Epazote: an essential aromatic herb of Mexican cuisine

What is it?

Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides, formerly Chenopodium ambrosioides) is a pre-Hispanic aromatic herb essential to Mexican cuisine, with toothed lance-shaped leaves of an intense green and a characteristic penetrating scent that mingles mint, anise, camphor and a medicinal note. It is grown and also grows wild in central Mexico, particularly in Puebla, Tlaxcala, State of Mexico and Morelos, although 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 central and south-eastern cooking. Beyond its culinary role, it has traditionally recognised digestive and antiparasitic properties. It is one of the herbs most emblematic of Mexican culinary identity.

Origin and history

Epazote has a Mesoamerican origin and was widely used by 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) on account of its penetrating odour. The Nahuas used it as a seasoning, a vermifuge and a 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 throughout the American continent and was later introduced to Europe, Asia and Africa, where it is mainly used for medicinal purposes. Larousse Cocina lists it as one of the indispensable aromatic herbs of the Mexican repertoire. Its continuous use from the pre-Hispanic period until today makes it a direct link between Mexica cooking and contemporary Mexican cooking, without interruption from the conquest.

Characteristic ingredients

Epazote is an annual or perennial plant up to one metre tall, with an erect reddish stem, alternate toothed leaves and small greenish flowers grouped in spikes. It grows wild in disturbed soils, milpas, backyards and roadside verges. 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 should never be boiled for long. There are wild and cultivated varieties, as well as a purple epazote (Dysphania graveolens) used in some areas. The quantity must be measured carefully because its flavour is very powerful: 2-3 sprigs are enough for a pot of beans. In large amounts the ascaridole can be toxic, so moderate culinary consumption is recommended.

Cultural significance

Epazote is a living symbol of pre-Hispanic heritage in present-day Mexican cooking. It appears in some of the most emblematic dishes: pot beans, huitlacoche quesadillas, chipilin tamales, sweetcorn soup, rajas with epazote, esquites, caldo tlalpeño, and many green salsas with ribs or meat. Its consumption is tied to the milpa and to country cooking, where it is traditionally harvested wild or grown alongside maize, beans and squash. The UNAM Digital Library of Mexican Traditional Medicine lists it as one of the most widely used medicinal plants for treating intestinal parasites and digestive complaints in rural communities. SADER recognises its cultivation as part of traditional family vegetable plots. Although it does not have a protected designation 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 papalo?

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

What does epazote taste like?

Epazote has a powerful, herbal and aromatic flavour combining notes of mint, anise, camphor, fennel and a slightly medicinal touch. It is intense and polarising: some people are fascinated by it, others find it harsh. Its flavour balances perfectly with beans, huitlacoche, cheese and maize, ingredients with which it has shared the kitchen 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 for too long or its aroma is lost. It is reputed to reduce the bloating caused by beans.

Where does epazote come from?

Epazote originates in Mesoamerica, particularly central Mexico. Sahagún documented it in the sixteenth century under the Nahuatl name 'epazotl'. 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 across almost all of Mexico, with the highest consumption in the centre and south-east of the country.