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Seasoning blend . oregano forward . lemon at the table

Greek Seasoning.

If it does not lead with oregano, it is not Greek. Everything else stands behind it.

Type
Herb blend
Base
Oregano
Ratio
3:1 oregano to everything
Time
3 min
Yield
6 tbsp
Quick answer

To make Greek seasoning, whisk three tablespoons of dried oregano with one tablespoon each of garlic and onion powder, a teaspoon each of dried dill, dried mint, salt, and black pepper. One tablespoon plus lemon and olive oil marinates a pound of chicken.

What it is

What is greek seasoning?

Greek seasoning is really a delivery system for oregano, the wild, peppery rigani that grows on every hillside in Greece and lands on every taverna table. The blend puts it unmistakably in charge, three parts to one, with garlic and onion as the rhythm section and the two sleeper ingredients, dried dill and dried mint, adding the cool green note people can never quite name in Greek chicken.

It is not a curry-style spice blend, there is nothing hot or sweet in it. It is built to work in a trio with lemon juice and olive oil, the eternal Greek marinade, and to be rained over feta, tomatoes, and potatoes straight from the jar.

The recipe

What goes in greek seasoning?

3 tbsp
Dried oregano
×
1 tbsp
Garlic powder
×
1 tbsp
Onion powder
×
1 tsp each
Dill + mint

Three parts oregano to one part of each supporting player. Crush the oregano lightly between your palms as it goes in, it wakes the oils and evens the texture. The optional cinnamon whisper belongs in tomato-braised dishes, leave it out for grilling blends.

Method

How do you make greek seasoning?

  1. Rub the oregano between your palms into the bowl to break up the stems.
  2. Whisk in everything else until even.
  3. Jar it, sealed, away from light. Best inside three months.
  4. For the classic marinade: one tablespoon of blend, the juice of one lemon, and three tablespoons of olive oil per pound of chicken or lamb, thirty minutes to overnight.
  5. For potatoes: toss wedges with oil and a tablespoon of blend, roast hot, finish with more lemon.
The trio rule Greek seasoning almost never works alone. Its two permanent partners are lemon juice and olive oil, the blend supplies the herbs, the lemon supplies the voltage, the oil carries both.
Cook's notes

What should you know before making greek seasoning?

History

Where did greek seasoning come from?

Rigani, the wild oregano of the Greek hills, has seasoned grilled meat there since antiquity, sold dried in bundles at every market. The jarred blend is the diaspora's shorthand for that hillside, built so a Tuesday chicken anywhere can taste like a taverna courtyard.

Derivatives

What can you make from greek seasoning?

Souvlaki marinade
Blend + lemon + oil + a spoonful of yogurt, for skewers that brown instead of steam.
Greek fries dust
Blend plus a teaspoon of grated lemon zest, tossed on hot fries with crumbled feta.
Salad-jar version
Drop the salt, add a teaspoon of sumac, and it lives next to the olive oil for dressing duty.
FAQ

Common questions.

What is in Greek seasoning?

Dried oregano first and most, then garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried mint, salt, and black pepper. Some blends add cinnamon or nutmeg for braises. Nothing hot, nothing sweet.

What do I use Greek seasoning on?

Chicken and lamb before grilling, potatoes before roasting, fish, shrimp, feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, and into yogurt with grated cucumber for a fast tzatziki-style sauce. Pair it with lemon and olive oil almost always.

Is Greek oregano different from Italian oregano?

Same family, stronger character. Greek rigani is more peppery and resinous than the softer Mediterranean strains. If your jar just says oregano it will work, but a Greek-labeled jar earns its keep in this blend.

Kyle Schulgen Founder, Speakeater
Builder of Speakeater, the cooking app that reads your fridge. Writes the recipe reference pages by hand, anchored in public-domain culinary sources.
Last updated: 2026-05-29

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