What Can I Substitute for Dried Marjoram?

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Swap for dried marjoram: dried thyme, 4 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram. Verdict: straight swap

Thyme fills the same savoury background role in stuffings, sausages and soups, which is where marjoram is most often used. Full details

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What's it doing in this dish?

You're seasoning a bread stuffing, sausage mince, rissoles or meatloaf and the marjoram is one herb among the onion, fat and salt.

dried thyme — 4 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (¾ tsp)
dried mixed herbs — 5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (1 tsp)

Here marjoram's job is background savoury seasoning for fatty meat and onion, and thyme does that job almost as well, while a mixed herb blend covers it with a broader, less floral flavour.

You're making a tomato pasta sauce, pizza sauce or meatballs in tomato and the recipe wants a pinch of marjoram.

dried oregano — 2.5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (½ tsp)
dried basil — 5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (1 tsp)

Oregano shares marjoram's piney backbone and suits tomato, but it is stronger, so halve it; basil gives a sweeter herb note that also sits well with tomato, though without the pine edge.

You're adding marjoram to scrambled eggs, an omelette, a light vegetable dish or a creamy soup where its sweet floral note would be easy to taste.

fresh marjoram — 15 ml chopped leaves for every 5 ml dried marjoram (3 tsp)

In mild dishes the flavour role is front and centre, so the same herb fresh is the only pick that keeps the sweet floral character; stronger herbs such as oregano or sage would dominate.

You're rubbing a pork roast, chicken or turkey with herbs, or seasoning a pork and apple stuffing.

dried thyme — 4 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (¾ tsp)
dried sage — 2.5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (½ tsp)

Both herbs are classic with pork and poultry and cover the savoury role; thyme stays closest in strength, while sage works only at half the amount because its musky flavour takes over quickly.

You're making a dish where marjoram is the named or leading flavour, such as a marjoram butter, a marjoram-heavy sausage or a recipe built around it.

fresh marjoram — 15 ml chopped leaves for every 5 ml dried marjoram (3 tsp)

Nothing really replaces it here.

When marjoram's sweet, floral, faintly piney flavour is the whole point, only marjoram itself, fresh or dried, delivers it; oregano or thyme will make a pleasant but different dish.

What Dried Marjoram does in a recipe

flavour · primary — It gives a sweet, floral, faintly piney herb flavour that reads as a gentler, rounder cousin of oregano.
savoury seasoning · secondary — In stuffings, sausages, meatloaf and soups it sits in the background and rounds out fatty meat and onion without taking over.
appearance · secondary — The crumbled grey-green leaf leaves small flecks through sauces, eggs and stuffings.

Every substitute, ranked

Substitute	Amount	Verdict
dried oregano	2.5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (½ tsp)	One catch
dried thyme	4 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (¾ tsp)	Straight swap
fresh marjoram	15 ml chopped leaves for every 5 ml dried marjoram (3 tsp)	Straight swap
dried mixed herbs	5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (1 tsp)	Close enough
dried basil	5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (1 tsp)	Close enough
dried sage	2.5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (½ tsp)	Close enough

Australian tablespoons are 20 ml. UK, New Zealand, US and Canadian recipes use 15 ml, so their 1 tbsp is 3 Australian teaspoons.

dried oregano

One catch· probably in your pantry

2.5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (½ tsp)

Oregano is a close relative with the same piney herbal backbone, but it is sharper and stronger, so it covers the flavour role only if you cut the amount.

The catch: Use about half the amount of oregano, taste at the end, and add a pinch more only if the dish needs it.

Covers: flavour, savoury seasoning, appearance
Taste: Sharper and more peppery, with less of marjoram's sweet floral note.
Texture: No noticeable change.
Looks: Much the same green flecks.
Best for: tomato sauces, pizza and pasta dishes, meatballs and meatloaf

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

dried thyme

Straight swap· probably in your pantry

4 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (¾ tsp)

Thyme fills the same savoury background role in stuffings, sausages and soups, which is where marjoram is most often used.

