Most of us just toss out orange peels instead of repurposing them into something enjoyable. But you can change that! Next time you find yourself with some orange peels, turn them into a nice citrusy drink.
Keen on knowing how? Stay with us for the details – our orange peel tea recipe will guide you to make a healthy and tasty drink in the comfort of your home.
Our recipe is so easy that anyone can learn how to make orange tea effortlessly. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make this tea and feel good about reducing waste. No waste, just great taste!
What Is Orange Tea?
Orange peel tea gives an essence of oranges in every sip! The refreshing drink is made by boiling fresh or dried orange peels (or orange-flavoured tea bags) in hot water. It may also include other ingredients, like spices and various teas, to improve its flavour and to create a healthier option.
Speaking of a healthy option – you’d be surprised by the fact that orange peels offer more flavours and potential health benefits than one might expect. While the idea of sipping on boiled orange peels may not sound too appealing, turning them into hot orange peel tea or iced tea results in an enjoyable drink.
How To Make Orange Tea?
Let's talk about learning how to make orange tea – a blend that's refreshing as well as eco-friendly. What makes it truly fascinating is the explosion of flavours that this often-discarded gem creates.
Wondering how it tastes? Orange peel tea has a nice citrusy taste with a unique balance. It's not as sweet as biting into an orange nor as bitter as the peel on its own. The flavour profile of this tea varies depending on whether you use fresh or dried peels. Fresh peels contribute a more vibrant and lively taste, whereas dried orange peels yield a milder flavour.
Making orange peel tea is flexible – chuck in just the peels or mix them up with tasty ingredients like cinnamon, cardamom, saffron or honey. You can also mix it with green, black or herbal tea. It’s a customisable experience – perfect for busy days!
Reasons to say yes to this recipe!
- Effortless and easy: Whip up this tea effortlessly in a few minutes – it's quick, easy and fits into your fast-paced lifestyle.
- Eco-chic: Get on board with sustainability by turning those orange peels into something awesome. And once your drink is done, give those peels another life as compost.
- Sensory experience: As you steep this tea, it fills up the space with an incredible aroma – giving you a sensory experience!
- Health kick: This tea isn't just about taste – it also has potential health benefits.
Let’s explore the details of our recipe and learn how to make orange tea effortlessly.
Total Servings:-
4
Preparation Time:-
5 Minutes
Cooking Times:-
10 minutes
Nutritional Value:-
12 calories, 0g fat, 3g carbs, 0g protein
Recipe Category:-
drink
Cuisine:-
international
equipment:
- saucepan or pot
- strainer
- cups
ingredients
- 4 cups of water
- 2 oranges’ peel
- Honey to taste
- 2 cardamom pods (optional)
- ½ inch stick Cinnamon (optional)
- A pinch of saffron (optional)
notes on main ingredients:
Orange peel: Use the peel of vibrant and organic oranges for brewing your tea. Organic ones are better as they’re usually free from pesticides. Either way, it’s important to wash them thoroughly.
Spices: The spices are added for a sweet and warm flavour in the tea. We usually add a combination of cardamom and cinnamon. But there's no limit! Feel free to toss in cloves, ginger or other spices for a twist. Enjoy fun facts? Here’s an interesting one about cinnamon – it was such a hot commodity during the Middle Ages that they used it as currency.
Instructions
- Prepare orange peels: Choose high-quality oranges for their peels and remove any spots. Wash them with hot water – fresh peels may have pesticide residues. Cut the orange peels into small pieces or thin slices as they enhance flavour extraction. For dried peels, use your kitchen scissors.
- Boil water: Pour water into a pot and set it on the stove to boil. Add the orange peels to the pot, stir and let them simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Meanwhile, you can add other ingredients like cinnamon and cardamom if you want to enhance the flavour.
- Remove from heat: After 10 minutes, take the pot off the stove, cover it and let the peels steep for a few minutes.
