With the festive season in full swing, Rooibos is finding new life across the summer table. From chilled drinks to flavour-packed starters, mains and desserts, this familiar ingredient is proving to be one of the season’s most versatile additions.
A flavour that adapts easily
Award-winning cookbook author and health-focused food consultant Heleen Meyer has used Rooibos in recipes for years. She says its rising popularity is no surprise.
“Rooibos has a soft, layered flavour that blends easily with other ingredients,” she explains. “It is gentle enough not to dominate a dish, but adds depth, colour and a familiar aroma. Because Rooibos is caffeine-free and can be brewed strongly without becoming bitter, it is practical to use in both hot and cold dishes.”
Rooibos pairs well with fruit, herbs and spices often used in festive cooking. While many dishes lean towards the sweet side, Rooibos also complements savoury ingredients and works well in marinades, broths, glazes and roasted dishes.
A familiar ingredient used in new ways
Meyer notes that ingredients such as cinnamon, honey, ginger, thyme and citrus sit comfortably alongside Rooibos. The tisane can be used as a cooking liquid, functioning as a mild, healthier stock or infusion.
“A strong cup can add aroma and complexity to roasted fruit, glazes or syrups, while a lighter brew enhances desserts or drinks,” she says.
Because Rooibos is grown exclusively in the Cederberg, many South Africans feel a natural connection to it. This heritage makes its role in cooking feel both nostalgic and fresh. Meyer encourages home cooks to experiment by substituting part of the liquid in a recipe with Rooibos.
Recipes that show Rooibos at its best
The following recipes offer simple ways to use Rooibos in summer dishes, from refreshing drinks to relaxed starters and light desserts.
Rooibos Red Mocktail
(Recipe created by Heleen Meyer)
A homemade Rooibos syrup forms the base of this refreshing drink. The combination of Rooibos, cinnamon and ginger ale creates a subtly spiced, cooling summer mocktail. It’s easy to prepare the syrup in advance and use it as needed – either as a drink base or even as a drizzle over yoghurt, fruit or ice cream.
“The combination of Rooibos, cinnamon and ginger ale is really amazing and so refreshing,” says Meyer. “Have some of this homemade Rooibos cordial in the fridge to quickly whip up a delicious summer sipper.”
Makes about 250 ml syrup, enough for about 8–10 glasses
Ingredients
- 3 plain Rooibos bags
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 200 ml white sugar
- 200 ml water
- crushed ice or small ice cubes
- ginger ale or soda water, chilled
- seasonal fruit like pomegranate arils, strawberries and cherries
- fresh mint leaves for garnish
Method
- Place the Rooibos bags, cinnamon, sugar, and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the Rooibos has infused. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until it thickens and forms a syrup.
- Remove the bags and allow the syrup to cool down completely.
- Add a spoonful of ice to each glass and pour the syrup over (use 30 ml if using ginger ale, or 45 ml with soda water). Top with ginger ale or soda water. Serve with seasonal fruit of your choice and garnish with mint leaves. Refrigerate any remaining syrup in a sterilised glass jar.
Tips:
- This Rooibos syrup will be delicious as a cordial in a gin and tonic.
- Use flavoured Rooibos bags, like berry, lemon, floral, citrus, buchu, or vanilla, for a different flavour.
- This syrup will be delicious, drizzled over plain yoghurt for breakfast, over ice cream or even on a pavlova with fruit as a dessert.
Rooibos Roasted Grapes on Baked Camembert
(Recipe created by Heleen Meyer)
This dish highlights how well Rooibos works with fruit. The tisane deepens the flavour of the grapes as they roast, creating a glossy, aromatic topping for warm camembert. It’s simple to assemble, and suits relaxed, communal summer meals – from cheese platters to sharing boards.
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) honey
- 60 ml (¼ cup) strong plain Rooibos (use 2 Rooibos bags)
- 6-8 fresh thyme sprigs
- black pepper to taste
- 500 ml (2 cups) red seedless grapes, some halved, and the rest kept whole
- 1 x large (250 g) Camembert cheese
- fresh thyme leaves for garnish
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper or use a shallow oven dish.
- Mix the oil, honey, Rooibos, and thyme in a bowl, then season with pepper. Toss grapes in the Rooibos mixture. Spoon in a single layer onto the tray or into the dish.
- Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until the grapes’ skins start to bubble. Remove from the oven and let the grapes cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, line another small baking tray or shallow oven dish with baking paper. Place cheese on top and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese starts to melt on the inside and lightly puffs up.
- Carefully remove the camembert from the tray and place it on a serving platter: spoon roasted grapes and any pan juices over the cheese. Garnish with thyme leaves. Serve as a delicious spread on toasted bruschetta slices, chunky fresh bread, melba toast or savoury biscuits.
Summer Rooibos Panna Cotta
(Recipe created by Heleen Meyer)
For dessert, Rooibos brings a gentle aromatic note to this lighter-style panna cotta made with yoghurt or buttermilk. Served chilled with seasonal fruit, it’s a fitting finish to a warm evening and perfect for anyone curious to try Rooibos in sweet dishes for the first time.
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) water
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) gelatine powder
- 250 ml (1 cup) milk
- 4 plain Rooibos bags
- 125 ml (½ cup) fresh cream
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) honey
- ½ vanilla pod, split open and seeds scraped out or 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
- 175 ml double-cream plain yoghurt or buttermilk
- seasonal fruit like fresh nectarines or peaches, raspberries or blueberries for serving
- edible flowers for garnish
Method
- Place the water in a shallow bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over. Allow to sponge, but make sure there are no dry pieces.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk and Rooibos bags in a saucepan over low heat for a few minutes, until infused. Remove the bags and stir in the cream, honey, and vanilla seeds and pod, or vanilla essence. Stir until the honey dissolves, then heat to just below the boiling point. Don’t allow the mixture to boil.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine until completely dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool down slightly, until you can keep your finger in the liquid.
- Stir the yoghurt or buttermilk into the Rooibos mixture and remove the vanilla pod. It may look as if the mixture is splitting, but continue stirring.
- Pour into glasses. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight, until set.
- Serve panna cotta with fresh fruit and edible flowers.
Cooking with Rooibos made easy
Cooking with Rooibos does not require special tools or advanced techniques. Whether used in syrups, roasting mixtures or dessert bases, Rooibos adds subtlety rather than intensity and integrates easily into a range of dishes.
As Meyer says, “Rooibos is woven into our daily lives, so bringing it into our cooking is simply the next, most natural step.” For home cooks wanting a healthy, local and flavourful festive touch, Rooibos may be the ingredient that transforms the season’s spread.