If you want to know how to make coriander tea, the short answer is this: lightly crush about 1 teaspoon of whole coriander seeds, pour water at around 95 C (200 F) over them, then cover and steep for 5 to 10 minutes before you strain. The result is a warm, caffeine-free infusion the color of pale gold, with a soft, sweet flavor that reads like orange peel, gentle spice and a faint whisper of sage. Sweeten lightly if you like, and drink it hot or poured over ice.
Below is the full method, including the seed-versus-leaf question, exact amounts, a cozy ginger variation and how to keep your seeds fresh. It is an easy coriander tea recipe that leans on one ingredient most kitchens already have.
What coriander tea is
Coriander tea is a herbal infusion, or tisane, made from the plant Coriandrum sativum. There is no actual tea leaf in the cup, so it is naturally free of caffeine. The drink most people mean by coriander tea comes from the round, straw-colored dried seeds, steeped in hot water until the liquid turns pale gold and tastes bright, sweet and lightly floral, with an orange-peel lift and a warm, almost nutty base.
Coriander is one of the oldest cultivated kitchen spices in the world, and the same plant travels under two names: the dried fruit is sold as coriander seed, while the fresh green leaf is known in many regions as cilantro. Cooks lean on it across the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Latin America and East and Southeast Asia, which makes a warm cup of it feel familiar almost everywhere. If you are new to caffeine-free botanical brews in general, our guide to what herbal tea is is a good primer before you steep.
Coriander seed tea versus cilantro tea: seeds or leaf
You can brew either part of the plant, and they give noticeably different drinks. Coriander seed tea, from the crushed dried seeds, is the sweet, citrus-and-spice cup most recipes describe: rounded, mellow and a little floral. Cilantro tea, made from the fresh green leaves, is greener, sharper and more herbaceous, closer to the taste of the raw herb. Many people find the seed version easier to love, while leaf fans enjoy how grassy and clean the fresh-leaf cup can be.
Whichever you choose, a light crush matters for the seeds. Most of coriander's aroma sits in fragile oils locked inside the hard seed coat. Cracking the seeds, even roughly, opens that shell so the oils can meet the water, which is the difference between a pale, timid cup and a fragrant one. You do not want to grind them to powder, though, or the tea turns cloudy and hard to strain.
What you will need
This makes one generous cup, about 240 ml (8 oz). Scale up in the same ratio for a small pot.
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds per cup (the round dried seeds, not ground coriander)
- About 240 ml (8 oz) water, heated to roughly 95 C (200 F), just off the boil
- Optional lemon: a thin slice or a small squeeze of juice, which flatters the citrus notes
- Optional sweetener: a little honey or your preferred sweetener, to taste
- Optional aromatics: a thin slice of fresh ginger, or a few fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves for a greener edge
How to make coriander tea, step by step
There are two easy routes: a quick steep, or a gentle simmer for a deeper cup. Both take under fifteen minutes.
- Crush the seeds. Tip the coriander seeds into a mortar and give them a few light presses with the pestle, or crush them under the back of a spoon on a board. Aim to crack most of the seeds, not to powder them.
- Heat the water. Bring water to a boil, then let it settle for about 30 seconds so it sits near 95 C (200 F).
- Combine. For the steep method, put the crushed seeds in a cup, mug infuser or small teapot and pour the hot water over them. For a deeper cup, use the simmer method instead: add the seeds to a small saucepan with the water and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cover and steep. Cover the cup or pan and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Covering keeps the aromatic steam from escaping. Longer steeps taste stronger and slightly more bitter, so start at 5 minutes and adjust from there.
- Strain. Pour the tea through a fine strainer, or lift out the infuser, to catch the seeds and any grit.
- Finish and serve. Add lemon, a touch of honey or your chosen sweetener, and stir. Drink it hot, or cool it and pour over ice for a bright iced version.
If you would like more general technique for botanical brews, from water temperature to steep time, see our walkthrough on how to brew herbal tea.
| Part used | Amount per cup | Method and steep |
|---|---|---|
| Whole seeds, crushed (steep) | ~1 tsp | Pour 95 C water over, cover and steep 5-10 min |
| Whole seeds, crushed (simmer) | ~1 tsp | Simmer gently 5-10 min, then rest 2 min |
| Fresh coriander (cilantro) leaf | Small handful | Steep 4-6 min in 90-95 C water |
| Seeds plus fresh ginger | 1 tsp + 2-3 slices | Simmer 8-10 min, covered |
A coriander-and-ginger variation
Ginger and coriander are natural partners: the ginger adds a warm, peppery heat that plays off the seeds' sweet citrus. To make it, follow the simmer method above but drop 2 to 3 thin slices of fresh ginger into the pan with the crushed seeds. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, keeping the pan covered, then strain. A squeeze of lemon and a little honey round it out, and it makes a comforting, fragrant cup for a cold evening.
The same seed-forward approach works with other kitchen-spice teas. If you like this style, you might enjoy the sweet, anise-scented fennel tea or the gently bittersweet caraway tea, both brewed from crushed seeds in much the same way.
How to store whole coriander seeds
Whole coriander seeds keep their aroma far longer than ground coriander, which is one more reason to brew from the seed. Store them in an airtight jar away from heat, light and moisture, ideally in a cool cupboard rather than above the stove. Kept this way, whole seeds stay fragrant for a year or more, and you will know they are fading when a crushed seed smells flat instead of citrusy. Only crush what you need for each brew, since the aroma starts to escape the moment the shell cracks. Fresh cilantro leaf, by contrast, is perishable and best used within a few days, kept in the fridge.
A light note on taste, allergies and wellness
Coriander is an everyday culinary spice, and coriander tea uses it in ordinary food amounts, so for most people it is simply a pleasant, warming drink. A small number of people are genuinely allergic to coriander and cilantro, which belong to the carrot family, so if that is you, skip this one entirely. Use the dried seeds and fresh leaf you would cook with, not concentrated coriander essential oil, which is far too strong for a cup.
Coriander has a long history as a comforting kitchen brew, but responses vary from person to person, and none of this is medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or you take any medication and want to drink coriander tea often rather than occasionally, it is worth a quick word with your own healthcare provider first. And if you sweeten your cup with honey, remember that honey should never be given to infants under 12 months.
Beyond that, coriander tea is an easy, low-effort ritual: one spice, hot water and a few minutes. Once you have the seed-to-water ratio you like, it is one of the simplest caffeine-free cups you can keep in rotation.