The first time I had ginger tea was when we went to Dominica back in 2013. Until then, I only used ginger in my cooking, mostly in curry dishes. However, on that small island nation, being one of the most popular plants grown on the island, ginger tea was a way of life. Islanders would start their days with a hot cup of ginger tea and then continue with ginger ice tea or ginger lemonade throughout the day.

Since then, throughout the years, my husband and I enjoyed a cup of ginger tea here and there. However lately, with Vermont winter being a full force, this year we have been making some almost every day.
For the last few months, I have also been adding some turmeric into it as, similar to ginger, turmeric has a ton of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. They say it helps cleanse the liver, boost immunity, and help with digestion. With almost everyone around us being sick, a cup of this Turmeric Ginger Tea has been our natural medicine.
Ingredients:
The ingredient list for this ginger and turmeric tea is pretty short. All you need is fresh turmeric, fresh ginger, fresh lemon slices, honey (optional), and water.

Substitutions & Additions:
- Black pepper & oil: As I mentioned in my Golden Milk recipe in detail, one of the good-for- you components of turmeric is called curcumin. Sadly for us, our bodies cannot absorb it when we consume it by itself. This is where black pepper comes to our help. One of the active components in black pepper, piperine, is known to help us absorb the curcumin when they interact with each other. Additionally, curcumin is oil soluable meaning that it needs to interact with oil for us to benefit from its full potential.
In short, while they are optional additions, a pinch of black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of oil (any oil – coconut, avocado, grapeseed, EVOO, etc.) helps you take full advantage of turmeric’s benefits. - Ground Turmeric & Ground Ginger: If you can’t get your hands on fresh turmeric, you can use dried turmeric powder. For 1-inch of turmeric root, I usually use ½ teaspoon of its dried version. The same amount works for ground ginger as well.
However, please be aware that this recipe works best with fresh ginger and fresh turmeric.

About This Turmeric Ginger Tea Recipe:
There is hardly a recipe here. All you have to do is to place the chopped ginger and turmeric into a small saucepan, add in a few slices of lemon, cover it with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, strain through a strainer and serve with a slice of lemon.
The amount of ginger and turmeric you use totally depends on your preference. If you like it strong, use more and vice versa. I only used a few slices of lemon, but you can add in more if you prefer.
I like my Turmeric Ginger Tea just by itself, but my husband prefers it with some honey. If we have leftovers, I placed it in a jar, keep it in the fridge to enjoy the next day as a cold beverage.

A Few Notes For The Best Turmeric and Ginger Tea Recipe:
- Keep in mind that turmeric root stains pretty badly so while you are prepping your ingredients, be sure to wear an apron to protect your clothes and gloves for your hands.
- Even though I peeled my ginger and turmeric (mostly for the photos to look pretty), I rarely peel them. Instead, I wash them well and chop them up to small pieces. If you want you can also grate them, but if you do so, be aware that your tea will be stronger in flavor and darker in color.
If you liked this Ginger Turmeric Tea, you might also like:
Turmeric Ginger Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ inch turmeric root cut into small pieces
- 1 ½ inch ginger root cut into small pieces
- 3-4 slices of lemon plus more for serving
- Pinch of black pepper*
- Honey optional
- 1/8 tsp coconut oil* or ghee
- 4 cups of filtered water
Instructions
- Place turmeric, ginger, lemon slices, black pepper, honey, and coconut oil in a small saucepan. Pour in the water.
- Bring it to a boil. Strain. Serve immediately with a lemon slice and honey, if desired.
Video

