Epazote: what it is, taste, uses and substitutes

What is it?

Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides, formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides) is a pre-Hispanic aromatic herb essential to Mexican cuisine, with serrated lance-shaped leaves of intense green and a characteristic penetrating smell, a mixture of mint, anise, camphor and a medicinal touch. It is cultivated and grows wild in central Mexico, particularly in Puebla, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico and Morelos, though today it is found throughout the country. It is used as an aromatic seasoning in black beans, huitlacoche, quesadillas, sweetcorn soups, tamales, tlacoyos, green salsa and tacos of the cuisine of the centre and south-east. As well as its culinary function, it has traditionally recognised digestive and antiparasitic properties. It is one of the herbs most emblematic of Mexican food identity.

Origin and history

Epazote is of Mesoamerican origin and was widely used by the pre-Hispanic peoples. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún recorded it in the Florentine Codex under the Nahuatl name 'epazotl', which translates as 'skunk sweat' (from 'epatl', skunk, and 'tzotl', sweat) because of its penetrating smell. The Nahua used it as a seasoning, vermifuge and medicine against intestinal parasites. CONABIO documents its traditional presence since pre-Columbian times in the basin of Mexico and the Puebla-Tlaxcala region. After the conquest, epazote spread across the whole American continent and was later introduced to Europe, Asia and Africa, where it is used mainly for medicinal purposes. Larousse Cocina records it as one of the indispensable aromatic herbs of the Mexican recipe book. Its continuous use from the pre-Hispanic period to today makes it a direct link between Mexica cookery and contemporary Mexican cuisine, uninterrupted by the conquest.

Characteristic ingredients

Epazote is an annual or perennial plant up to a metre tall, with an erect reddish stem, alternate serrated leaves and small greenish flowers grouped in spikes. It grows wild in disturbed soils, milpas, backyards and roadsides. It contains an essential oil rich in ascaridole, alpha-terpinene, p-cymene and limonene, responsible for its aroma and vermifuge properties; it also provides vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, magnesium and fibre. It is always used fresh, added in whole or chopped leaves at the end of cooking so as not to lose its aroma; it is never boiled for a long time. There are wild and cultivated variants, as well as a purple epazote (Dysphania graveolens) used in some areas. The amount must be measured carefully because its flavour is very potent: 2-3 sprigs are enough for a pot of beans. In large quantities the ascaridole can be toxic, so moderate culinary consumption is recommended.

Cultural significance

Epazote is a living symbol of the pre-Hispanic heritage in today's Mexican cuisine. It appears in some of the most emblematic dishes: pot beans, huitlacoche quesadillas, chipilín tamales, sweetcorn soup, rajas with epazote, esquites, caldo tlalpeño, and many green salsas with rib or meat. Its use is linked to the milpa and to peasant cookery, where it is traditionally harvested wild or grown alongside maize, beans and squash. UNAM's Digital Library of Traditional Mexican Medicine records it as one of the most used medicinal plants for treating intestinal parasites and digestive problems in rural communities. SADER recognises its cultivation as part of the traditional family orchards. Although it has no denomination of origin, its presence defines a flavour immediately recognisable as Mexican. Its surviving Nahuatl name makes it a bridge-word between Mexica culture and present-day Spanish.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between epazote and pápalo?

Although both are Mexican aromatic herbs, they are distinct species. Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) belongs to the Amaranthaceae family and has serrated leaves with an intense mint-camphor aroma; it is used cooked. Pápalo (Porophyllum macrocephalum) is of the Asteraceae family, with rounded leaves and a strong coriander aroma; it is eaten raw in cemitas and Puebla tacos.

What does epazote taste like?

Epazote has a potent, herbal and aromatic flavour combining notes of mint, anise, camphor, fennel and a slightly medicinal touch. It is intense and polarising: some are fascinated by it, others find it harsh. Its flavour balances perfectly with beans, huitlacoche, cheese and maize, ingredients with which it has shared a culinary life for centuries.

How is epazote used in cooking?

Always fresh, added at the end of cooking: in pot beans (2-3 sprigs), huitlacoche quesadillas and empanadas, sweetcorn soups and esquites, tamales, green salsas, broths and stews. The leaves are added whole or chopped. It should never be boiled too long so as not to lose its aroma. It has a reputation for reducing the bloating caused by beans.

Where does epazote come from?

Epazote is native to Mesoamerica, particularly central Mexico. Sahagún documented it in the 16th century under the Nahuatl name 'epazotl'. The pre-Hispanic peoples grew it alongside maize and used it as a seasoning and antiparasitic medicine. After the colonial period it spread to other continents. Today it grows wild and cultivated in almost all of Mexico, with greater consumption in the centre and south-east of the country.