- Strain the liquid: Filter out the orange peels, cinnamon sticks and cardamom shell using a fine mesh strainer and pour the drink into cups.
- Sweeten: Sweeten it up to your taste with honey, giving it a good mix. Serve and enjoy.
Tips And Tricks to Make Refreshing Orange Tea
Wondering how to make orange tea that’s perfectly refreshing? Well…just follow these tips and tricks to get the result you want:
- Choose quality ingredients: Start with good-quality oranges or orange peels. Go for organic options to avoid pesticides and ensure a natural flavour. To get rid of any dirt, ensure a thorough wash of the oranges before peeling. Then dry them with a clean towel.
- Balance the flavours: While the orange tea recipe gives you a good starting point, playing around with the balance of orange peels and other spices such as cardamom, cinnamon or cloves ensures a truly customised drink.
- Experiment with tea types: Consider incorporating different tea types like black, green or herbal teas to customise the taste.
- Larger batch: Expecting guests? Just scale up the quantities of each ingredient to prepare a bigger batch.
Ways To Store Your Leftover Orange Tea
If you’re wondering how to make orange tea leftovers last longer, don’t worry. There’re a few ways you can keep it fresh and tasty for later.
One way is to simply refrigerate the tea in an airtight container. This will help keep it from spoiling and maintain its flavour for up to 24 hours.
If you want to store the tea for longer, you can freeze it in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. These tea cubes are perfect for adding a burst of flavour to your water or other beverages.
With these tips, you can enjoy your orange peel tea for longer.
Different Variations of Orange Tea
So, you've seen how to make orange tea effortlessly, just as we promised. Now, let's continue the fun and explore some variations of the basic orange tea recipe.
- Orange-flavoured spiced tea: Toss in your favourite spices, like ginger or cloves, into the mix for a cosy and comforting taste.
- Orange-flavoured black tea: Boost the flavour of your tea by adding teapigs black tea bags. Here’s how – when you remove the pot from heat, just throw in those tea bags and let them steep for a few minutes. That’s it! Your bold and citrusy drink is good to go.
- Orange-flavoured green tea: Steep teapigs green tea bags with orange peels to create a healthier variation.
- Orange chamomile tea: Make a soothing tea by steeping chamomile tea bags with orange peels.
- Orange mint tea: Feel free to enhance your tea’s flavour by placing a handful of fresh mint leaves into your tea.
Conclusion
We're glad you stayed with us to explore more about our orange tea recipe and discover interesting facts. As you've seen, this citrusy and refreshing drink is both easy and effortless to make.
It's simple yet versatile – you can make it using orange peels or get creative with combinations like adding black tea for a bold flavour or spices for a warm twist.
Plus, it’s environmentally friendly! So, when you enjoy this tea, you're also helping the environment a bit. Now, go ahead and turn those orange peels into something refreshing!
FAQs On Orange Tea
Q. How long should you boil orange peels?
A. Boil fresh orange peels in water for about 5-10 minutes for nice citrusy flavoured tea. This releases their vibrant flavours without turning them bitter. But you can adjust the time slightly to balance the flavours.
Q. How can I enhance the flavour of orange tea?
A. You can enhance the flavour of orange tea by experimenting with additional ingredients like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger or various teas. These ingredients add several layers of complexity to the citrusy notes and create the flavours you like.
Q. How is orange tea different from regular tea?
A. Unlike regular tea, orange tea is made from an ingredient that’s usually discarded – the orange peels. The infusion of these overlooked peels creates a citrusy flavour, that can be customised to different tastes. This versatile beverage pairs very well with various ingredients like spices, black tea, green tea and herbal options.
Q. can you put milk in orange tea?
A. Orange tea is usually made without milk, using orange peel and other ingredients. It's not recommended to add dairy or non-dairy milk because the acidity in this tea might curdle it. While coconut milk (a non-dairy alternative) is occasionally paired with citrus ingredients in cooking, it may not be suitable for this tea.
