Sorrel Drink (Zobo Drink/Sobolo)

Sorrel drink, also known as Zobo drink or Sobolo, is a tangy, refreshing, and satisfying drink that tastes amazing and is highly nutritious. Enjoy on a hot summer day or as a relaxing evening drink!

Sorrel Drink goes by many names depending on what country you are from. In Nigeria, it is known as Zobo drink (or Zoborodo), in Ghana, Sobolo, and in Jamaica, Agua de Jamaica. In Senegal, it is the national drink and is known as Bissap. 

I love this drink because it is cheap and so easy to make, and it is so satisfying.  You know that feeling you get when you drink a cold soda on a hot day? Sorrel drink has all the effects except it is also very healthy and nutritious.

It also helps prevent cravings and late-night snacking since it is so satisfying and only contains 3 calories per cup.

You can serve it chilled or warm, depending on the season and what you are in the mood for. I like to make a large batch and reach for it whenever I get home from a long, hot day!

In Jamaica, sorrel drink is mostly made during the holidays as part of the Christmas celebration. But in Africa, it is made all year round as part of a healthy, refreshing, and affordable beverage.

What is Sorrel drink made of?

Sorrel drink is made from the petals of a species of Hibiscus, known as Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle). You will often hear this drink referred to as Roselle Juice or Hibiscus Drink. 

It can be used fresh, frozen, or dried, but it is most commonly sold in dried form. When dried, the hibiscus leaves take on a dark red-purplish color.

The roselle fruit is also known as Florida cranberry, Red sorrel, or Jamaica sorrel. It is grown around the world, although it is native to Central and West Africa.

What does Sorrel drink taste like?

Sorrel drink has a sour, tangy, and tart taste. Its flavor is sharp and acidic and somewhat similar to that of raspberry. 

Benefits of Sorrel drink (zobo drink)

Sorrel drink contains powerful nutrients that have amazing health benefits. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and contains roughly 80% of the daily recommended allowance.

It is also a great source of iron, magnesium, and antioxidants.

Some other great health benefits include:

• Improves heart health.
• Helps soothe a sore throat and fight the common cold.
• Studies have shown that it helps to treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• Helps maintain healthy teeth and gums due to its calcium content.
• Helps with constipation and to soothe an irritated stomach.
• There is some study that shows it reduces body mass index and aids in weight loss.

Ingredients used in making Sorrel drink 

• Dried hibiscus leaves: You can get them online from Amazon or in your local grocery store. It is either sold pre-packaged or in the bulk section, like in my local HEB grocery store. 
• Hibiscus leaves are sometimes labeled 'Hibiscus flowers' or 'Hibiscus tea leaves' but don't confuse them with hibiscus tea. Hibiscus tea is usually packaged to be steeped in hot water. 
• Flavoring: Lemon, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. These are my favorite flavors to spice my sorrel drink just a bit. There are so many different variations of this drink, which I will explain later in greater detail.
• Sweetener: Sorrel drink is commonly sweetened with a ton of sugar, but I feel this negates the whole point of being a healthy and somewhat medicinal drink. I use low-carb sweeteners, and my favorite is monk fruit sweetener because I like the taste of it. Feel free to use your favorite sweetener as a substitute.
• Water: I use roughly 10 cups of water to make my sorrel drink. You can add more water or even dilute it after it's done.

How to make Sorrel drink

I use 2 cups of hibiscus leaves, and it is plenty enough. My sorrel drink ends up with a deep red color and is super concentrated. 

To be safe, rinse your hibiscus leaves before you use them. The last thing you want to see in your sorrel drink is sand or dirt.

Pour the leaves into a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water. You would notice that the water draining out is red in color, but don't worry about it. I promise you, there is still a lot of juicy red liquid left in the leaves.

Chop the ginger into small pieces and cut the lemon in half.

You can either make this on the stove or in the instant pot.

I like to make my sorrel drink in the instant pot because it is so much more convenient. I don't have to monitor it or worry about spills and I can just set it and go.

Add the sorrel to the instant pot, add 10 cups of water, lemon, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. 

Set the instant pot to Manual mode and set it to 10 mins on high pressure. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.

After it is done, let it release naturally. The longer it sits, the deeper the red color is, and the flavor is much stronger. 

Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the sorrel drink so that only the liquid remains, then add your sweetener.

It is best to add the sweetener when the drink is still piping hot. That way, it dissolves entirely without sinking to the bottom.

Stir in the sweetener and let it cool down. Add a few ice cubes in a glass and serve chilled. 

This recipe makes roughly 8 cups and contains 0 net carbs. It keeps well for about a week in the fridge. You can keep it longer, but it might not taste as fresh.

How to make Sorrel drink on the stove

Place the hibiscus leaves, water, cinnamon stick, ginger, and lemon in a pot on high heat, and bring to boil. 

When it boils, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Strain and add the sweetener. Let it cool down, then chill and serve.

Variations when making Sorrel drink

• Spiced: In Ghana, Sobolo is often made quite spicy by adding selim pepper, whole cloves, black pepper, and red chili peppers.
• If you want to add pepper and other spices, blend them in a blender with water. Then strain them and add to your strained sorrel drink a little at a time till you reach your desired level. If it becomes too spicy, just add some water to dilute it.
• Holiday version: In the Caribbean, it is customary to spike Sorrel drinks with white rum over the holidays! You can also add nutmeg or all-spice for those earthy fall flavors.
• Fruity: You can make this more fruity by adding lime, lemon zest, or orange zest. You can also serve chilled with cucumber slices. 
• In Nigeria, pineapple bark, and sometimes the pineapple itself, is frequently added to the zobo drink. But since my version is low carb, I omit sugary fruits when making mine.

Helpful Tips

• If you're in a hurry, you can add the sweetener at the same time when boiling, but it is better to add it after straining the leaves. That way, you only add what you need and not waste it on the leaves that will be discarded.
• The sweetener should be added when the sorrel drink is scalding hot so that it completely dissolves. If you wait for it to cool down first, there is a chance the sweetener will mostly sink to the bottom.
• My sorrel drink is quite concentrated, as you can see from the intense red color. You can dilute it and get up to 12 - 14 cups of juice. It will still taste delicious, but the color will be a lighter red hue.
• If you want a more robust ginger flavor, grate it before adding it to the drink.

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