Fragrant lemongrass, zingy ginger, and natural sweeteners blend harmoniously for a soothing, flavorful homemade lemongrass tea. It’s great hot or cold, and it’s a healthy, delicious way to start your day or wind down in the evening. You can enjoy this refreshing treat with just a handful of ingredients!
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In the world of herbs, oregano, basil, and parsley get a lot of attention. But I’ve always been a huge fan of lemongrass. In fact, lemongrass tea has been a constant at my house since I started growing it on my patio. Hot lemongrass tea is soothing and comforting on cool evenings and equally delicious over ice.
So, when the heat of summer hit last year, my son and I started making big batches of lemongrass tea and chilling it in the fridge. Its vibrant flavor and aroma give us happiness in a cup!
Lemongrass Tea Benefits
I’m not a doctor, but I’ve heard that lemongrass is really good for us. My personal experience is that it’s very relaxing. While native to Asia, it grows very well in my beloved Africa.
According to WebMD, it’s rich in antioxidants, may be great for digestion, and could lower cholesterol levels and heart disease risk. Some people love putting lemongrass essential oil in their lotion, swearing it helps their skin. It definitely smells incredible.
How to Make Lemongrass Tea
Prep the lemongrass and ginger, boil the water, add the lemongrass and ginger, steep, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Fresh, dried, and frozen lemongrass work fine for tea. Use half as much dried lemongrass and the same amount of frozen.
- For a refreshing iced version, allow the tea to cool after straining, then refrigerate it. Pour your tea over ice and garnish it with lemon slices or fresh mint leaves.
- Halve the amount of water for steeping, let it chill, then add sparkling water to the cold tea for a refreshing soda.
- Add a spoonful of green tea leaves or a tea bag to the tea after taking it off the heat. Let them steep together for lemongrass green tea.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
If you love cold tea, make it ahead, let it cool on the counter, and then store it in the refrigerator. You can also freeze some of the tea in an ice cube tray to make iced tea without watering it down.
Leftover lemongrass tea stores beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave if you prefer hot tea.
You can refrigerate leftover lemongrass stalks in a sealable plastic bag for two weeks or freeze them for months. You can mince the stalks for various dishes, like this mouthwatering braised chicken in coconut milk.
What to Serve With Lemongrass Tea
I love to unwind at the end of a busy day with a cup of lemongrass tea and a lemon blueberry scone, butter cookies, coconut macaroons, or lemon yogurt cake. For a more savory treat, we love it with boiled dumplings or a chicken salad sandwich.
More Refreshing Beverages to Try
This blog post was originally published in December 2023 and has been updated with more tips and gorgeous photos.