How to Brew Nettle (Ortiga) Tea Without the Sting

August 31, 2026

The name alone puts people off. "Stinging nettle" sounds like something you'd avoid, not steep in hot water and drink on purpose. But once nettle is dried, the tiny needle-like hairs that cause the sting break down completely. What's left is a mild, grassy, faintly mineral tea that Peruvian households have been drinking for generations, mostly as a daily habit rather than a special-occasion brew.

What You Need

Ortiga (nettle) is sold both as loose leaf and in tea bags. For this method we're using loose leaf nettle, since it gives you more control over strength, but if you'd rather skip the strainer, the tea bag version works with the same timing below. You'll also need a kettle, a teapot or infuser, and about 10 minutes you're not in a rush through.

How to Brew It, Step by Step

1. Use about 1 to 2 teaspoons of loose leaf nettle per 8-ounce cup, or one tea bag. Nettle is a mild herb, so lean toward more if this is your first time and you want to actually taste it.

2. Heat water to a full boil, then let it sit off the heat for about 30 seconds before pouring. Nettle can handle hotter water than delicate teas, but a few seconds off the heat keeps the brew from turning overly grassy or bitter.

3. Pour the water over the leaves and cover the cup or pot. Covering matters more here than with most teas, since some of nettle's flavor and beneficial compounds ride along with the steam that would otherwise escape.

4. Steep for 8 to 10 minutes. This is longer than a typical black or green tea, and it's the step people most often rush. A 3-minute steep tastes like weak hay water. Give it the full time.

5. Strain and drink. The color should be a deep amber-green, and the flavor lands somewhere between spinach and green tea, with a slightly mineral, almost salty finish.

Making the Flavor Work For You

On its own, nettle tea is an acquired taste, closer to a light vegetable broth than a typical herbal tea. A few ways Peruvian households make it more approachable: a spoonful of honey rounds out the bitterness without masking the earthiness completely, and a squeeze of lime brightens it and cuts the "green" flavor. Blending it half-and-half with muña or hierba buena adds a cooling mint note that a lot of first-timers prefer over nettle on its own.

Cold Brew Option

If the grassy flavor is too strong hot, try cold-steeping instead. Use the same ratio, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Cold water pulls out fewer of the tannic, bitter compounds, so the result is noticeably smoother and works well over ice in the afternoon.

When Peruvians Actually Drink It

This isn't a bedtime tea or a special-occasion brew. In most households that keep it in rotation, it's a mid-morning or early-afternoon habit, closer to a daily green tea swap than a medicinal ritual. That said, plenty of people reach for it seasonally too, especially when allergy season or general sluggishness has them looking for something simple to add to the routine. You'll find it alongside our other everyday brews in the herbal tea collection.

A Few Cautions

Nettle has a mild diuretic effect, so if you're already on a diuretic or a blood pressure medication, check with a doctor before making it a daily habit. It may also have a mild effect on blood clotting, so anyone on blood thinners should get the same check-in first. As with most herbal teas, there isn't robust safety data for pregnancy, so we'd point pregnant or breastfeeding readers toward a doctor's guidance before adding it in.

The Bottom Line

Nettle tea rewards patience more than most herbal teas do. Rush the steep and you'll get exactly why some people are skeptical of it. Give it the full 8 to 10 minutes, pair it with a little honey or mint, and it turns into a genuinely pleasant, mineral-rich daily cup.