Covers: savoury seasoning, flavour, appearance
Taste: Earthier and more woody, without the sweet floral edge.
Texture: Tiny dried leaves can stay slightly firm in quick-cooked dishes.
Looks: Smaller, darker flecks.
Best for: stuffings, sausage and meatloaf mixes, soups and stews

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

fresh marjoram

Straight swap

15 ml chopped leaves for every 5 ml dried marjoram (3 tsp)

It is the same herb before drying, so it covers every role once you use enough to make up for the water in the leaves.

Covers: flavour, savoury seasoning, appearance
Taste: Brighter and more floral, with less of the dusty dried-herb note.
Texture: Soft leaves that wilt into the dish.
Looks: Brighter green pieces rather than grey-green flecks.
Best for: egg dishes, tomato sauces, roast vegetables

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

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dried mixed herbs

Close enough· probably in your pantry

5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (1 tsp)

A mixed herb blend covers the savoury seasoning role well, but the flavour is a general herb mix rather than marjoram's sweet floral note.

Covers: savoury seasoning, appearance
Misses: flavour
Taste: Broader and more generic herb flavour, often with sage or thyme coming through.
Texture: No noticeable change.
Looks: Mixed green flecks of different sizes.
Best for: stuffings, rissoles and meatloaf, casseroles

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

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dried basil

Close enough· probably in your pantry

5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (1 tsp)

Basil supplies a sweet herb note that suits tomato dishes, but it lacks marjoram's piney edge and does little in meat seasoning.

Covers: flavour, appearance
Misses: savoury seasoning
Taste: Sweeter with a faint aniseed note instead of marjoram's pine and citrus.
Texture: No noticeable change.
Looks: Slightly larger, darker green flakes.
Best for: tomato sauces, vegetable soups, pizza

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

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dried sage

Close enough

2.5 ml for every 5 ml dried marjoram (½ tsp)

Sage covers the savoury role in pork, poultry and stuffing, but it is much stronger and muskier, so the dish will taste of sage.

Covers: savoury seasoning, appearance
Misses: flavour
Taste: Musky, slightly bitter and noticeably stronger than marjoram.
Texture: Rubbed sage can feel slightly fluffy if used heavily.
Looks: Grey-green flecks, much the same.
Best for: chicken and pork stuffing, sausage mixes, pumpkin dishes

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

Commonly tried, but skip these

People reach for these, and they let you down.

dried parsley flakes

Skip it

People reach for it because it is a green dried herb already in the cupboard, but dried parsley has so little flavour that the dish loses the marjoram note entirely.

Tried this swap? How did it work?

When to buy the real thing

The recipe is named after marjoram or uses it as the main flavouring rather than as one herb in a mix.
Instead: Buy a jar of dried marjoram from the supermarket spice aisle or use fresh marjoram, because any substitute changes the defining flavour of the dish.
You're making a traditional sausage, potato soup or pork dish from a cuisine where marjoram is the signature herb, such as German or Polish cooking.
Instead: Wait until you can buy marjoram, or choose a different recipe tonight, because oregano or thyme will make it taste like a different style of sausage or soup.

Rescue a swap gone wrong

The tomato sauce tastes harsh, bitter or medicinal after swapping in oregano.

Why: Oregano is stronger than marjoram and was used at the full amount, or a recipe written with a 15 ml tablespoon was measured with a 20 ml Australian tablespoon, adding a third more again.

Fix: Add more of the base ingredients, such as another tin of tomatoes or extra stock, to dilute it, and a small pinch of sugar or a splash of cream can soften the bitter edge; next time use half the oregano and check which tablespoon the recipe means.

The stuffing or sausage mix tastes mostly of sage.

Why: Sage is much stronger and muskier than marjoram, so even a modest overuse takes over the savoury background.

Fix: Work in extra breadcrumbs, onion or mince to dilute it, and add a little lemon zest or chopped fresh parsley to brighten it; if it is already cooked, serve it with a sharp sauce or gravy and use half the sage next time.

The finished dish looks herby but tastes flat and under-seasoned.

Why: Dried parsley flakes were used in place of marjoram, and they supply colour with almost no herb flavour.

Fix: Stir in a pinch of dried thyme or oregano and simmer for 5–10 minutes so the dried herb can release its flavour, then taste and adjust the salt.

