Dandelion Root Tea

Tanya Eisenwasser

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A low histamine dandelion root tea with roasted dandelion root, water, coconut milk, and maple syrup.

Prep 2 min

Cook 16 min

Serves 1

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegan

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons loose roasted dandelion root, coarsely cut (or 1 plain dandelion root tea bag with no other ingredients)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons full-fat coconut milk (optional)
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

Simmer the Root

1. Put the loose roasted dandelion root and the water into a small pot.
2. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down to a low simmer.
3. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Simmering pulls more out of coarsely cut root than an ordinary steep does.
4. The liquid should go from pale tan to a deep reddish brown. If it still looks like weak tea at 12 minutes, give it 3 more.

Finish the Cup

1. Pour the tea through a fine mesh sieve into a mug.
2. If using the maple syrup, stir it in while the tea is hot.
3. If using the coconut milk, warm it in the empty pot over low heat for about a minute, whisking, then pour it into the mug for a latte version. It will lighten the color and take the bitter edge off.
4. Drink hot.

Tips & Substitutions

• Read the label and look for one ingredient. Most bagged dandelion products are blends, and the usual companions are chicory, cinnamon, licorice root, or an unnamed natural flavor. Any of those can be a problem for some people. Buy roasted dandelion root and nothing else, loose or bagged.
• A bag steeps, loose root simmers. If you are using a plain single-ingredient bag, pour boiling water over it and steep 10 minutes covered, which is enough because the root inside is already ground fine. Loose cut root needs the full simmer.
• Roast level changes the whole cup. A light roast tastes green and grassy. A dark roast tastes closest to coffee, with the same bitterness and a similar body. If your first bag disappointed you, buy a darker roast before giving up on it.
• It tastes like coffee but does nothing like coffee. There is no caffeine in dandelion root, so it will not give you the lift. What it gives you is the ritual: something dark and bitter in a mug in the morning. People who have given up coffee tend to find that matters more than they expected.
• Start with half the root. The bitterness catches people off guard. Brew it at half strength for the first week and work up, or round it out with the coconut milk and maple from the start.
• Make it a latte. Coconut milk and maple syrup turn this into something close to a golden turmeric latte in body, and coconut is a common stand-in for dairy milk here.

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Why This Works

Roasted dandelion root. Generally considered low histamine and a regular entry on low histamine tea lists. Roasting is what gives it the dark color and the bitter, coffee-like flavor. Tolerance varies, and dandelion is in the same plant family as ragweed, so people with that allergy usually skip it.

Coconut milk. Commonly tolerated as a dairy-free way to soften a bitter drink. Check the can for guar gum and carrageenan if additives bother you. Coconut and water as the only ingredients is ideal.

Maple syrup. Generally well tolerated and a straightforward sweetener against a bitter base. Tolerance to sweeteners varies, so a single teaspoon is a good place to start.

Caffeine-free. Plain roasted dandelion root has no caffeine in it, which is the point for people who left coffee behind. Many people drink it in the afternoon.

Storage

Best fresh, and it takes about 15 minutes, so there is little reason to brew ahead. Make what you will drink now. If a pot is left, cover it, refrigerate it, and finish it within the day, rewarmed gently or poured over ice, whisking the coconut milk back together as it warms. Loose roasted root keeps about a year in a sealed jar in a cool, dark cupboard.