Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Oregano

Top flavour pairings and oregano recipes, revealed through the hidden methmatics of flavour.

Oregano is defined by the accents of thyme and resin, but beneath its bitter surface lies a nuanced symphony of subtle flavour notes: rosemary, camphor, and even hints of sage that give it remarkable depth. Understanding how these elements interplay is the secret to unlocking truly exceptional pairings.

To map these harmonies, we analysed thousands of ingredients, breaking each one down across 150 flavour dimensions, identifying which notes complement and contrast. Our analysis reveals, for example, how lamb shank's gamey tones enrich oregano, and how king crab's glutamic notes create a surprising synergy with its turpentine sweetness.

An ingredient's flavour comes from its core characteristics, like herbal, spice, and woody, combined with its unique aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim to include a broad variety of core characteristics for a balanced dish. And choose aroma notes that complement each other for a harmonious combination.

Flavour Pairing Method

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Resin Notes

Our analysis reveals a strong connection between resin and glutamate flavours. Since oregano has a distinct resinous flavour, try pairing it with the glutamic flavours of king crab.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing oregano with king crab.

Harmonious Flavours Of Oregano

Just as our analysis found that resin and glutamic flavour notes are commonly paired, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the notes present in oregano. E.g. the rosemary notes of oregano are often used with gamey and ironny flavours.

The aroma accents associated with the various aroma notes of oregano can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of lamb shank offers many of the accents complementary to oregano, including gamey and ovine aroma notes. Because the flavour profile of lamb shank has many of the of the features that are complementary to oregano, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of lamb shank across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with oregano.

Recipes That Pair Oregano With Lamb Shank

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the aromas that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of oregano, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of oregano, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the accents complementary to oregano.

What To Drink With Oregano

The fatty notes in chorizo-infused beer make it a perfect pairing with oregano. Likewise, the glutamic flavours in pecorino create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of oregano below.

Which Cheese Go With Oregano?

Choose cheese that ground its turpentiness or embrace its medicinal aroma. Sheep's cheese and kefalotyri offer vibrant, clean counterpoints, their verdant freshness lifting the palate. Pecorino Romano add a gentle, oniony brightness, while caciocavallo introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace cheese that harmonise with oregano's turpentiness. The addition of hard cheese, with its subtle glutamic notes, can complement the resin beautifully, while cotija lends a savoury richness.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Oregano), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.