Vasilikos x Riganis: the 5 differences (with pictures) | Herbs and your garden (2023)

You are not alone, many confuse basil and oregano. They look quite similar. However, their tastes are quite different, and if you pay attention, you can also notice differences in their appearance. If you want to know how they differ (taste? use in the kitchen), here you will find what you need.

So what are the differences between basil and oregano? Basil and oregano are both in the mint family. However, they differ in the following:

1. Appearance: leaves and flowers have different colors and shapes
2. Growing conditions: oregano needs less water
3. Shelf life: oregano lasts longer
4. Flavor: stronger for oregano
5. Culinary purposes: different recipes, although interchangeable

Both herbs are commonly used in cooking, especially if you're trying a Southern European dish (did someone mention Italy?). However, there are notable differences that make one better than the other in many cases. Let's first understand how you can spot the difference first, and then when (and when not) you should use them.

You must be wondering: if basil and oregano are from the same family, shouldn't they be the same thing? Well, the mint family contains 6000 species of plants as discussed in it.university research(including trees!). Think basil and classic mint. They are the same; Of course. The same goes for oregano and basil. Let's dive into the differences starting with what they look like.

1. Side of oregano and basil

Oreganothe leaves areoval with pointed tip. They grow up to2 inchesLength (5.1 cm). The most common variety of oregano (called origanum vulgare) has leaves with tiny "hairs" on the edge. The plant as a whole grows to24 inches (approx. 60 cm) tall,source. Its stem is also hairy.

Real(the most common Genovese variety)it has oval leavesthat grow around4 inches(10 cm) as described inplantation village. So when fully grownbasil leaves are larger than oregano leaves.Furthermore,basil leaves bend a little,while oregano is flatter.The stem of basildoes not show hair.

Basil flowers are tiny, white with very small tubular petals.agreement.Some grow on each basil point.

oregano flowersit can be pink or light purple. They grow on a leafless stem (not like basil).Oregano flowers grow in a cluster, creating a dome shape of small flowers as opposed to individual basils.

The basil family is quite large.with some variants displaying quite interesting features. So far I've only really talked aboutcommon variety of basil. The one you find in the supermarket (called Genovese). However, with other basil varieties, the differences with oregano become more apparent with oregano.

Some types of basil likedark opal, for example, have purple leaves. Therefore, in this case, the color is the first and most obvious difference from oregano. If I am referring to small leaf basil (such as lemon basil, dwarf basil, or basil),height is the main distinguishing difference. In fact, these basil varieties are about half the height of oregano when fully grown (maximum height12 inches, 30.48 cm).

In contrast, large varieties of basil, such as broadleaf basil, can be grown3 pegs (91.4 cm),almost twice as much oregano.

2. Cultivation conditions

According toWestern Institute of Food Safety and Security(WIFSS), basil is a water sensitive plant. It thrives in moist soil (unlike rosemary, for example). That means you needrega regularto avoid stress. WIFSS also reports that basil is growing betterwell-drained but moist soil. OAdvances in Environmental Biologyalso notes that basil issensitive to fertilizers in high concentrations.

University of Kansassuggests that by growing oregano,well drained soilit is the best choice. However, oregano, unlike basil,it doesn't have to be so wet. Oregano should definitely be watered less than basil. Excess water in oregano will inhibit plant growth and survival.

3. How long do they last?

Here's the key fact

Everything related to the lifespan of an herb (any plant) is related to its type. Is it perennial or annual? Perennials last more than two years (some of them 30 years,here an example), while annual plants complete their life cycle in a single growing season.

Basil includes a huge number of species. Most are evergreen. However, the most commonGenoese basil (the king of pesto you can find in any supermarket) is an annual herb. This means that they tend to flower in spring and summer and die in winter after flowering and seeding. Here21 tricks to grow huge basil indoors

Oregano,unlike basil,are perennialwith much moreservice life easily 4 yearsasdiscussed hereohere. If you grow oregano indoors, you can easily control its growth if needed (have a look at how to createinner garden of some inspiration).

Watch out now!

I have grown both herbs indoors (UK, minimum winter temperature around 41F, 5C). Both suffered and the basil died quickly with the temperatures so low (and the lack of sun didn't help). In fact, both herbs required ahot environmentStay alive. I would suggestan internal temperature always above 50F, 10C. Ideally, a greenhouse can be a good option. I made one for $30 with lights included.

4. Prove

Here's the problem: basil and oregano have very different flavors and usuallyavoid changing them.

Vasilios tem umsweet smell and strong taste. Although generally described as having aspicy taste, Oflavor may vary depending on the type of basilyou eat. For example, lemon basil has a citrus flavor and holy basil is slightly spicy with sweet undertones.

Oregano is a very aromatic herb that is not as sweet as basil. Instead, he has aslightly bitter taste and spicy taste. Note also that you have aearthy or musty taste with hints of mint. When you eat in large quantities, it can give you asour feelingin your mouth.

5. Oregano and basil: three delicious recipes

You must be wondering: does the taste allow you to use them at the same time? From my experience as an Italian,there are not many dishes they can be used on at the same timedue to its slightly contrasting taste. However, I found some of them to be tasty and relatively easy.