Notes
- If you can’t get your hands on fresh turmeric, you can use dried turmeric powder. For 1-inch of turmeric root, I usually use ½ teaspoon of its dried version.
- If you have any leftovers, feel free to place into a jar, cover it tightly with a lid, and keep in the fridge up to a week.
- You can serve this drink cold, but it is best to add the honey while it is still hot so that it will be easier for it to dissolve.
- Black pepper & oil: As I mentioned in my Golden Milk recipe in detail, one of the good-for- you components of turmeric is called curcumin. Sadly for us, our bodies cannot absorb it when we consume it by itself. This is where black pepper comes to our help. One of the active components in black pepper, piperine, is known to help us absorb the curcumin when they interact with each other. Additionally, curcumin is oil soluable meaning that it needs to interact with oil for us to benefit from its full potential.
In short, while they are optional additions, a pinch of black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of oil (any oil – coconut, avocado, grapeseed, EVOO, etc.) helps you take full advantage of turmeric’s benefits.
Leanna
This is absolutely one of the best teas I’ve ever made. I will be making this regularly. Thank you!
Aysegul Sanford
This is music to my ears Leanna. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Denise Simmerman
I have been using your recipe for the turmeric & ginger tea and my question is: Can I reuse the same fresh turmeric & ginger more than one time in fresh water? I would guess that the healthy ingredients would still be there, but I’m not sure. Are you able to help me with this question?
Aysegul Sanford
Hello Denise,
I am happy to hear that you liked this recipe.
To answer your question: I think you can “technically” use them, but I am not sure if you will get the same health benefits. I usually make a batch and add the leftovers to my compost pile.
Hope this helps.
Lisa
So good!
I didn’t have any lemons so I made it with orange slices and it turned out great. Thank you for this recipe.
Aysegul Sanford
I love the addition of oranges. Such a great idea! Thanks for coming by Lisa.
Ponnu
Just harvested my turmeric. Looking forward to making the ginger turmeric tea. Thanks for the recipe.
Aysegul Sanford
Happy to hear that Ponnu. Hope you like it as much as we do.
Deirdre Spann
Thank you for your excellent comments, instructions and recipe. I added a cinnamon stick and a few peppercorns to mine when I boiled the whole ginger and tumeric roots. I have made a similar recipe with cardamon.
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Deirdre,
I am thrilled to hear that you liked it. Cheers!
Ellen
Love your site and presentation of turmeric tea recipes! Thank you.
Aysegul Sanford
Thank you Ellen!
Kim
When I made mine, it came out very spicy. I thought it was the pepper but seems to be the ginger. I used about an inch of fresh for both roots.
Aysegul Sanford
Thanks for your feedback Kim. Perhaps next time you can use less ginger?
Silvia Dunnirvine
This turmeric tea is so warming and healing, perfect for this time of year!
Aysegul Sanford
Thanks Silvia. So happy to hear that you like it.
Cheers!
Connie
Loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing. Can’t wait to try more.
Aysegul Sanford
Happy to hear that Connie. Thank you!
Christopher Kepple
Hi Aysegul….thank you for the recipe for ginger and turmeric tea. All very good except one thing I need to mention. Honey should not be heated above 40 degs C as it will start to lose its beneficial qualities. In saying this it should never be boiled as it will become toxic and all the benefits of the tea will be lost.
Have a good day….Chris in Naples 🙂
Aysegul Sanford
HI Chris,
Noted on the honey.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Brenda
Tasty but what to do with the turmeric stained tongue!?
Bethany
Can I use whole black peppercorn instead of ground pepper?
Aysegul Sanford
Yes, you can but be sure to strain it before serving.
Kristine
I am wondering if I can use MCT oil instead of coconut oil. do you think it would still help with bringing out the curcumin properties like the coconut oil does? I was just looking for a way to use up my mct oil actually. 🙂 THank you
Aysegul Sanford
Himmmm good question. I am no pro at using MCT oil but I am assuming that oil is oil. The good thing is that you use a very small amount so I would assume that it would work.
I have a friend who might know more about MCT oils, I will ask him and see if I can get more information. If I do, I will share it with you.
Cheers,
Aysegul
Phil
Thanks for the info, if you ever try making a chai tea style with turmeric and ginger that would be great.
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
Thank you for sharing all your tips, expertise and advice about making this warming and flavorful tea. A perfect blend of health and comfort! I can’t wait to make this. Your video is absolutely stunning!!
Dwight Sanford
Just watching the video and I feel better and healthier already!!!
Aysegul Sanford
Awww thanks sugar.
Kathleen Ashbrook
I ground up a bunch of ginger root and turmeric root all at once (separately, of course) so I would like to know how much in teaspoons is 1 1/2 inch of each?
Aysegul Sanford
Hi Kathleen,
I would say if you are making it for 2 people, I would do 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger and grated turmeric.
The amount doesn’t have to be exact. You can adjust it based on your taste buds. During the wintertime, if I am feeling under the weather, I usually do 2 teaspoons of each root. If you think it is too much you can add in a bit of hot water and make it lighter.
Does this answer your question? If not, I am here to help.
Peter F Preciado
Delish! I make mine with cinnamon and no lemon, at the moment. It has natural sweetness and is a killer anti sickness powerhouse! And often do ginger, honey and lemon, too with a pinch of cayenne. All are great variations! Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try chilled, lemonade style.
Aysegul Sanford
I am thrilled to hear that you liked this turmeric and ginger tea recipe Peter.
I love the addition of a pinch of cayenne for some additional heat.
Thanks for coming by. Cheers!