5-Minute Turmeric Tea Recipe (with No-Brew Option)
A soothing, feel-good Turmeric Tea recipe that tastes better, livelier than tea bags. This recipe works with both turmeric root and powder. Plus it's optimized for absorption with black pepper. Includes a tea kettle option and a concentrate recipe for on-the-go cups! Tested to perfection!
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1- inch fresh turmeric root washed and thinly sliced - no need to peel - sub 1/8 tsp turmeric powder (Note 1)
- 1/2- inch fresh ginger root washed and thinly sliced - no need to peel
- pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- honey optional - to sweeten (I usually skip)
Instructions
Saucepan Option
- Pour the measured water into a small saucepan (Note 2) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. (I like to get the water started in my kettle.) Add the turmeric, ginger, and black pepper and stir.
- Reduce the heat to a medium-low, and simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on how strong you’d like the steep.
- Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a cup. Squeeze in the lemon juice (the color will lighten). Sweeten with honey, if you’d like.
No-brew/Tea Kettle Option - See Note 3
- Heat approximately 1 1/2 cups water (depending on the size of your mug) in a tea kettle. Using less water = stronger flavors.
- While the water comes to a boil, place the turmeric, ginger, and black pepper in a large mug (preferably thick/heat-proof - you want the water to stay as hot as possible).
- Pour boiling water into the mug. Cover and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain the solids by pouring the tea through a sieve into another mug, or leave as-is if you don't mind the ginger root in your tea.
- Squeeze in the lemon and give it a stir. Sweeten with honey, if you'd like.
Video
Notes
Note 1: Since this is a water-based tea, I prefer to make it with turmeric root. It gives cleaner, more vibrant flavor compared to turmeric powder (which fares better in Turmeric Milk). That said, turmeric powder works just as well. The key is to use a small amount, 1/8 teaspoon at most. Using too much will make it taste medicinal and murky.
Note 2: Turmeric can stain, so I stick to my stainless steel saucepan. Avoid any light-colored ceramic saucepans.
Note 3: Tea Kettle/No-Brew method - This is a quick, no-brew option that I love to make in the mornings when I don't want to turn the stovetop on. It makes a lighter cup, not as strong as if you simmer it, but still delicious and feel-good. The key to this no-brew method is using less water, which gives a stronger flavor. You may also want to peel and grate or chop the ginger to extract more flavor from it. Again, if using turmeric powder, use no more than 1/8 tsp or it'll get heavy.
Flavor Ideas: My favorite add-in is a 1" piece of a broken cinnamon stick. See post for more Flavoring Options.
Concentrate Option:
Turmeric Tea is ideal for making a stronger concentrate which you can dilute with freshly-boiled water. To make the concentrate:
- Double the ingredients. Follow the recipe up to Step 1. On Step 2, simmer on medium heat for 25 minutes. You'll be left with around 2 cups concentrate, 4 (1/2 cup) servings.
- Strain into a glass bottle or jar with a lid. Allow to cool. Cover and store in the fridge for up to a week.
- When ready to use, place 1/2 cup of the concentrate in a mug and microwave until hot (~45 seconds). Pour freshly-boiled water over it.
- Add lemon. Sweeten with honey, if you’d like.
Nutrition
Calories: 9kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 0.5IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.03mg