Massa

One way to use the two herbs together is to make pasta with basil and oregano. This is quite simple, healthy and satisfyingdish of flavorwhich I usually prepare at home. I didn't find any good videos except the one below (it's from an Italian channel). You can use English subtitles (it's worth it)

Pestowith basil and oregano

Alternatively, you could create something likebasil and oregano pesto, which you can add to a variety of dishes. ONEsummer herb pestohighlights the power of these two herbs as a main focus. This is different from regular pesto, but still quite interesting and full of intense flavor.

Vasilikos and oreganoBaked Salmon

One of my favorite dishesusing basil and oregano is roast salmon with garlic. What you need to do is create a rich layer of oil, lemon, garlic, salt, pepper with the addition of dried basil and oregano. This sauce will be applied over the salmonwhich will then be baked in aluminum foil. The taste of oregano and garlic slowly releases to be trappedof the leaf, and penetrate the salmon.

What are the best basil recipes?

Well, the sky is the limit, to be honest. From the well-known SSE, you can findOver 600 recipes including basil.This is just a small fraction of what is available. However, I will give you my top three picks:

• Pesto:This is a true classic. The quality of the basil here is key. so it growsyour own fresh basilcan make abig difference in the final result

• Thailand chicken:this is something i tried recently. This is a very tasty dish. Here's the video I got the recipe from

• Spaghetti with Basil:I love this recipe for its simplicity. And here, unlike hearty Thai chicken, the presence of few ingredients makes their quality important. Here a great video of the fun Gennaro

What are the best oregano recipes?

Oregano is also a great staple herb in ourkitchen although a little less used than basil. Still, you won't run out of ideas with it.Over 200 recipe ideasYou can find. Here are my top 3 picks (again, I'm Italian so I might be a little biased):

• Meatballs: I'm a fan of them. In this recipe, you can opt for the dry version of oregano. A nice video explaining how to make them below

• Bife Pizzaiola:this is a classic I grew up with on my island. The key to this dish is to prepare a delicious tomato sauce where the meat will be slowly cooked. This is to let the flavor of the sauce penetrate the meat. Of course, the oregano here is key.

• stuffed pepper:again, a classic of Italian cuisine. Essentially it is a pepper stuffed with ground meat flavored with oregano, garlic and if we want some walnuts. A typical winter meal rich in flavour, sometimes used as a single dish to serve with some crusty bread on the side

whenit shouldadd freshoregano or basil in your recipe?

fresh basiland oregano is quite similar in that respect. Both must be addednear the endof each recipe whereheating is involved. The dish should be warm, but not hot, otherwise your herb will burn.

You'll know when it's your weedoverheatedasbecomes black, dry and crunchy, it loses all its flavor. This is usually a problem when making a pizza for the first time. In this case, the basil should never go into the oven, but should be placed on top of a hot pizza (but not straight from the oven),hereFor more informations.

Can oregano and basil become partners?

Do you have a large pot and are thinking of using it for both oregano and basil?Don't do that!

Here's the thing:basil and oregano arenot to grow in the same potbecausedifferent water needs.

Basil needs regular watering with consistently moist soil, while oregano can have problems when overwatered. A basic principle when you decide to grow two plants together isimportant to ensure that your growing conditions are compatible and oregano and basil are not.

If you grow a lot of herbs in your pot, there are other herbs you can grow with oregano and basil.

Oreganogrows well withsage, thyme, rosemary, lavender and marjoram.

Realgoes well withparsley.

Can you substitute basil for oregano in recipes?

the good newsyes you can!

Oregano and basil can be substituted in most recipes, such as pizza and pasta.. However, you should be aware of the different flavor profiles of the two herbs.

Basil by nature,is a mild herb, while oregano is known to be more spicy.flavor profile with a stronger profile. Thyme is also a suggested substitute for these two herbs.

Here's the problem: Because of the intensity of the flavor, chefs recommend customization.the amount of each herb in the recipe you are preparing.

When youSubstitute basil for oregano, you will want to useless oregano than you would basil. It also means that recipes calling for oregano may need more basil if you're using it as a substitute.

Dried Basil vs. dry oregano

fresh herbsthey are by far my favorite. From the plant straight to your plate. However, for many of you, if you grow too much basil (21 for huge basil indoors), you can save it so it doesn't go to waste, as your weed requires constant pruning to grow at its best.

Hereis a guide on how to store your basil. The same goes for oregano. Basil is mostly made from water. A dried herb, whatever it may be, usually tastes stronger for the same amount. In other words, 10 grams of dried basil adds a lot more flavor than 10 grams of dried basil.

For basil, use only half the amount of dried basil that you would use fresh.. If it doesn't look fresh enough, you can still add more. However, once there, it cannot be removed, so you better watch out first.

Fororegano,recommended a3 to 1 ratio of fresh herbs to dried herbs,how detailedhere.

royal companion

Now you know that basil and oregano, due to their different water requirements, are not the best of friends.

However, did you know that basil has more than 5 plants that it can grow in harmony with and really help itself?

Check out the article below to check out the best (and worst) basil companion.

Related questions

Is oregano a superfood?Oregano is among the top herbs in terms of antioxidant content, thetallest of all herbs. In addition, it is a good source of vitamins such as A, C and calcium.

Can you eat fresh basil leaves?If the leaves and plant show no signs of distress, it is safe to eat the leaves. Its flavor is highest when eaten raw immediately after picking.

Additional Readings

21 easy tips for growing giant basil indoors

4 reasons to use small basil leaves and tips to avoid them

4 proven ways to store your basil after harvest

4 Easy Steps to Make Your Store's Herbs Last for Months

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