Simple Ginger Turmeric Tea

Name: Simple Ginger Turmeric Tea
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 1-2
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 3 cups water; approx. 1 tbsp chopped fresh turmeric root; approx. 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger root; 2 slices of washed fresh lemon; 1/4 tsp black pepper; maple syrup, agave syrup or raw honey, optional, to taste (use stevia for sugar-free tea)

published: January 18, 2015 — last updated: October 1, 2019 // 7 Comments »

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This simple ginger turmeric tea is the perfect nourishing, healing, detoxifying drink to enjoy all Fall and Winter long. This easy recipe has anti-inflammatory properties, can help boost the immune system and makes a lovely calming drink you can enjoy anytime of day.

A mug of ginger turmeric tea with a small, glass jar of maple syrup and a sliced lemon beside it.

Turmeric Benefits

Turmeric is a true superfood and with the addition of ginger, lemon and pepper you are really getting all the good stuff! It’s an amazing way to start the day or deliver energy and nourishment for a caffeine-free afternoon pick-me-up. It’s also lovely for a warm evening drink to wind down for the night.

Turmeric has natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it’s a natural liver detoxifier, is a powerful anti-inflammatory, it can help to manage weight, soothe an upset stomach and it’s may be help protect the brain from degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

How to Make Ginger Turmeric tea

This tea is made stovetop with fresh ginger and turmeric root, pepper and lemon. Here’s how to make it!

Step 1: Chop the turmeric and ginger.

You’ll need about 1 tbsp each of fresh ginger and turmeric root. This works out to about a thumb-sized piece of root. You’ll also need a couple slices of fresh lemon. Alternatively, you can spritz in some fresh lemon juice after simmering the herbs.

Do I need to peel the ginger and turmeric root?

There’s no need to peel the ginger and turmeric, just wash and chop. However, you can peel them for an even more potent tea.

Fresh chopped ginger and turmeric root on a chopping board.

Step 2: Simmer the tea.

After you’ve chopped the turmeric and ginger, add them to a small sauce pan with the lemon and black pepper and bring to a very light simmer. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or longer.

How long should I simmer the tea?

The tea will be ready to drink in about 10 minutes but sometimes I let it sit over very low heat for up to 30. The longer it sits, the stronger and more flavourful it will be. I often don’t even bring it to a simmer, I just sit it on the stove over very low heat for 30-40 minutes then strain and enjoy.

Why use black pepper?

Black pepper is said to improve the absorption of the curcumin, the active compound found in turmeric. The recipe calls for just 1/4 tsp pepper in 3 cups of water, so you can’t actually taste it.

Lemon slices and fresh chopped ginger and turmeric root in a small saucepan.

Simple ginger turmeric tea in a small sauce pan with lemon slices.

Step 3: Strain into mugs and enjoy.

The final step is to strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer into 1 large or 2 regular-sized mugs.

How can I sweeten the tea?

Sweetener is optional but sometimes adds a nice tough. I like adding maple syrup but agave and raw honey also work well. You can also use stevia for sugar-free tea. Sweeten to taste after straining the tea.

A grey mug of ginger turmeric tea and a small white dish with a container of maple syrup and fresh ginger and turmeric root sitting on it.

Ginger Turmeric Tea Recipe

This recipe is made stovetop in about 15 minutes. Allowing the tea to lightly simmer for 10 minutes then sit for 5, infuses the water with all the healing properties of turmeric and ginger root.

Recipe Notes

Here are some notes and ways to adjust this tea to your preference:

The lemon adds a lot of zing to the recipe to feel free to reduce it to 1 slice or omit it entirely. You can also add a squeeze of lemon juice after it simmers if you prefer. Love lemon? Add more!
The sweetener is optional. I usually don’t sweeten it. I like the tangy, zippy flavour but sometimes a little dash of maple syrup is nice too. Honey and agave also work.
Omit the turmeric and use 2 tbsp ginger for simple ginger tea, and vice versa for turmeric tea.
If the tea is too strong, dilute it with a little additional water after straining.
For more heat and spice, add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.

For a turmeric tea latte, check out my post on how to make golden milk. You may also want to try my vegan bulletproof coffee or iced matcha.