Lemon sage tea is an easy and simple homemade herbal tea. This sage herbal tea is made with dried sage leaves and lemon zest. You can choose to add some lemon juice, or honey for sweetness. Enjoy it hot or cold, for a healthy drink option.
A sage leaf infusion with lemon is a great homemade remedy to ease a sore throat. Add some honey and it becomes a lovely hot drink. Growing up, I used to drink lemon sage tea with my dad whenever we were feeling a bit under the weather. I think what helped the throat the most was the honey, anyway. A good herbal tea is a great way to hydrate your body during the colder season. Furthermore, sage herbal tea with lemon is excellent to enjoy after a big dinner.
Sage has plenty of health properties. Traditionally, it has been employed to alleviate various gut issues such as diarrhoea and gas, but it’s been recommended also to reduce sweating. I don’t consider myself an expert, so if you want to learn more here’s a link about the health benefits of sage.
Sage tea recipe
To make 2 servings of lemon sage herbal tea you need a half liter of water to which you will be adding:
- 5-6 dried sage leaves
- the zest from 1 small lemon
Whether you will be using 5 or 6 sage leaves depends on their size. The same applies to the lemon. If you have large lemons, the zest of half a large lemon will do. However, my lemons are usually quite small, so I always end up using a whole lemon.
- Add the water, together with the sage leaves and lemon zest, to a small pot and set on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- When the water boils, lower to medium heat and let simmer 3-4 minutes. Transfer the homemade herbal tea to a serving jug. Serve hot.
Pour the sage tea through a fine sieve mesh to retain leaves and zest. While they make a nice decoration, leaves and zest might be slightly annoying to have in your mug. Moreover, they will continue to flavour the tea water as they steep.
Unlike fresh sage leaves, dried leaves need to rehydrate. This is why we are adding them to the water from the start, and simmering them rather than just adding them to boiling water to steep.
Both the sage and lemon zest have a bitter tone that may intensify as they sit in the infusion. Remove the leaves and zest before pouring the tea to the serving jug if you prefer a milder taste.
Serving tips
This herbal tea tastes great both hot and cold. To my taste, when served warm the bitter tones come more forward. To balance this out, a great addition is a teaspoon of honey.
Since we’re only adding lemon zest to get the flavour from the lemon oil, a nice flavour variation is by adding lemon juice. Do not simmer the lemon juice: add it only once you take the pot away from the heat.
Alternatively you can add a lemon slice to each mug. It will lend some lemony flavour without being too overpowering. Please be aware that adding lemon (juiced, or a slice) the sage tea will react to its acidity and change colour.
In my infusion I use dried sage as sage tea leaves. Unlike other fresh herbs, sage is not very easy to find year round where I live. Growing your own is an option, but I have no problem using dried sage. I usually get it from Italy when my parents come visit. They carry it fresh, wrapped in paper towels. Then we hang it to dry upside down in the kitchen, and store it in a glass jar in my pantry.
Crushed dry sage is a nice flavour addition to many dishes, especially meat or fish. When I have some fresh sage at hand I love making chicken involtini with prosciutto and sage. How much do you use sage in your cooking? Is it a common herb or a more exclusive one? Let me know in the comments!
Lemon sage herbal tea
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Spoon
- Fine mesh sieve
Instructions
- Add the water, together with the sage leaves and lemon zest, to a small pot and set on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- When the water boils, lower to medium heat and let simmer 3-4 minutes. Transfer the homemade herbal tea to a serving jug. Serve hot.
- Pour the sage tea through a fine sieve mesh to retain leaves and zest. They may continue to flavour the tea water as they steep if you keep them.
Notes
This Lemon sage tea looks tasty and healthy! My wife will surely love this herbal tea.
I really hope she enjoyed it!
This looks really good and healthy drink for my body. I am going to try this at home, thank you!
Thank you Amy, it is a pleasant way to hydrate your body!
OMG this is my favorite tea! We make sage tea in Greece often, it is so soothing and comforting and delicious. I was so homesick when I saw your post! In a good way. Thanks so much, you made my day!
Hi Jenny! How wonderful! I know the feeling, I love finding recipes that bring me back in time and space.
My tea loving husband loved this! I loved how easy it is. So simple but delicious, thank you!
Thank you Tracy! Happy to hear he loved it!
I love this tea especially with honey. I get my dried sage from Jordan. Grow my own fresh. I use tons of sage in all types of cooking and baking. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Kathy! Awesome to hear you liked it!
I love trying new tea flavors and never tried the one with sage. It sounds so good, I need to make it! Wait, I think I have some extra sage left from another recipe, so will try your tea today!
Hi Veronika! That’s grate, I also mostly keep sage for savoury recipes, but it works great as tea!
I was looking for some tea but I ran out of tea bags. So I tried this tea and it was awesome. So easy!
Great to hear, Sam! Thank you!
So glad you posted this! I’ve been searching for different teas to try and this smelled and tasted really good. Super comforting.
Hi Cindy! I’m happy you find this useful!
This tea is so refreshing and delicious! Perfect for a chilly day!
Thank you Addison! And I couldn’t agree more, it’s-11C here at the moment and a hot tea is all I crave.
I have sage in my garden but have never used it to make herbal tea! I’m going to cut some leaves and let them dry. Then give this a try! Such a great idea!
Hope you enjoy it. I’m happy I gave you one more way to use that wonderful herb.
In times gone by Sage was much revered for its health & vitality promoting properties. It was eaten on bread & butter, or taken as a drink. Used as a tonic for the whole body as spring began each year.
I am writing an article on asage for a holistic doctor . I hope you don’t mind if I use one or two of your recipes?
Im sure it was the sage that healed your throat..not the honey. Sage is mouth & throat specific :
Cant wait to try it with the lemon. I found a ‘sage syrup’ which sounds delicious to add to spring & summer drinks also
Happy days
Asa O