Marjoram: What It Is, Sweet Marjoram Nutrition and How to Use It

Marjoram is a soft, gray-green herb with a sweet, mild, slightly floral flavor, used across Mediterranean and European cooking. Sweet marjoram, the kind sold in most stores, is Origanum majorana, a member of the mint family according to a 2022 review. This guide covers what marjoram is, the USDA numbers for dried marjoram per teaspoon and tablespoon, a vitamin K note for people on blood thinners, how to use marjoram in the kitchen and what a 1996 case report found about allergy.

Peptide Labs does not sell marjoram or any marjoram products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is marjoram?

A 2022 review in the journal Life describes Origanum majorana as an aromatic plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family, is cultivated in several parts of the world, and is widely used for culinary purposes and in perfumes. A 2021 review in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology adds that it is distributed across Mediterranean countries. Its essential oil carries the aroma that cooks prize.

University of Illinois Extension describes sweet marjoram as an annual with a low, spreading growth habit and gray-green leaves that are velvety to the touch, easily grown from seed or cuttings. In the kitchen it sits in the same family as thyme, basil, rosemary, sage and mint.

Sweet marjoram, pot marjoram and the names on the label

FDA’s list of spices generally recognized as safe for their intended use (21 CFR 182.10) names two marjorams: sweet marjoram, under the older botanical name Majorana hortensis, and pot marjoram, Majorana onites. Recent papers use Origanum majorana for sweet marjoram, which places it in the same genus as oregano. Most jars labeled simply marjoram contain sweet marjoram; check the label if you want to be sure.

The extension service describes sweet marjoram as a member of the oregano family with a sweeter, milder flavor. The two herbs are close relatives with different personalities in the pan, and our oregano guide compares them side by side, including USDA values for both.

Marjoram nutrition per spoonful (USDA)

USDA SR Legacy has an entry for dried marjoram but none for fresh marjoram, so these values are for the dried herb. A teaspoon of dried marjoram weighs about half a gram, so the numbers are small. The basil and thyme rows are for comparison and are not marjoram. Percent Daily Values (%DV) use FDA reference amounts.

In USDA data, a tablespoon of dried marjoram supplies about 5 calories, 9% of the Daily Value for vitamin K and 8% for iron, with sodium close to zero. That is a modest contribution, because herbs are used by the pinch; their main job is flavor.

Vitamin K in marjoram and blood thinners

Vitamin K matters for people who take the blood thinner warfarin. MedlinePlus notes that some foods that contain vitamin K can affect how warfarin works and advises eating consistent amounts of vitamin K-containing food on a week-to-week basis. It also says to talk to your doctor before making any changes in your diet.

A sprinkle of dried marjoram is a small source compared with leafy greens, but herbs used generously and often still count toward the total. Our vitamin K foods guide lists the larger sources that matter most for keeping intake steady.

How to use marjoram in the kitchen

University of Illinois Extension lists marjoram for soups, egg dishes, beef and chicken dishes, sausages, cheese and tomato dishes. Its sweet aroma fades with long cooking, so many cooks add it near the end. Ideas to try:

• Tomato dishes: stir it into tomato sauce, tomato soup or a fresh tomato salad.
• Eggs and cheese: fold chopped fresh leaves into omelets, frittatas or a cheese spread.
• Meats: rub it onto roast chicken, pork or lamb, or add it to homemade sausage and meatballs.
• Soups and beans: add a pinch to potato soup, lentils or white beans just before serving.
• Blends: it is a common part of herbes de Provence and many poultry seasonings.
• Vegetables: toss with roasted carrots, mushrooms or zucchini and a little olive oil.

Fresh and dried marjoram both work. As a kitchen rule of thumb, dried herbs are stronger by volume, so start with less dried marjoram than a recipe’s fresh amount and taste as you go. For a sweet, anise-scented herb with a very different flavor, see our tarragon guide.

Is marjoram healthy? What the research covers

Marjoram brings flavor with almost no calories or sodium, which makes it easy to season food without extra salt. Beyond that, most marjoram research tests essential oils and extracts in the laboratory or in animals, as a 2021 review of the plant summarizes, rather than the leaves used in cooking. NCCIH, the federal agency that reviews herbs and supplements, has no fact sheet on marjoram in its Herbs at a Glance series, and this guide makes no supplement claims.

• Regulatory status: FDA lists sweet marjoram among natural seasonings generally recognized as safe for their intended use (21 CFR 182.10), and sweet marjoram oil among essential oils and extractives (21 CFR 182.20). Those listings cover use in food, not health benefits.
• Allergy: marjoram is not one of the nine major food allergens FDA lists. A 1996 case report described one patient with systemic allergic reactions to oregano and thyme whose tests also reacted to other mint-family herbs, including marjoram; the authors concluded the family seems to show cross-sensitivity. If you react to one mint-family herb, ask an allergist about the others.
• Essential oil: concentrated marjoram oil is not a kitchen herb; talk to a healthcare provider before using any herbal oil or supplement.

Buying and storing marjoram

• Fresh: look for soft, gray-green leaves with no wilting or dark spots; wrap the stems in a barely damp paper towel and refrigerate in a bag.
• Dried: the extension service suggests air drying cut stems and storing them in sealed containers.
• Storage: keep dried marjoram in a sealed jar away from light, heat and steam, and follow the package date.
• Freshness check: rub a pinch between your fingers; a sweet, floral aroma means it still has flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Tarragon: What It Is, French Tarragon vs Russian and Tarragon Nutrition, Oregano: Dried Oregano Nutrition, Oregano Benefits and Oregano vs Marjoram, Thyme: Nutrition, What Thyme Benefits Research Shows, Fresh vs Dried Thyme.