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South African

Rooibos tea

Vegetarian

Rooibostee

A naturally caffeine-free South African infusion with a sweet, woody, honey-like flavour, drunk plain or the South African way with milk and sugar or honey.

Rooibos tea is a South African hot drink, ready in about 9 minutes and made with rooibos. It serves 1 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
1 min
Cook
8 min
Total
9 min
Serves
1
Level
Beginner
Calories
0

Ingredients

1 mug

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Bring fresh water to a full boil (100 °C) — rooibos (opens in a new tab) is a herb, so it needs boiling water to extract fully.

  2. Step 2

    Pour it over the rooibos (opens in a new tab) in a pot or infuser and steep for 5–7 minutes. It does not turn bitter, so longer steeping just makes it fuller.

  3. Step 3

    Remove the leaves and add milk (opens in a new tab) and honey (opens in a new tab) if you like.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Cederberg, Western Cape, South Africa · Well documentedThe rooibos plant grows commercially only in this region of South Africa.Also popular in Namibia, Germany, NetherlandsMore food from South Africa
Dish
Breakfast · Snack · Dinner · Hot drinks
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
earthy, sweet, mild
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium
Without the optional extras: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Paleo-style, Dairy-free, No added sugarWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Child-friendly
Techniques
Boiling

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

0 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 250 g · recipe makes 1

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 0%
  • Carbohydrate 0%
  • Fat 0%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy0 kcal0 kcal
Protein0 g0 g
Carbohydrate0 g0 g
Net carbohydrate0 g0 g
Sugars0 g0 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0 g0 g
Fat0 g0 g
Saturated fat0 g0 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium5 mg2 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
0 mg
Calcium
25 mg
Iron
0 mg
Magnesium
5 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
0 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: milk, honey.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): rooibos.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Simmering rooibos on the stove for 10 minutes gives a very strong brew that is good chilled as iced tea.

Common mistakes

  • Using water below boiling as for green tea — rooibos then tastes thin and weak.

Storage

  • Brewed rooibos keeps 2–3 days in the fridge for iced tea.

Variations

  • Red cappuccino (South Africa): Very finely ground rooibos brewed in an espresso machine and topped with steamed milk.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Milk (optional)30 ml · 31 g
Used in step 3

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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