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chicory root coffee

How to Make Chicory Root Coffee

herbal tea recipes

There's nothing quite like curling up with a hot cup of tea on a cold winter's day. Preparing a cup of tea while it's freezing outside can bring a sense of comfort and coziness into your home.

There are endless types of tea to choose from, and one of my favorites during this time of year is chicory root tea — also known as chicory root coffee. A cup of chicory coffee offers a similar rich, bitter taste of regular coffee without the caffeine.

This means that this caffeine-free coffee alternative can be enjoyed at any time of the day without the risk of caffeine jitters.

To prepare a cup of chicory root coffee, you can either harvest the roots yourself and process them or buy the dried, roasted roots. First, I'll share my basic chicory root coffee recipe, and then I'll share the harvesting, drying, and roasting instructions after if you'd like to go that route.

 

 

How to Make Chicory Root Coffee

 

Chicory root is more than a coffee substitute—this nourishing plant is full of prebiotic fiber and boasts a tasty flavor profile.

Please note:  roasted chicory coffee can be brewed in the same method you use for brewing bean coffee, but keep in mind that chicory root coffee is much stronger.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp dried roasted ground chicory root
  • 2 cups water
  • Optional: milk and honey to taste

 

 

  1. Place your ground chicory root in the bottom of a French press.
  2. Heat your 2 cups of water to a boil and pour it over the ground root.

 

 

  1. Place the top of the French press back on. Let steep for 10 minutes.
  2. Slowly press down the plunger to separate the grounds.

 

 

  1. Pour your chicory root coffee into your favorite mug.
  2. If you like, add honey or a big splash of milk to round out some of the bitterness and enhance the chocolate flavors.

 

 

  1. If you have leftover "coffee," you can let it cool and store it in the fridge for 2 days.
  2. Yield: 2 cups chicory root coffee.

 

 

Identifying the Chicory Plant

 

The first step in the process of making roasted chicory root coffee is, well, to dig chicory root. If you are unfamiliar with chicory, the leaves of its basal rosette look quite similar to those of dandelion. Although if you inspect them carefully on the underside, you will see hairs along the midrib of those leaves.

For foragers new to the plant, it is perhaps easiest to start watching for its zig-zagging stalk and blue-purple flowers whose rays have jaggedy tips, in the summertime. That way, in the following autumn and spring, the ideal time to dig roots, you will have a better idea exactly which plant to dig. When harvesting a wild plant, always make sure you have properly identified it. If you are unsure about whether you've correctly identified chicory, consult with an experienced wildcrafter before harvesting the plant.

Dried chicory flower stalks, with their tell-tale dried flower bracts can also help you identify chicory plants and can be spotted from afar. Where you find one chicory plant, you will likely find many. They especially favor disturbed soil. That is to say, places that humans monkeyed around in, like trails and lots, and fields that have been dug up for various reasons.

 

 

Want to Be a Confident Wildcrafter?

 

Wildcrafting can be a beautiful way to not only harvest nutrient-dense herbs but also connect with and give back to the land. When you have the tools you need — including knowledge and the proper harvesting equipment — you can confidently gather and process the powerful medicine that grows around you.

To get started, check out LearningHerbs' course Wildcrafter's Toolkit on HerbMentor. In Wildcrafter's Toolkit, herbalists Emily Han and Rosalee de la Forêt walk you through the fundamental principles of wildcrafting: including safety info, reciprocity, harvesting tips, and more. You can join HerbMentor for just $1 to access Wildcrafter's Toolkit.

 

 

Digging Up Chicory

 

I live in an area with dense clay soil, and find it easiest to dig chicory roots after it has rained or snowed, and the ground is wet. I take a big shovel out into a field, find old dried chicory flowering stalks which usually have some green leaves growing at the base in all but the coldest of winter, and start digging. I find that small plants and roots are easier to chop, but I’m not terribly picky about which plants I dig.

I do leave the leaves attached to the roots until I get home. This ensures that I’m accurately able to select only chicory roots, and not other roots I may have accidentally dug at the same time. Before returning home, I try to refill dirt into all of the holes, just because I think that’s a respectful thing to do.

 

 

Cleaning Chicory Root

 

Once home, I take on the task of cleaning the chicory roots. I first cut off the green leafy tops from the roots, saving the leaves to eat if they aren’t too bitter, and most definitely saving the crowns, which are like tiny escarole. I then fill a bucket with water, dump in the roots, and start working them with a scrub brush.

