Overview
Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) is a pungent herb native to Central America, South America, and southern Mexico. It has a resinous, medicinal flavor similar to anise, fennel, or tarragon but stronger. It is used as a leaf vegetable, an herb, and an herbal tea.
Origin and history
Epazote is native to Mesoamerica and the Andes, with pre-Hispanic use documented in both Mayan and Nahua foodways [2]. The plant was carried to Europe after the Columbian exchange and naturalized in warm climates worldwide. Its Nahuatl name “epazotl” means “skunk sweat,” a reference to its strong odor. In the Andes, the same species is called paico and has been used in Quechua cooking for centuries [3]. The plant was also used medicinally as an anti-parasitic, though its essential oil (ascaridole) is toxic in high doses.
Varieties and aliases
- Paico (Peru, Bolivia, Argentina) [3]
- Jesuit’s tea, Mexican tea, wormseed (English common names)
- Herba Sancti Mariæ (archaic Latin name)
- Epazote de zorrillo (regional Mexican name, “little skunk epazote”)
- Chenopodium ambrosioides (former scientific name, still used in some sources)
Culinary uses
Epazote is almost always cooked, never eaten raw, as heat mellows its pungency. It is essential to black bean dishes across Mexico, where a sprig is added to the pot to reduce flatulence. It anchors esquites (corn kernels cooked in broth with epazote and onion, served in a cup with mayonnaise, chile, lime, and cheese) [1]. In Guatemala, it is cooked with frijoles, hongos (mushrooms), and esquite [2]. In Peru, paico is used in fresh-fava and bean stews, such as capchi de habas [3][4]. It also appears in escamoles guisados en mantequilla con epazote (butter-sautéed ant larvae with epazote) [1].
Notes for cooks
- Dried epazote is a poor substitute for fresh. The dried version loses most of its volatile oils and tastes like hay.
- Add epazote to beans during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking. Prolonged boiling destroys its flavor.
- The plant’s essential oil contains ascaridole, a toxic compound. Use leaves sparingly and never consume the essential oil internally.