How to Make Dandelion Tea: 3 Simple Ways, from a Tea Master

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Dandelions are a flower that you probably don’t think of in quite the same way as, say, tulips, magnolias or hydrangeas. They aren’t exactly the kind of flower you plant—these wildflowers typically pop up on lawns, between gravel and sidewalk cracks, and around flower beds, making your outdoor space look a little more picturesque because of it.

Yet, while these wildflowers add a splash of color to your lawn, they pop up like weeds and most people treat them as such—running over them with their lawnmowers or chopping them up as they weed-whack their gardens. But what if we told you those dandelion flowers don’t have to go to waste, and they could actually make a major impact on your health? Insert dandelion tea.

From the flower to the leaf and even the root of the plant, dandelions can be used to make a delicious herbal tea that benefits your body in a myriad of ways—from relieving inflammation and digestive problems to boosting your immunity and even making you feel better. And all it takes is a few plucks of your wildflowers and boiling water to make it happen.

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Why you should drink dandelion tea

There are many benefits to sipping on dandelion tea on a regular basis, particularly when it comes to a person’s digestive health. A 2022 review in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found dandelion products to alleviate some symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders such as dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, liver diseases, gallstones, acute pancreatitis, and more.

“Dandelion root actually feeds your body’s production of probiotics, which improve your digestive health and in turn moods and immunity, as it is an inflammation-fighter and is teeming with antioxidants,” says tea master Zhena Muzyka, CEO and founder of Magic Hour. “It also may reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, while promoting weight loss and a healthy liver.”

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How to make dandelion tea

There are actually three different types of dandelion tea you can make:

• Dandelion root tea
• dandelion leaf tea
• dandelion flower tea.

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Dandelion root tea

Most of the time, the dandelion tea you’ll find on the market is dandelion root tea, coming from the roots of the flower that have been roasted. To make it yourself, you’ll want to pull the dandelion plant fully out of the soil with the taproot, which may require you to use a garden spade so you can properly dig it out. Once you have it, clean it off with cold water then slice the root up into small bite-sized pieces. Roast the root in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, then your dried dandelion root tea is ready to steep.

“How we steep our dandelion root teas at Magic Hour, like our popular Queen of the South detoxifying tea, is steep one tablespoon in eight ounces of 212-degree freshly heated spring or filtered water for three to five minutes,” says Muzyka. “Then strain, sip, and sweeten as desired!”

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Dandelion leaf tea

A little less time-consuming, the dandelion leaf tea simply has you snipping off a few of the leaves connected to the dandelion plant to make an easy herbal tea.

Pick off six or eight leaves and rinse them off. Muddle the leaves until fragrant, then steep them in boiling water for five or ten minutes. That’s it!

Some dandelion root teas on shelves may also contain dandelion leaves in the blend as well. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s blog suggests dandelion leaves actually function as a diuretic, which increases the amount of urine the body produces and can even help stimulate your appetite.

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Dandelion flower tea

Yes, you can even make tea with dandelion flowers, too! While you can roast the flowers to make a dried tea blend, the easiest dandelion flower tea to make is by rinsing and steeping fresh flower bulbs.

Here’s how to make it: Collect at least two cups worth of dandelion flowers. Rinse them off and pat them dry, then let the flower steep in a cup of boiling water for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be. Strain the flowers when you’re finished.

Some people like to dilute the tea with some water because the flavor can be a bit strong. The control you can have over the concentration makes this an easy herbal tea to serve to guests.

Plus, because dandelion flowers tend to have a hint of sweetness, some tea makers like to mix this tea in a glass pitcher with a sweetener of some kind—like honey or stevia—and let it refrigerate for three or four hours for a homemade herbal sweet tea.

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