Soothing Turmeric Ginger Tea With Honey

Making tea from whole ingredients, like this Turmeric Ginger Tea, is faster and easier than you might think. This method makes a soothing drink with more flavor and benefits than using store bought tea bags. Read on, or jump straight to the recipe, HERE.

Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends

It doesn’t take much time on the internet to know that turmeric is everywhere these days. It’s like turmeric is the new wheatgrass, and all the cool kids are using it. But this humble little root is more than just a fad or a passing trend.

People have been using turmeric for centuries, both for it’s flavor and health benefits. Turmeric actually contains a powerful anti-inflammatory compound, called curcumin. When you hear the words “anti-inflammatory” you might think it’s only for joint pain or swelling… but in reality, pretty much everyone has inflammation in their body that they’re unaware of. Stress, injuries, and illness can all cause inflammation, which can lead to things not functioning as well as they should. Foods like turmeric that reduce inflammation can help keep our bodies working and feeling their best.

Plus, it just tastes good.

Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends

Turmeric is one of the main spices in Indian curry powders — it’s what gives them their golden color. All on it’s own, turmeric has a mild flavor. It’s earthy, and slightly peppery. I’d put it into the same category as ginger, but less sharp and zesty. If ginger is a violin, turmeric is a cello.

I like pairing it with ginger because they compliment each other so well. The turmeric mellows the spice of the ginger, and the ginger lifts the turmeric up a little. I also add some honey for sweetness, and a few black peppercorns. The flavor of the peppercorns is barely detectable in the tea, but pepper actually helps our bodies absorb the benefits of turmeric — together, they’re like superfood wonder twins.

Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends
Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends

As I’ve been working my way through these 31 Days Of Healthy Recipes, I’ve kept a mug of this tea by my side. I love having a warm cup in the evenings as I wind down, and it’s as much a mental ritual as it is a physical one, soothing away the stress of the day.

As it turns out, I also like drinking it while editing photos. In fact, as I write this I’m sipping a cup and munching on some of these rainbow rollsIt’s a winning combination, and one my (perhaps a little too stressed) body is grateful for.

Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends
Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends

What’s your favorite drink to sooth away stress? Share in the comments below.

5.0 from 4 reviews
Soothing Turmeric Honey Tea
 
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 8-10 thin slices ginger root
  • 8-10 dime-sized slices fresh turmeric
  • 3-4 whole black peppercorn
  • 1-2 TBSP honey, to taste
  • about 20 oz. hot water (2½ cups)
  • Optional: splash of milk, or dairy free alternative, to taste (I like almond milk)
Instructions
  1. If your ginger and turmeric are organic, there's no need to peel them. If either is dirty, wash first, then slice into discs as thinly as you can. Place the ginger, turmeric, and peppercorns into a small mesh strainer, and set the strainer over a saucepan. Pour in the water, and bring to a boil. (In the photos, I heated my water in a kettle first, but starting with cold water is fine.) The strainer should hang low enough into the saucepan that the ginger and turmeric are fully submerged in the water. If you don't have a shallow enough pot or a small enough strainer, you can let the spices steep loose in the water, then pour everything through a strainer when it's done steeping. (Just be careful of splashes if you do this, as turmeric will stain.)
  2. Once the water reaches a boil, turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Let steep for anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour, depending on how strong you like it.
  3. Remove the strainer (or carefully pour the tea through a strainer to remove the spices) and stir in honey, to taste. If the tea has cooled down, rewarm as needed.
Notes
This makes enough for just a couple servings of tea -- I like to make it this way as an evening ritual to wind down before bed.

If you want to make a large pot of tea, increase the ingredients and steep in a large saucepan or tea kettle.

For quick individual mugs of tea, you can finely chop the turmeric and ginger (for quicker steeping) and place a spoonful of each, plus a couple peppercorns, into a small sachet of cheese cloth, or loose leaf tea bags like these. You can make a bunch of these at once, and place them in a plastic baggie in the freezer. Simply remove one from the freezer and plop it directly into a mug of hot water to steep, about 10 minutes or as long as you like. Add honey to taste.

