How to Make Nettle Tea: The Method, the Savory Flavor, and No Sting

By Suhail Rivera, founder of Alkaline Herb Shop

To make nettle tea, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried nettle leaf to 8 ounces of boiling water, cover, and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain. Nettle is a leaf, but a sturdy, mineral rich one, so it wants the longer steep to give up its flavour. And do not worry about the famous sting: drying removes it completely, so dried nettle is perfectly safe to handle and brew. The rest of this guide covers the taste, the sting question, and how to serve it.

How to make nettle tea, step by step

1. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of cut and sifted nettle leaf to an 8 ounce cup.
2. Pour boiling water over it.
3. Cover and steep 10 to 15 minutes. Nettle is a leaf that rewards a long steep.
4. Strain and drink, hot or iced.

Does dried nettle still sting?

No. Fresh nettle has tiny hairs that sting when you brush against the living plant, which is where stinging nettle gets its name. Drying breaks those hairs down completely, so dried nettle leaf is entirely safe to handle, measure and brew. The sting belongs to the fresh plant only, and it is long gone by the time the leaf reaches your cup.

What does nettle tea taste like?

Savoury and green, closer to spinach or a light vegetable broth than to a floral tea. It has a rich, almost brothy character rather than a sweet or fruity one, which surprises people expecting a delicate cup. If green and savoury is not your usual thing, a slice of lemon brightens it.

Does nettle tea have caffeine?

No. Nettle is naturally caffeine free, so it suits any time of day.

Iced nettle tea, and nettle in the kitchen

Nettle tea is good iced: brew it a little stronger, strain, cool it and pour over ice with a squeeze of lemon. Because the flavour is savoury, cut and sifted nettle also earns a place in the kitchen. A spoonful goes into soups and stocks the way you would use any dried green, adding a deep green, mineral note.

What is nettle, or ortiga?

Nettle is Urtica dioica, one of the most recognised plants in the world, known in Spanish as ortiga. It has been dried and brewed as a tea across Europe and the Americas for generations. Ours is organic or wildcrafted nettle leaf from Ukraine, cut and sifted, just the leaf with nothing added. We make no health claims for it. Drink it because you like a savoury, caffeine free, green cup.

Who should not drink nettle tea

• If you are pregnant or nursing, speak to your doctor before drinking it regularly.
• It is not recommended for anyone under 18.
• If you have a medical condition or take prescription medicine, speak to your doctor first.

How to store dried nettle leaf

Keep it tightly closed in a dry place at room temperature, 59 to 86°F. Kept dry and sealed, cut nettle stays good for a couple of years.

Suhail Rivera is the founder of Alkaline Herb Shop, which sources and sells the dried nettle leaf described in this article.