Substitute for Epazote
Epazote
Need exact measurements? Use the substitution calculator
Flavor profile: Strong, pungent, almost medicinal herb with notes of mint, anise, and citrus — an acquired taste.
What Is Epazote?
Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) is a strongly flavored herb native to Mexico. Its taste is intense and unique — somewhere between mint, oregano, anise, and petroleum. It's most commonly used in black beans (where it's believed to reduce gas), quesadillas, soups, and stews. A little goes a long way; too much can overwhelm a dish. It's one of the most distinctively 'Mexican' flavors.
Where to Find It
Harder to find than most Mexican ingredients. Fresh epazote occasionally appears at Latin markets and farmers' markets. Dried epazote is available online. Some garden centers sell epazote plants — it grows aggressively in warm climates and is easy to cultivate.
Best Substitutes
Cilantro + small amount of fennel fronds
Lighter and fresher — captures some of the herbal-anise quality but lacks the pungency
This is the most practical substitute for most home cooks. The fennel fronds add a hint of the anise note.
Mexican oregano
Misses the anise-mint quality entirely but adds an herbal depth to beans and stews
Won't taste like epazote at all, but provides a complementary herbal note that keeps the dish interesting.
Just omit it
The dish will taste different but still delicious — most eaters won't know it's missing
Honestly, many great Mexican cooks outside of southern Mexico omit epazote entirely. Your beans will still be excellent.
Dried epazote
Same flavor but significantly less intense — dried epazote loses much of its potency
If you can find dried epazote online, use about a third of the amount called for fresh. It's a pantry staple worth having.
Epazote Substitute for Beans (What Actually Works)
Most people searching for an epazote substitute are cooking beans, where epazote serves two purposes: flavor and digestion.
For flavor: Mexican oregano is the closest match at 1:1 — earthy and slightly citrusy, though milder. Fresh cilantro stems (not leaves) at 1:1 give a similar green pungency. A combination of both, 2 parts oregano to 1 part cilantro stems, gets closest.
For digestion: epazote is traditionally added to beans to reduce gas. If that's why your recipe includes it, a bay leaf, a 1-inch strip of kombu seaweed, or ½ teaspoon of ground cumin all serve a similar purpose. None of these taste like epazote, but they do the same job.
If you have neither: simply omit it. Black beans and frijoles de olla are still excellent without epazote. It's a flavor accent, not a structural ingredient.
Fresh vs Dried Epazote (and How to Convert)
Fresh epazote is far more pungent than dried — the volatile oils that give it its distinctive petrol-and-mint character fade significantly in drying.
Conversion: 1 tablespoon fresh chopped epazote = 1 teaspoon dried.
Fresh epazote goes in during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Dried epazote should go in earlier, at least 20 minutes, to rehydrate and release its flavor.
If a recipe calls for "one sprig of epazote," that's roughly 1 tablespoon chopped fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried.
Where to Find Epazote (and How to Grow It)
United States: Fresh epazote at Mexican markets and some Whole Foods locations. Dried epazote is more widely available — check the Latin spice section, or brands like Badia and El Guapo.
United Kingdom, Australia, Canada: Rarely stocked fresh. Dried epazote is available online from Mexican specialty importers. Seeds are easy to source and epazote grows readily.
Growing it: Epazote is technically a weed and grows aggressively in most climates. Sow seeds directly after the last frost in full sun. It self-seeds enthusiastically — plant it in a container unless you want it permanently. Harvest leaves as needed once the plant reaches 12 inches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about epazote and its substitutes.
What Is Epazote Called in English?
Epazote has no common English name in general use. In botanical and older culinary references it appears as wormseed, Jerusalem oak, or Mexican tea. Its scientific name is Dysphania ambrosioides (formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides).
In practice, English-language recipes simply use the Spanish name. If you're searching for it at a market outside Latin America, ask for epazote by name — the English alternatives are rarely recognised.
Epazote Leaves Substitute (Fresh Leaves Specifically)
If a recipe calls for fresh epazote leaves and you can't find them, substitute with fresh cilantro stems — not leaves — at 1:1 by volume. The stems carry more of the green, pungent quality that epazote provides; cilantro leaves are too delicate.
For a closer match, combine 2 parts fresh cilantro stems with 1 part fresh oregano leaves.
Dried epazote is a reasonable substitute for fresh at 1 teaspoon dried per 1 tablespoon fresh, though it loses most of the resinous character that makes epazote distinctive. Add dried epazote earlier in cooking, at least 20 minutes before serving.
If a recipe calls for "1 sprig of epazote," that's roughly 1 tablespoon chopped fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried.
