a bad thing? 😂

      Reply
      • Donna says

        April 23, 2021 at 2:02 pm

        I think the cashews would work really well! I always have walnuts on hand so tend to use them in a lot of pestos!

        Reply
    9. Mary H. says

      March 25, 2021 at 7:36 am

      can I use regular salted almonds in the pesto?

      Reply
      • Donna says

        March 29, 2021 at 4:40 pm

        Absolutely!

        Reply
    10. Zussie says

      January 18, 2021 at 5:57 pm

      Donna! So happy I found your blog, I have an insane amount of oregano growing which makes me incredibly happy as well, but didn’t know how to make the pesto, so thanks a bunch!!!

      Reply
      • Donna says

        January 19, 2021 at 12:43 pm

        So glad you found me then 🙂 Hope you love the pesto as much as we do, I use it in everything!!

        Reply
    11. Gracy says

      January 17, 2021 at 1:22 pm

      I've just made it as I had a heap of oregano growing. Absolutely amazing!!!
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Donna says

        January 17, 2021 at 8:36 pm

        Yay, this makes me so happy!! My oregano in my new house isn't taking, so also a little jealous 🙂

        Reply
    12. Brudda Osas says

      January 08, 2021 at 5:54 am

      Yum, this was so good.

      Reply
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    Hello and welcome, I'm Donna!

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    Since I have a part-time job, 3 little kids, and a love of good food (as do you I assume), I have learned how to get the most out of the kitchen in the smallest amount of time.

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