Name: Fresh Ginger Tea Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 inch fresh ginger; 12 ounces water; cinnamon stick; fresh lemon; honey

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.

Want to make homemade ginger tea? At first, I was intimidated by this idea, but it’s a whole lot easier than I expected. You won’t ever need to use store-bought tea bags for this again!

I’ve spent the past few weeks testing fresh ginger tea in various ways. How long you simmer the ginger is what determines the flavor, so that’s the biggest factor to consider. After 5 minutes, the ginger tea barely has a hint of ginger flavor. But if you let it simmer for 5 more minutes, the flavor is quite potent!

So, be patient, and don’t be afraid to check on this tea as you go. I usually use a spoon and taste it as I go, so the flavor is “just right” every time.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review

“So delicious! This is a great tea for cold/flu season but also just every day. My husband and I both love it. I love how you don’t have to peel the ginger and we added turmeric in there too. Definitely will be made a lot in our house.” – Jennifer

ginger tea in a glass mug with lemon squeezed into it.

Why You’ll Love this Ginger Tea Recipe

It may be anti-inflammatory. Fresh ginger contains an active compound called gingerol, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

It might help with nausea. This study suggests that ginger may be effective at reducing pregnancy-related nausea in the first trimester. Other ginger studies have looked at reducing surgery-induced and chemotherapy-induced nausea, too.

It may help with blood sugar. In a study of participants with Type 2 diabetes, ginger powder supplementation significantly lowered fasting blood sugar and improved their A1c levels by up to 10% over 12 weeks.

It might help with digestion. Ginger has been shown to speed up stomach emptying, which may, in turn, help reduce indigestion. In a study of healthy individuals, those who were given ginger before a meal emptied their stomachs almost twice as quickly as those given a placebo.

Fresh Ginger Tea Ingredients

Fresh Ginger. I use about 1 inch of ginger per cup of tea. But you can use more or less, depending on your preferred flavor.
Water. For an 8-ounce serving of tea, you may need to start with closer to 12 ounces of water. That’s because some of the water will evaporate as you simmer the ginger on the stovetop.

For serving, you may want to have fresh lemon or honey on hand. For more flavor, you can also add a cinnamon stick or some fresh turmeric slices.

ginger and water labeled on a white surface.

How to Make Ginger Tea

Step 1:

Slice the fresh ginger root into pieces no larger than 1/4-inch thick. There’s no need to peel it, since you’ll be straining out these large pieces later.

I usually brew two servings at a time (so I use 2 inches of ginger), because you can easily store the leftover tea in the fridge.

Place the ginger slices in a small saucepan, and add water. You’ll want to use 1 inch of ginger per 12 ounces of water, so make as much or as little tea as you want to.

Note: Some of the water will evaporate as you simmer, so I like to start with 12 ounces of water per inch of ginger to ensure at least 8 ounces remain per serving.

fresh ginger measured and sliced thinly, then added to a saucepan with water.

Step 2:

Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally, and let the ginger simmer in the water for 5 to 10 minutes. I don’t think the flavor is quite strong enough after 5 minutes, but it’s quite potent after 10 minutes, so you can also stop somewhere in the middle.

I like to use a spoon to carefully taste the tea (it’s hot!) so I can stop simmering when I’m happy with the flavor.

ginger tea after simmering and straining.

Step 3:

Pour the boiled ginger tea through a fine mesh strainer to catch the ginger pieces. The strained tea is ready to serve right away with any add-ins you love, like fresh lemon or honey.

If you have leftover tea, store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can enjoy it warm or chilled!

lemon slices in a glass mug of ginger tea.

Ginger Tea FLavor Variations

Try one of these optional ingredients for extra flavor.

Cinnamon. Add a cinnamon stick to the boiling water, and let it simmer alongside the fresh ginger slices. It will add extra spice, and may even help to fight bad breath.
Fresh turmeric. You can slice turmeric root just like the ginger root, and boil it together for extra anti-inflammatory properties. Add a pinch of black pepper, to help make the curcumin it contains more bio-available.
Orange slices. Did you know that orange peel contains more polyphenols than the actual fruit inside? Throw a few slices in (skin and all!) to boil with the ginger, for an extra boost of flavor and nutrients. Don’t add too many, though, or the orange peel can make the drink taste more bitter.
Fresh herbs. For a fresh flavor, add in fresh mint or rosemary, to pair with the ginger as it boils. They can be very potent, so start with just a small amount. (2-3 mint leaves or 1 sprig of rosemary, for example.)

Fresh Ginger Tea Recipe

5 from 13 votes

When you want a cozy, warm drink without caffeine, this ginger tea is the perfect option. All you need is fresh ginger and about 10 minutes to make it! Whether you need to soothe an upset stomach or simply love the slightly spicy kick, this recipe will walk you through the process step by step.

prep5 mins cook5 mins total10 mins

Servings:1

Print Save Rate

Ingredients

1 inch fresh ginger
12 ounces water

Optional Add-Ins

cinnamon stick
fresh lemon
honey

Instructions

Slice the ginger into thin pieces, no more than 1/4-inch thick. There's no need to peel it, but you should wash off any visible dirt from the skin.
Place the sliced ginger in a small saucepan, and cover with water. (Assume that some of the water will evaporate as you simmer the ginger, so if you want at least 8 ounces per serving, start with 12 ounces of water.) If you want to make more than one serving, you can double or triple this recipe, as needed. You can also add a cinnamon stick, if you'd like a cinnamon-ginger tea.
Bring the water to a vigorous boil, then lower it to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer for at least 5 to 10 minutes. I usually start carefully tasting the mixture (it's hot!) after the 5-minute mark to check on the ginger flavor. It's usually mild at 5 minutes, and very potent at 10 minutes, so feel free to stop somewhere in the middle. You can taste it as you go!
When the ginger is done simmering, pour the liquid through a fine mesh strainer to catch the large ginger pieces, then serve warm with a squeeze of fresh lemon and honey, to taste.
You can store extra ginger tea in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve it cold or reheated.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 serving of ginger tea, without the lemon or honey, since that is added to taste. This information is just an estimate, and not a guarantee.

Nutrition

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: gluten-free

Keyword: ginger tea

More Recipes to Try

If you try this ginger tea recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it!