Koseret substitutes

Botanically a Lippia, the same genus as koseret, which makes it a much closer relative than Mediterranean oregano despite the shared name.

Best for

niter kibbeh, berbere, kitfo seasoning, vegetable alicha

This is a genuinely under-used answer. Mexican oregano is grassier, more citrus-forward and carries a light liquorice note, where Greek oregano is peppery and pizza-scented. That puts it much nearer koseret's lemony-savoury register. It is a little sweeter and less medicinal than the real thing, but in a spiced butter with cardamom, ginger and garlic alongside it, the gap is small.

The standard home fix, upgraded with the citrus that makes it noticeably closer.

Best for

niter kibbeh, when you only have supermarket herbs, berbere, kitfo seasoning

The oregano and thyme cover the savoury base and the lemon peel covers the citrus-medicinal top note that koseret is really valued for, which is the part everyone leaves out. Remove the peel when you strain the butter, and use a strip rather than grated zest so no bitter pith gets in. Without the lemon this mix smells a lot like Italian seasoning in butter.

A close botanical cousin in the same plant family as koseret, with the lemony aroma but none of the savoury base.

Best for

niter kibbeh, blending with oregano for the best approximation, mild alicha stews

Lemon verbena nails the bright, slightly medicinal citrus that separates koseret from ordinary oregano, and misses the herbal-savoury bottom half completely, so on its own the butter smells like herbal tea. Half and half with dried oregano is the best cheap approximation of koseret available in most Western shops. Go easy, because verbena turns perfumed and soapy fast.

A softer, sweeter relative of oregano that matches koseret's gentleness better than Greek oregano does.

Best for

niter kibbeh, mild stews, when oregano tastes too aggressive

Marjoram is less pungent and less peppery than oregano, which is arguably closer to how koseret behaves, sitting behind the other aromatics rather than shouting over them. The catch is that it fades quickly in hot fat, so use a generous measure and steep it off the heat rather than at a simmer. On its own it lacks any citrus, so a strip of lemon peel helps here too.

The two-jar version that almost every recipe for homemade niter kibbeh recommends.

Best for

niter kibbeh, an emergency mid-recipe, berbere from scratch

This works and it is what most people outside Ethiopia actually use. Be clear-eyed about what changes: Mediterranean oregano is more pungent and peppery than koseret, so the butter smells more like pizza herbs and less like the lemony, medicinal thing koseret contributes. The finished stew will still taste good and recognisably Ethiopian, it just loses one distinctive layer.

The truthful position for anyone making niter kibbeh from scratch and unable to find the real herb.

Best for

setting expectations, deciding whether to order it online, niter kibbeh

The butter will be very good and it will not taste Ethiopian in the specific way real niter kibbeh does. Use half Mexican oregano and half dried lemon verbena, or oregano and thyme with lemon peel, and accept the result. The mistake to avoid is compensating later by adding more berbere to the stew, which just makes it hotter and does nothing about the missing herbal note.