The rooibos recipe
for your table
Rinse the mug with hot water and discard it. A preheated glass keeps the tea at the right temperature, and that matters with rooibos because it steeps longer than black tea.
Put the loose rooibos in the mug or place the tea bag inside. Loose rooibos is finely cut, so one teaspoon per cup is enough; two teaspoons make a strong cup.
Pour boiling water over it and let it steep for five to seven minutes. Rooibos contains little tannin, so leaving it longer makes it darker and fuller, but not bitter. If you forget it for ten minutes, there’s no problem.
Strain out the leaves or remove the tea bag and pour the tea into the mug. Stir in the milk if you want it smooth, or leave out the milk and add a slice of orange. Either works, but together they make the tea cloudy.
What did you think of this recipe?
One click on a star is enough. If you’d like to add something, we’ll read it first before it appears here.
Save this recipe
Send the rooibos recipe to your own email so you have it handy when you’re ready to make it. You’ll also receive a €5 discount code when you spend €50 or more, for the matching glasses.
The story
Rooibos grows in only one place in the world: the Cederberg, a mountain region in the Western Cape of South Africa. The shrub has fine, needle-like leaves that are green when they are cut. Only afterward do they ferment, and during that process they turn reddish brown; hence the name, which simply means red bush in Afrikaans. Because it is not a tea plant, rooibos naturally contains no caffeine, and because it contains little tannin, it does not become bitter either. In South Africa, it is often drunk with milk and sugar, as we know ordinary tea.
The right glass
Rooibos is most beautiful in a glass for its color, so choose something clear that you can see through. A mug of around 27 centiliters is the right size for a cup that will keep you going for a while, and a handle is convenient because the tea stays hot for a long time. If you would like a pot in which the leaves have plenty of room to infuse, take a look at the teapots.
La Rochère Abeille Tea Mug 27.5 cl (6 pieces)
Pasabahce Timeless Tea Glass 31 cl (2 pieces)
Both sets together € 54,90.
The right tools
For rooibos, besides the glass, use a fine strainer that keeps the leaves back when pouring, and a citrus juicer for the orange juice. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 62,85.
Which splash goes in rooibos?
Rooibos is sweet and nutty, so a splash goes in easily. In the glass, liqueur works best, with amaretto and Baileys being the most commonly used bottles. On each drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Green rooibos comes from the same shrub but is not fermented; it is lighter in color and more grassy in flavor, and requires a little less steeping time. Add a cinnamon stick and a few cloves for a wintery cup, or a spoonful of honey and a slice of orange for a sweet one. Let it cool and pour it over ice for iced tea without caffeine. A splash of amaretto pairs surprisingly well with rooibos's nutty flavor. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Servingtip
Serve rooibos in a clear glass or glass mug so its red color can shine through. Serve the milk separately instead of stirring it in, so everyone can choose for themselves. A slice of orange on the rim is enough garnish; fresh zest provides more aroma than juice.
Good to know
Rooibos is not true tea
True tea comes from Camellia sinensis, the tea plant. Rooibos comes from Aspalathus linearis, a completely different plant from the legume family. This difference immediately explains why it contains no caffeine and why rooibos does not become bitter: the substances responsible for that are found in tea leaves, not in rooibos.
Why rooibos steeping time is not so critical
With black tea, tannins are released after a few minutes, making the cup astringent. Rooibos contains far less of them, so a cup that has steeped for ten minutes mainly tastes darker and fuller. Five to seven minutes is a good standard, but you can easily leave the pot standing while you pour a second cup.
Red and green from the same shrub
The leaves are green after cutting. If they are moistened and left in a pile for a while, they turn reddish brown and develop the sweet, woody flavor most people know. If that step is skipped and they are dried immediately, you get green rooibos: lighter in color, fresher, and more grassy.
Milk or orange, not both
Rooibos is one of the few herbal infusions that pairs well with milk; in South Africa, that is the usual way to drink it. Citrus works too, but separately: the acidity in orange makes milk curdle, so choose which direction you want to take per cup.
How much rooibos per cup
Rooibos is cut finer than tea leaves, so one level teaspoon per 25-centiliter cup is enough. If you want it stronger, use two teaspoons instead of steeping it longer; with rooibos, that is the dial you turn.
Frequently asked questions
Does rooibos contain caffeine?
No. Rooibos comes from a South African shrub, not the tea plant, and naturally contains no caffeine. This applies to both regular red rooibos and the green, unfermented variety.
How long should rooibos steep?
Five to seven minutes with water at 100 degrees. Longer is fine too: rooibos contains little tannin, so it becomes darker and fuller but not bitter. That makes it much more forgiving than black tea.
Can you drink rooibos with milk?
Yes, and in South Africa that is very common. A splash of whole milk makes the cup softer and rounder. Do not combine milk with orange or lemon, because the acidity causes the milk to curdle.
What is the difference between rooibos and green rooibos?
The same plant, processed differently. Red rooibos is fermented, making it reddish brown, sweet, and woody. Green rooibos is dried immediately, stays lighter in color, and tastes fresher and more grassy. Green rooibos requires a slightly shorter steeping time.
Also delicious
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Glasses in catering quality, delivered per set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →