Which Mexican herb is often used to season beans?

The Mexican herb often used to season beans is epazote. Botanically known as Dysphania ambrosioides, it is a pungent annual or short-lived perennial herb native to the Americas and especially associated with Mexican and broader Mesoamerican cooking.

Fresh epazote is commonly added to simmering black beans, pinto beans, and frijoles de olla. Its assertive aroma and flavor can be described as resinous, citrusy, minty, or medicinal, so it is used in small amounts. Traditional cooks have also valued it for its carminative reputation, meaning it was believed to help reduce the digestive discomfort sometimes associated with eating beans.

Epazote is not the same as European oregano, Mexican oregano, cilantro, or cumin, although those ingredients may also appear in bean recipes. It is used in many other dishes, including quesadillas, sopes, soups, mole de olla, tamales, chilaquiles, enchiladas, and esquites.

The name epazote comes from Nahuatl. The plant is also known by names such as Mexican tea and wormseed. Its leaves and tender stems are culinary ingredients, but concentrated essential oil can be toxic, so traditional food use should not be confused with medicinal dosing.