Garlic Ginger and Lemon Broth or Tea

A savory broth made from garlic, ginger and lemon. Immunity boosting and flavorful! You can sip this broth from a mug (like tea) or turn it into a comforting bowl of soup.

this recipe

Garlic, ginger and lemon are a magical trio. It's a tasty combination of ingredients that are both soothing and invigorating. When you're feeling run down or crave warmth on a chilly day, this simple broth is what you need.

Drinking lemon, ginger and garlic might have immunity boosting and additional health benefits. Just as importantly, this broth is delicious! You can sip it straight from a mug or easily turn the savory, spicy and lemony flavors into a bowl of soup.

This recipe for garlic, ginger and lemon is different than other recipes because it's savory, not sweet. If you're like me, you crave salt more than sugar. I prefer sipping warm broth over sweet tea.

However, if you're in the mood for tea, just leave out the salt and add a drizzle of honey. It's just as soothing and delicious.

For more nourishing beverages, try cinnamon tea or my winter elixir made from ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, honey & apple cider vinegar. You can also try cozy maple syrup coffee.

Ingredients

Additional ingredients for broth or tea

Honey (make a mug of tea)
Sweetening up the broth with honey turns it into ginger, lemon, garlic honey tea. You can leave out the salt or add just a pinch. Add honey at the very end, when the ginger and garlic are done steeping and the water is still hot.

Turmeric
You can add powdered turmeric or grate fresh turmeric root into the broth/tea. High heat can degrade the health benefits of curcumin, so add turmeric after the broth has simmered. Flavor-wise, a little bit goes a long way.

Cayenne pepper
If the spiciness of ginger isn't enough, then adding a pinch of cayenne after the broth has cooked will really clear your head! If you love spice, you can also add a dried chili pepper before simmering the water.

Apple Cider Vinegar
Raw apple cider vinegar is thought to be a healthful tonic. You can add it to this broth in addition to, or instead of, the lemon juice.

Cooking Instructions

Instant Pot: My favorite way to make this broth is in a pressure cooker. It's an easy, hands-off method and extracts the most flavor from the garlic and ginger. Just combine the water, ginger, garlic and salt in your Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, with a 20-minute natural release.

Stovetop: You can also simmer the garlic and ginger on the stovetop. Bring the water to a boil and add the garlic, ginger and salt. Simmer gently with a lid for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the garlic and ginger steep for about 30 minutes.

Before drinking, strain out the garlic and ginger. Add the fresh lemon juice.

Pro Tip: To extract the most flavor, smash the cloves of peeled garlic and slices of ginger with the heel of your hand or the flat side of a wide chef's knife.

Make a bowl of soup

If you want more than just a mug of tea or plain broth, you can easily make soup by adding just a few additional ingredients. For a full recipe, try Instant Pot Farro soup with Lemon-Ginger broth. Or, just add one or two of the ingredients below to the broth after the garlic and ginger have steeped.

Seaweed
Buy dried wakame seaweed and add it to the hot broth. In a few minutes the seaweed will soften and is ready to eat. Strands of wakame plump up a lot when rehydrated so don't add too much or you'll end up with a massive amount of seaweed in your soup! For one bowl of soup, a tablespoon or two of wakame is plenty.

Greens
Baby spinach, kale and other greens can be added fresh or frozen and will cook quickly in the hot broth.

Tofu
Cut tofu into small cubes and add it alone or with seaweed

Shredded, cooked chicken
For a heartier meal, add cooked chicken to the broth with noodles or beans

Beans
Canned, drained beans can add protein to the broth. Try chickpeas or white beans.

Noodles
Orzo and other small pasta shapes can be cooked separately then added to the broth. You could also add a package of dried Ramen noodles to the broth immediately after straining out the garlic and ginger. Or try my recipe for quick and easy Instant Pot Pho with Ramen noodles.

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