There are small hard, scratchy bits of herb in a quick sauce or egg dish.

Why: Whole dried thyme leaves are tougher than crumbled marjoram and do not soften in a short cooking time.

Fix: Simmer the sauce a few minutes longer if you can; next time rub the thyme between your palms to crumble it before adding, or add it earlier in the cooking.

Key numbers

dried to fresh ratio: about 1:3 by volumeOne measure of dried marjoram is usually replaced by about three times the volume of fresh leaves, because drying concentrates the flavour.

Differences between countries

Applies to Australia

Tablespoon size for dried herbs (Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States, Canada)

An Australian tablespoon holds 20 ml, while a UK, NZ, US or Canadian tablespoon holds 15 ml. A tablespoon of dried marjoram from an overseas recipe measured with an Australian spoon adds a third more herb, which matters more if you have swapped in stronger oregano or sage.

Wild marjoram means oregano (United Kingdom)

In the UK the name wild marjoram is commonly used for Origanum vulgare, the plant sold as oregano. A recipe or plant label calling for wild marjoram means oregano, not the sweet marjoram sold in jars as marjoram.

Where to buy it

Applies to Australia

Australia · easy to find

supermarket herb and spice aisle

Dried marjoram is a standard jar in the spice range; fresh marjoram is harder to find and turns up mainly at greengrocers and markets.

United Kingdom · easy to find

supermarket herb and spice aisle

Look for jars labelled marjoram or sweet marjoram rather than wild marjoram.

New Zealand · moderate to find

supermarket herb and spice aisle

Larger supermarkets usually stock it, but smaller stores may carry only oregano and mixed herbs.

United States · easy to find

supermarket spice aisle

It is usually sold as marjoram leaves in the standard spice range.

Canada · easy to find

supermarket spice aisle

It sits with the other dried leaf herbs in the standard spice range.

What is Dried Marjoram called in other countries?

marjoramsweet marjoramdried sweet marjoram

Measurements differ too, not just names: the kitchen conversion chart covers cups, spoons and oven temperatures across these countries.

Questions people ask

Is marjoram the same as oregano?

No, they are closely related herbs but not the same plant. Marjoram is Origanum majorana and oregano is mostly Origanum vulgare, and marjoram is sweeter, milder and more floral, while oregano is sharper and more peppery. That is why oregano can stand in for marjoram only at about half the amount.

Can I leave marjoram out of a recipe?

Yes, if it is one of several herbs in a stuffing, soup or mince mix. The dish will taste slightly less rounded but still work, especially if the other herbs are already there. Leave it out only reluctantly when marjoram is the main or named flavour, because nothing else gives the same sweet floral note.

How much fresh marjoram equals 1 teaspoon of dried?

Use about 15 ml of chopped fresh leaves for every 5 ml of dried marjoram. That is roughly three times the volume, because the fresh leaves still hold their water and taste milder. In Australia, measure it as 3 teaspoons rather than one Australian tablespoon, which holds 20 ml and would give you a third more.

What can I use instead of marjoram in stuffing?

Dried thyme is the closest swap in a bread or sausage stuffing, used at about three-quarters of the marjoram amount. It fills the same savoury background role with fatty meat and onion, though it tastes earthier and less floral. Dried mixed herbs also work at the same amount if you don't mind a broader herb flavour.

Is a tablespoon of dried marjoram in an overseas recipe the same as an Australian tablespoon?

No, a tablespoon in UK, US, NZ or Canadian recipes means 15 ml, while an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml. For dried marjoram the extra third is a mild overdose, but with a stronger substitute such as oregano or sage it can make a sauce taste harsh. Measure 3 teaspoons when an overseas recipe says 1 tablespoon.

Is dried marjoram stronger than fresh?

Yes, by volume dried marjoram is stronger because drying removes the water and concentrates the flavour. It also loses some of the bright floral edge and gains a dustier note. Jars lose strength over time, so an old jar may need a little more to taste of anything.

Where Dried Marjoram comes from

Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is a perennial herb in the mint family, native to the eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. Dried marjoram is made by drying the leaves and rubbing them into small flakes.

Dried Marjoram is usually dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free — check the label, and see the disclaimer.