Pro tip: turmeric stains like the dickens. Your mug and your saucepan will be fine, but I actually have a dedicated cutting board I keep around specifically for using with things like turmeric and beets that stain.

Variations: I love making this tea simply, just as it is. When I'm feeling fancy, sometimes I add a few pods of cardamom. To do so: lightly crush the pods under the bottom of a glass, or with the flat side of a knife, to break them open, then add to the pot with the other spices. You can also try using any other spices you like, such as whole cloves, a cinnamon stick, or star anise. Or you can go all-out with chai tea spices, and make a turmeric chai. If you need some inspiration, you can find my recipe for chai tea concentrate, HERE.

P.S. I found these loose-leaf teabags work really well for making pre-portioned servings. Just chop up the ingredients finely, add them to a teabag, and store in a plastic baggie in the freezer. See recipe notes for details.

Turmeric Ginger Tea | Will Cook For Friends

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14 Responses to Soothing Turmeric Ginger Tea With Honey

  1. Christine | Vermilion Roots January 25, 2017 at 10:06 am #

    Ahhh yes, perfect for this rainy winter here. This is going into my thermos today!

    • Willow Arlen January 26, 2017 at 10:20 am #

      It really does brighten up a gloomy day! And now you’ve reminded me I need to get a thermos… this would be great to take on the go. :)

  2. Ellen Molony January 25, 2017 at 8:26 pm #

    Great! Another way to get my turmeric down. I also recommend “Golden Milk” as a nightcap:
    1 cup milk of choice
    I tsp maple syrup
    1 tsp “Golden Paste” (see below)
    Heat milk and mix in the other 2 ingredients. Enjoy

    Golden Paste:
    1/2 cup org turmeric powder
    1 & 1/2 cups water (or more)
    Bring to a boil and take off heat
    Add 1/3 cup org olive or coconut oil
    Add 1tsp org fresh ground black pepper
    Mix together. Cool. Store up to 2-3 weeks in airtight container in fridge.

    • Willow Arlen January 26, 2017 at 10:18 am #

      Golden milk is amazing, Ellen! Thanks for sharing your recipe. The blogosphere has been blowing up over golden milk recently, so I thought I’d share another use for this lovely root, just to mix things up a little. :)

  3. Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food January 26, 2017 at 6:02 pm #

    This sounds absolutely delicious—especially since I’ve had a cold for a week. I NEED this.

    • Willow Arlen January 26, 2017 at 6:51 pm #

      I’m sorry to hear that! And yes, this would be wonderful for a sore throat or cold. I hope you feel better soon!

  4. Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry January 26, 2017 at 6:38 pm #

    Turmeric is so good for you. I haven’t seen this recipe before. One to bookmark and try out on those stressful days

  5. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes January 26, 2017 at 6:38 pm #

    I keep meaning to make turmeric tea! I have a friend who raves about it. Thanks for reminding me- this sounds amazing!

  6. Kristine January 26, 2017 at 7:13 pm #

    Ohmygosh. I have been sick over the past week or so and I need this tea! It sounds so soothing and tasty. I can’t wait to try it!

    • Willow Arlen January 27, 2017 at 9:29 am #

      Oh noes! Yes, get yourself a mug of this tea ASAP. Hope you feel better!

  7. Jennie Durren January 26, 2017 at 8:05 pm #

    I’ve actually been looking for ways to add turmeric to my diet, because I have joint problems. This looks delicious, and I love the idea of freezing it. I’ll have to try to find fresh turmeric locally!

    • Willow Arlen January 27, 2017 at 9:30 am #

      It is so convenient having it in the freezer! I actually keep fresh ginger and turmeric (whole) in the freezer, too, so I always have some on hand. They still peel and cut fine when they’re frozen, so I can cut off what I need and put the rest away for another time. I hope you find some fresh turmeric!

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