What Is Epazote and How Can I Use It?
Epazote is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store it, what to substitute, and 11 recipes to get you started.
Key Points
- Pungent Mexican herb tasting of oregano, mint, citrus, and a resinous edge.
- Classic in a pot of black beans, where it is believed to cut gassiness.
- Add a whole sprig early like a bay leaf, then fish it out.
- Assertive, so use one sprig per pot and judge it cooked, not raw.
- No real swap; try cilantro with oregano, and dried keeps far longer than fresh.
What is epazote?
Epazote is a pungent Mexican herb with a flavor that takes some getting used to. People describe it as a mix of oregano, mint, citrus, and something resinous, almost like petroleum or creosote, and it smells far stronger than it tastes once cooked.
It grows wild across Mexico and is a backbone of the country's home cooking, most famously in a pot of black beans. The jagged, pointed leaves are used both fresh and dried.
This is a love-it-or-hate-it herb raw. But cooking tames it into a savory, herby depth that is hard to name and easy to miss once you know it.
How to Use Epazote
The signature job of epazote is cooking with beans. A sprig or two simmered in a pot of black beans adds a savory, almost medicinal depth. It is also widely believed to cut the gassiness beans are known for.
Add it like a bay leaf. Toss a whole sprig into the pot near the start of cooking, let it simmer with the beans, and fish out the stem at the end.
Dishes like Epazote Black Beans, Frijoles Negros (Black Beans), and Beans Cooked in a Pot (Frijoles De Olla) all use it this way.
Beyond beans it flavors quesadillas and soups, plus corn dishes spiked with chiles. It turns up in Mexican Chicken Rice Soup and alongside poblanos in Rajas Con Crema (Poblanos with Cream).
Use it with a light hand. Epazote is assertive, and a little goes a long way, so one sprig per pot is usually plenty.
Pairing and Common Mistakes
Epazote belongs with the Mexican pantry: black beans and corn, masa and squash, fresh chiles and tomatoes. Its job is to add a wild, savory backbone, not to be the star.
The biggest mistake is using too much. Pile it in and the medicinal, kerosene-like edge takes over and the dish tastes harsh.
One sprig, then taste.
The second mistake is tasting it raw and writing it off. Raw epazote is shockingly pungent, but it mellows a lot once it has simmered, so judge it cooked, not from a leaf off the stem.
What to Use Instead
There is no exact substitute, because the flavor is so particular. If you have to swap, a mix of fresh cilantro and a pinch of dried oregano gets you in the general herby, savory neighborhood.
Mexican oregano on its own is a reasonable stand-in for the oregano-citrus side of epazote, especially in beans and soups. A little fresh mint can echo the cooling note, but use it sparingly.
For the anti-gas role specifically, a strip of kombu seaweed simmered with the beans is the usual non-Mexican kitchen workaround.
Buying and Storing Epazote
Fresh epazote shows up at Mexican and Latin American markets and at some farmers markets; the dried form is far easier to find and keeps for ages on the shelf. Dried epazote is milder and more medicinal-tasting than fresh, so you may want a little more of it.
For fresh leaves, look for perky green sprigs with no wilting, and use them within a few days. Wrap the bunch in a damp paper towel inside an open bag and keep it in the fridge.
Epazote dries well, which is why the dried form is common. To dry your own, hang sprigs in a warm, airy spot, then crumble the leaves off the stems and store them in a jar away from light.
Quick facts
- In Chinese
- 土荆芥
- British (UK) term
- Epazote
- en français
- epazote
- en español
- epazote
Recipes using epazote
There are 11 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Mushrooms with Onions
Mushrooms with onions sautés sliced mushrooms, sweet onion, and garlic in oil with dried epazote until the pan goes dry. Serve as a side, taco filling, or quesadilla stuffing.
Beans Cooked in a Pot (Frijoles De Olla)
Frijoles de olla are traditional Mexican pot-cooked beans simmered slowly with onion, lard, and epazote. Soupy, soulful, and the foundation of countless Mexican meals from refried beans to soups.
Rajas Con Crema (Poblanos with Cream)
Rajas con crema with roasted poblano strips fried with sliced onions and simmered in cream with epazote. Authentic Mexican side dish ready in 20 minutes.
Poblano Soup with Broth
Mexican poblano pepper soup with corn, tomato sauce, and epazote simmered in chicken broth. A light, smoky soup with authentic Mexican flavor.
Sauteed Turkey with Tequlia Cream Sauce
Sauteed turkey with tequila cream sauce sears turkey cutlet strips, then builds a reduced gold tequila and creme fraiche sauce with shiitakes and shallots over spaetzle. Mexican-German fusion main.
Epazote Black Beans
Traditional Mexican epazote black beans soaked overnight, simmered with onion and epazote leaves, then mashed and refried in onion-scented oil. Authentic frijoles refritos negros from scratch.
Frijoles Negros (Black Beans)
Authentic Mexican black beans slow-simmered with salt pork, garlic, and epazote herb. Rich, velvety beans perfect as a side dish for tacos or served over rice for a hearty meal.
Awesome Black Bean Soup with Jalapenos
Spicy black bean soup with eight jalapeños, smoky ham hock, cumin, and a final splash of tequila stirred in off heat. Half-pureed for body, garnished with sour cream.
Pozole Jalisco
Pozole Jalisco simmers pork, chicken, and hand-prepped hominy with tomatillos, dried red chiles, and toasted pepitas for a Mexican Sunday-supper soup with brothy depth and bright garnishes.
Mexican Chicken Rice Soup
Mexican chicken rice soup with shredded chicken, chayote, leeks, and arborio rice in a lime-bright broth finished with epazote. A homestyle pot-of-soup dinner with bones in the broth for flavor.
Yellow Tomato Sauce
Smoky chipotle meets sweet yellow tomatoes in this vibrant Mexican-style sauce with epazote and fresh cilantro. Makes 2 quarts, freezes beautifully, and livens up everything from enchiladas to grilled fish.
