Sweet marjoram is a tender Mediterranean herb closely related to oregano but sweeter, milder and more floral. It is a staple of German and central European cooking, especially sausages and potato soup.
What it is¶
Sweet marjoram is a small, bushy plant with soft, grey-green, oval leaves and distinctive knotted clusters of flower buds — hence the old name "knotted marjoram". It is a perennial in its native eastern Mediterranean but is killed by frost, so in Britain and northern Europe it is usually grown as an annual.
It is easily confused with oregano, which belongs to the same genus and which British botany calls "wild marjoram". Pot marjoram (Origanum onites) is intermediate: hardier and stronger than sweet marjoram, much used in Türkiye and often sold as oregano. When a recipe simply says "marjoram", it means sweet marjoram.
Origins and history¶
Marjoram was known to the Greeks and Romans. Greek legend associated it with Aphrodite, and it is said to have been woven into wedding crowns; like many herb stories, this is hard to trace to reliable sources. It was a favourite medieval strewing and nosegay herb, and English cookbooks of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries use it constantly in stuffings, pies and sauces.
In German-speaking countries it became closely associated with sausages — it is sometimes called Wurstkraut, "sausage herb" — and with potatoes and pulses. It is also used in Polish, Czech and Hungarian cooking.
Flavour and aroma¶
Marjoram shares oregano's family flavour but is sweeter, rounder and more floral, with a gentle pine and citrus note and little of oregano's peppery bite or bitterness. Its dominant compounds are different — terpinen-4-ol and sabinene hydrate rather than carvacrol — which explains why it is softer. The aroma is more delicate and fades with long cooking, so it is best added in the last few minutes. It dries well, and dried marjoram is the everyday form in central Europe.
In the kitchen¶
- Germany and Austria: bratwurst, Leberwurst and other sausages; Kartoffelsuppe (potato soup) and pea and lentil soups; roast goose.
- Poland: żurek (sour rye soup), pea soup, pierogi fillings and sausage dishes.
- Hungary and the Czech Republic: goulash and potato dishes, often alongside caraway.
- Mediterranean: with fish, vegetables and eggs; in some herbes de Provence mixes; with mushrooms and tomatoes.
- Britain: historically in stuffings and meat pies; today with lamb, chicken and roast vegetables.
Rub dried marjoram between your palms over the pot to release its aroma. Fresh marjoram is good raw in salads and scattered over grilled vegetables; it bruises less easily than basil.
Buying and storing¶
Dried marjoram keeps well for up to a year in an airtight jar away from light; whole or roughly rubbed leaves outlast ground. Fresh sprigs keep about a week wrapped in paper in the fridge. To dry your own, cut stems just before the flower buds open, bunch loosely, and hang in a warm, airy place.
Substitutes¶
oregano is the closest substitute but stronger; use about two-thirds as much. thyme works in soups and stuffings, and summer savory with sausages and pulses. A mix of thyme and a little basil approximates fresh marjoram in Mediterranean dishes.
Pairs well with¶
Potatoes, peas, lentils, pork, sausages, goose, lamb, mushrooms, eggs, tomatoes, garlic, caraway, thyme, parsley, bay, paprika and black pepper.
Growing your own¶
Sow sweet marjoram indoors in early spring at about 15–20°C, pressing the fine seed onto the surface; germination takes one to two weeks. Plant out after the last frost in full sun and light, free-draining soil, about 20 cm apart. It also does well in pots and on sunny windowsills.
Pinch out growing tips to keep plants bushy and harvest regularly before flowering. In autumn, pot up a plant and bring it indoors, or sow afresh each year. Pot marjoram and golden marjoram (Origanum vulgare 'Aureum') are hardy perennials and can stay in the garden.