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Here’s how to make sage tea, a soothing herbal infusion made with just boiling water and fresh sage leaves! It’s incredibly easy to prepare with a beautiful pine-forward flavor that’s perfect for cozy sipping.
When I first started growing herbs, I mostly focused on using them for cooking. But with an abundance of sage taking over my herb garden, I found a new way to use it—herbal tea! What I love most about this sage tea recipe is its simplicity.
Store-bought herbal teas often contain additives or flavorings, but this homemade version lets the pure fresh sage shine through. It tastes cozy and pine-forward, with a gentle earthiness that’s incredibly soothing. I make this tea often (so does Alex)—it’s great if you’re feeling under the weather or simply to make your daily water intake more interesting!
Health Benefits of Sage Tea
While I primarily make sage tea because I enjoy the flavor, many people drink it for its potential health benefits. I’m not a medical professional, so I can’t make health claims about sage tea. But I can say from personal experience that a warm cup feels incredibly restorative! According to the professionals, fresh sage may have these health benefits:
- Anti-inflammatory properties: Herbalists have used sage for centuries to reduce inflammation
- Soothing for sore throats: The natural compounds may help ease throat pain
- Memory and brain health: Some studies suggest sage may support cognitive function
- Skin health: Sage contains antioxidants that may benefit your skin
- Digestive support: Some people find sage tea soothing for the digestive system
How to Make Sage Tea—Step by Step
Making sage tea couldn’t be simpler, but a few techniques will ensure you get the best flavor every time:
1. Start with quality water
Fill a kettle with filtered water and bring it to a full boil. I use an electric kettle that we also use for our morning pour over coffee, but any method works fine.
Pro tip: Water quality matters more than you might think! Chlorinated tap water can interfere with the delicate flavor of herbal teas.
2. Prepare your fresh sage
While the water heats, wash your sage leaves thoroughly to remove any sand or soil under cool running water.
My technique: I leave the leaves attached to the stem rather than chopping them. This makes them much easier to remove after steeping.
3. Steep properly
Place the sage (about 6 leaves) in a mug and pour over the boiling water. Allow the herbs to steep for 5 minutes—no longer, or the tea may develop bitter notes.
Alternative method: If you prefer, you can also chop the sage leaves and place them in a tea strainer before steeping.
Growing Your Own Sage for Tea
If you’re not growing sage yet, I highly recommend starting! It’s one of the easiest herbs to grow at home. Sage is a perennial in many growing zones, meaning it comes back year after year with minimal effort. In our garden, the sage plant has become quite robust, providing leaves for both cooking and tea-making nearly year-round. Here are my tips for growing sage:
- Location: Choose a spot with full sun (at least 6 hours daily)—you can grow it in a pot or garden bed
- Soil: Well-draining soil is essential—sage doesn’t like wet feet
- Water: Once established, sage is drought-tolerant and needs minimal watering
- Harvesting: Cut stems rather than picking individual leaves, and never harvest more than ⅓ of the plant at once
- Winter care: In colder zones, mulch around the base before winter to protect the roots
Uses Beyond Tea
Once you start growing sage, you might find yourself with an abundance of this wonderful herb. Here are some of my favorite ways to use sage in recipes beyond tea:
- Brown Butter Sage Sauce: The perfect easy sauce for gnocchi and ravioli
- Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage: A hearty and delicious fall main dish
- Tomato Sage Parmesan Cornbread: Sage makes a beautiful garnish on this stunning bread
- Tomato Sage Chickpea Soup: Add an herby punch to soups and stews
Easy Sage Tea
Here’s how to make sage tea, a restorative herbal tea made with just boiling water and fresh sage! It’s easy to make with a beautiful flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Tea
- Cuisine: Herbal
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 6 fresh sage leaves, left on stem
- Boiling water
- Honey (or agave syrup for vegan)
- 1 lemon wedge
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Wash the sage thoroughly.
- Place the sage in a mug, and pour over the boiling water. Allow the herbs to steep for 5 minutes. (Alternate method: If you prefer, you can also chop the sage leaves and place them in a tea strainer before steeping.)
- Remove the sage. Stir in a drizzle of honey and a squeeze of lemon (required for the best flavor).
Other herbal tea recipes I love
You can make tea with all sorts of herbs! Here are a few more of the herbal tea recipes we’ve made, each with their own distinct flavor:
Finger so amazing. Thanks hope to start drinking sage herb tea
Just wanted to thank you for sharing your knowledge. I compare what I know and do with what you know and do to come up with delightful and healthy spots in our day. I learn from you. I usually do less or no salt – just herbs & spices or herbs & citrus combos to make up for salt. I usually do less or no sugar, no honey, no balsamic because I love tart foods. I do definitely use sugar in desserts, reducing it when it won’t affect the moisture level. Thanks again for helping us cook nice recipes (so far I don’t know if you have baking recipes because I only discovered you recently).
You’re welcome!
In the recipe you tell us how many leaves, but how much water should be used. Is it 8oz of water to 6 leaves?
8 ounces
I left out the lemon since I was trying sage tea for canker sores. I also added honey & was pleased with the taste & soothed the pain. It worked as well or even better than the prescription mouthwash I’ve been using.