Once you learn how to dry oregano in the air fryer, you’re going to wonder why you didn’t start sooner. That’s right, in just a few minutes, you can perfectly dehydrate your fresh oregano and save it for when you need it!
Oregano is such a versatile ingredient, appearing in Italian, Greek, and Mexican cuisine, and that’s just getting started.
If you don’t have an air fryer yet, don’t worry! You can also dry oregano in the microwave just as quickly and easily.
Can You Dry Oregano Leaves in an Air Fryer?
Yes, you can dry oregano leaves in an air fryer.
By cooking oregano leaves in the air fryer for a few minutes, you’ll achieve perfectly dehydrated oregano. Then, the leaves may be safely stored for use as dried herbs later.
How to Dry Oregano in the Air Fryer: Step by Step
Start with clean, dry fresh oregano (leaves on stems)
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F
Place the oregano stems in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer
Cover oregano with a tray, rack, or trivet to prevent it from flying around (alternatively, tie with a heat-safe tie)
Cook on air fryer setting for 3 minutes at 350°F
Oregano should appear dry and break easily when touched
If additional time is needed, add in 1-minute increments to prevent overcooking
Once removed from the air fryer, separate the leaves and stems by holding the base of the stem in one hand. Then, run your other hand down the stem towards the top, while holding it over a plate or bowl
Crush the oregano leaves up finer if desired (optional)
Store in an airtight container or spice jar in a cool, dry place
You don’t need to shake or flip your oregano during the air frying process. However, if you end up with wet pockets due to too much overlap, you will want to move them around a bit before cooking for additional time.
It generally takes me 3 minutes in total to completely dehydrate oregano in my Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer. However, your time may vary slightly depending on your specific air fryer.
I love how quick and easy it is to dry fresh herbs in the air fryer. In fact, with the dual baskets I can do two different herbs at once! I dehydrated parsley in the air fryer just the other day.
How Do You Dry Oregano?
Air dry
Dehydrator
Microwave
Air Fryer
Oven
These are the 5 primary methods you can use to dry oregano.
Using the microwave or air fryer to dehydrate your oregano are the two quickest methods, taking just a few minutes each.
The dehydrator and oven methods take a couple hours, but often allow for larger batches to be done at once.
Air drying takes the longest, ranging from a few days to a week. However, no electricity is even required here, so it’s a good option for homesteading.
How Long Does Homemade Dried Oregano Last?
Homemade dried oregano lasts, generally, from 1-3 years if stored properly.
Exposure to moisture, extreme temperature, air, and even light can change the color and potency of your dried herbs.
Make sure to store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place with limited light, such as a drawer or cabinet for best results.
Typically, dried oregano begins to lose some potency after 6 months’ time, but still remains flavorful for a few years. After that, it’s still safe to consume, but will lack a lot of flavor by then.
Around here, I’ve always used it long before it would go bad anyway. You could make herb, caesar, or Greek style croutons in the air fryer, and that’s just one of many uses!
Is it Better to Freeze or Dry Oregano?
When it comes to whether it’s better to freeze or dry oregano, there are pros and cons to both methods.
The freezer helps keep your herbs more potent and not hard or crunchy. However, the leaves often discolor, get mushy, and you can only store them for a few months before you need to worry about freezer burn.
Drying oregano gets you a longer shelf life (6-12 months at a minimum), saves you space because of the loss of volume, and maintains the green color of the leaves.
However, drying does lose some potency, and of course you’ll need to rehydrate during cooking (no one wants to crunch on hard leaves).
I personally feel it’s better to dry oregano versus freezing, simply because I believe it produces a nicer-looking finished product that keeps longer. No judgment here, though, if you want to freeze yours instead!
Final Thoughts
I love to dry oregano in the air fryer. It’s such a quick and easy way to dehydrate fresh oregano to save it for later use.
Whether it’s going in a tasty taco filling, marinating some Greek kabobs, or finishing off a perfect pizza, I always have to have some dried oregano in my spice cabinet.
For one of my favorite applications, try sprinkling some oregano on Bagel Bites in the air fryer for that real pizza taste in your snack!
Dried Oregano in the Air Fryer
Use your air fryer to dry your fresh oregano in minutes. This process quickly and easily dehydrates oregano to store it safely.
Place the oregano stems in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer
10-12 stems Oregano
Cover oregano with a tray, rack, or trivet to prevent it from flying around (alternatively, tie with a heat-safe tie)
Cook on air fryer setting for 3 minutes at 350°F
Oregano should appear dry and break easily when touched
If additional time is needed, add in 1-minute increments and check frequently to prevent overcooking
Once removed from the air fryer, separate the oregano leaves and stems by holding the base of the stem in one hand. Then, gently run your other hand down the stem towards the top, while holding it over a plate or bowl
Crush the oregano leaves up finer if desired (optional)
Store in an airtight container or spice jar in a cool, dry place
Notes
Total drying time in a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer was 3 minutes. However, other models may vary slightly
Make sure to keep your oregano as close to a single layer as possible. Overlapping too much will cause wet pockets to occur
If you need to add additional time, make sure to shake and separate strands to promote even drying
This amount of fresh oregano should give you between 1.5 – 2 Tbsp dried depending on the size of your bunches and leaves
When removing leaves, just gently run your hand along the stem. It doesn’t take any pressure to knock the leaves off in their brittle state, and you don’t want to break the stems
Dried oregano is best consumed within 6 months, however, it’s generally still good for 1-2 years. After that, while safe to use, it loses a lot of flavor
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I enjoy trying new recipes, creating my own, and dabbling with new techniques all the time. My husband loves to protest when I make him my guinea pig, but it’s all for the love of food!