This part of the process isn’t very glamorous, as it requires sloshing around in muddy water for quite some time. A tangle of wild chicory roots that have grown in tough soil aren’t nearly as easy to clean as store-bought carrots. After all of the chicory roots have been scrubbed in the bucket, I give them a final rinse in clean water.

 

 

Chopping Chicory Roots

 

The next step is to chop up the chicory roots to be dried. The most important part of this step is to try to cut nearly equal-sized pieces. This will come into play during the roasting process, where smaller pieces tend to burn before the larger pieces roast. So, it’s good to cut the roots as evenly as possible.

How big should the root pieces be? Well, keep in mind that they will shrink during the drying process, and that smaller roasted pieces will likely be easier to grind. I’d say the pieces I cut for my last batch were no bigger than a candy corn.

 

 

Roasting Chicory Root

 

I learned from Sam Thayer’s account of roasting chicory to dry the roots first, instead of directly roasting them. Why? Well, if you put a bunch of fresh chicory roots into the oven to roast, it takes longer, and you are more likely to get uneven results. So, I simply stick my cut chicory roots in the dehydrator overnight. They could also be air-dried or dried in the oven on very low heat, if those are your preferred methods. Once the roots are dried, they needn’t be roasted right away. I’d think they’d store nearly indefinitely until you’re ready to roast.

I find roasting to be the trickiest part of the process. It seems obvious when you’re just talking about it, what roasting a root might be like, but when you’re roasting it and have just put many hours into the process, the difference between roasted and nearly-burnt isn’t as obvious as first imagined.

From my own experience, I prefer to roast the roots at a lower temperature, like 300˚ (F) for a longer period of time because I feel like it gives me a greater level of control over the process. I spread the dried chicory roots out on a baking sheet in a single layer, and place them in the hot oven. I’ve found the roots turn a pretty impressive shade of brown after 20 minutes.

After that point, I set a timer for 10-minute intervals, and keep poking my head in the oven. The last batch of chicory roots that I roasted took about an hour. But I’ve had them take as little as 40 minutes, and as long as an hour and a half. I pull them out of the oven at the point where they seem to be releasing the tiniest bit of smoke, although their color never seems to darken much past the color they achieve in the initial roasting period.

 

 

Grinding Chicory Root

 

When I think I’ve roasted my chicory roots for the proper amount of time, I grind and brew a small test batch before turning off the oven. This ensures I’ve roasted them to the darkness I enjoy.

Once they are roasted, chicory roots can be stored whole, or ground. I prefer to grind them on an as-needed basis, using either my mortar and pestle (which usually requires that I also run them through a sieve to get out the larger bits) or a regular coffee grinder.

 

 

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Benefits

 

Chicory isn't just a tasty coffee alternative — this powerful plant boasts many potential health benefits. With its bitter, coffee-like taste this chicory drink can support bowel function: easing mild constipation and supporting bowel regularity. Herbs with a bitter flavor are generally supportive for digestive health, and chicory is no exception.

Chicory also boasts high inulin fiber content. One of the main benefits of inulin is that, as a prebiotic, it can help feed beneficial bacteria in the gut, which supports overall digestive and immune health.

 

Here are some frequently asked questions about chicory root...

 

 

Do I need to use hot water to prepare chicory root coffee?

Using hot water to prepare your chicory coffee will help extract the constituents from the plant matter more effectively, so it's generally recommended to use hot water.

 

Will drinking chicory root coffee help me reduce my caffeine intake?

Chicory root doesn't contain caffeine, so it won't help with caffeine withdrawals while you wean off caffeine. If you crave coffee beans' delicious bitter taste, though, chicory root coffee can be a nice alternative to coffee without amping up the nervous system with caffeine.

 

Can I make dandelion coffee instead of chicory coffee?

Yes, you could make dandelion "coffee" using roasted dandelion roots instead of chicory roots — dandelion root is also a caffeine-free coffee alternative and tastes similar to how chicory root tastes. Both dandelion root and chicory root coffee offer a tasty beverage experience where you won’t have to compromise on flavor. Here is a simply delicious recipe for dandelion root coffee with a deep, earthy flavor; this recipe has a short ingredient list and is easy to make at home. Dandelion is also rich in inulin fiber and works as a digestive bitter to ease digestive stagnation.

Tara Ruth

Written by Wendy Petty

Wendy Petty is a wild foods enthusiast and foraging instructor. She teaches cooking classes with an emphasis on transforming abundant, "weedy" plants into nutritious and economical kitchen staples. Foraging is both her work and passion, and she enjoys spending most of her free time pursuing, preparing, storing, and studying wild edible plants.

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