Sorrel drink, also known as Zobo drink or Sobolo, is a tangy, refreshing, and satisfying drink that tastes amazing and is highly nutritious. Enjoy it 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.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
I love this drink because it is cheap, easy to make, and 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 African countries, it is made all year round as part of a healthy, refreshing, and affordable beverage.
Health 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.
Sorrel benefits:
- 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.
🥘 Equipment Used
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To make this sorrel drink, you'll need a colander, Instant Pot or large pot, and a spoon for stirring in the sweetener.
🧾 Ingredients Used
- Dried hibiscus leaves: You can get the dried leaves 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, fresh 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 cane 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, which makes a strong brew. You can add more water or even dilute it after it's done.
🔪 How To Make This Recipe
How to Make Sorrel Drink in the Instant Pot
- Rinse 2 cups of hibiscus leaves to remove sand or dirt.
- Pour the leaves into a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water. You will notice that the water draining out is red in color, but don't worry, 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.
- Add the sorrel to the instant pot, and 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.
- Stir in the sweetener and let it cool down. Add a few ice cubes in a glass and serve chilled.
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 a 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.
🥫 Storing and Reheating
It keeps well for about a week in the fridge. You can keep it longer, but it might not taste as fresh. If you prefer to drink this red drink warm, simply heat it in a pot on the stove until it reaches your desired temperature.
💭 Helpful Tips
- It is best to add the sweetener when the drink is still piping hot. That way, it dissolves entirely without sinking to the bottom.
- 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.
💭 Recipe Variations
Try these flavor variations to make this nutritional drink your own!
- 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 this Jamaican drink with white rum for a festive drink! You can also add nutmeg or all-spice for those earthy fall flavors.
- Fruity: You can make sorrel punch more fruity by adding lime, lemon zest, or orange peel. You can also serve chilled with cucumber slices.
- Nigerian: 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.
🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
Since Sorrel drink is popular during the holiday season, it's perfect to pair with your Christmas dinner. It's also light and refreshing in the summer with Barbecue Shrimp Skewers or to cool down after eating these Spicy Chicken Wings.
👩🍳 Frequently asked questions
Sorrel drink is made from the petals of a type of hibiscus flower, 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 the roselle hibiscus plant is most commonly sold as dried sorrel. When dried, the sorrel leaves take on a dark red-purplish color.The roselle fruit has many different names including Florida cranberry, Red sorrel, or Jamaica sorrel. It is grown around the world, although it is native to Central and West Africa.
Sorrel drink has a sour, tangy, and tart taste. Its flavor is sharp and acidic and somewhat similar to that of raspberry.
The term "sorrel" refers to two very different types of plants. Garden sorrel is a perennial herb with a sour lemon flavor. It looks similar to lettuce and grows wild on many continents. It is used to add a tart, lemony flavor to different recipes.
Jamaican sorrel refers to the hibiscus plant flower. The dried flowers and leaves are used to brew a refreshing, fruity drink with a bright red color. Fresh sorrel is also called: Florida cranberry, Red sorrel, or Jamaica sorrel.
📚 Related Recipes
Check out these other low carb drinks and smoothies!
📖 Recipe
Sorrel Drink (Zobo Drink)
Ingredients
- 2 cups hibiscus leaves
- ½ lemon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 tablespoon chopped ginger
- ½ cup monk fruit sweetener or sweetener of choice
- 10 cups of water
Instructions
Instructions
- Pour the hibiscus leaves into a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water.
- Chop the ginger into small pieces and the lemon in half.
To make in the instant pot
- Add the sorrel to the instant pot.
- Add 10 cups of water, lemon, ginger, and cinnamon sticks.
- Set the instant pot to Manual and set it to 10 mins on high pressure.
- When it is done, let it naturally release.
- Strain the hibiscus leaves using a fine mesh strainer.
- While it is still hot, add your choice of low carb sweetener and mix in.
- Let it cool down and serve chilled.
To make on the stove
- Add the sorrel to a pot on the strove.
- Add 10 cups of water, lemon quarters, ginger, and cinnamon sticks.
- Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat back to medium and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the hibiscus leaves using a fine mesh strainer.
- While it is still hot, add your choice of low carb sweetener and mix in.
- Let it cool down and serve chilled.
Notes
- 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 will 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.
- If you want your sorrel drink to be less concentrated, dilute with water, adding one cup at a time, till you reach your desired concentration.
- If you want a more robust ginger flavor, grate it before adding it to the sorrel.
- The nutritional info given is for low carb sweeteners that have 0 calories and 0 carbs. If you use honey or other higher carb sweeteners or add fruit, the calorie and carb count will be higher.
Hello,
please if i wish to use cloves, at what stage should i include it in the preparation.
Thank you.
You can add it with the other spices then boil them all together.
Thanks for your instructions. Your step by step details are great to follow.
Thank you, Joann!
Will love to try this... monkfruit isn't available in my local grocery except I order for it, can any other sweetener work or will they leave an after taste? Stevia? Thanks
Hi Barbs, you can use any of your favorite sweeteners.
The monk fruit sweetener is a brilliant alternative to the usual white sugar its made with in Mexico. Delicious!
Yes, it is! My kids can't even tell the difference 🙂
I cannot wait to try this refreshing drink, perfect for hot summer days
What a fascinating post! Healthy, pretty, and refreshing - I can't wait to give this drink a try!
Hope you enjoy it, Christie!
This is so refreshing and made the best drink on a hot day!! Thank you!
You're welcome, Kathryn!
This sounds so good. I cannot wait to try it
Hope you enjoy it, Estelle!
I am trying your tea. I don’t think that I am in the right area. I am alone. I do not cook for anyone. My husband died in March. Now he was in Africa in the sixties. Like the foodetc.
Claire
I'm sorry to hear about your husband, Claire. I hope you enjoy the hibiscus drink recipe. You can buy the hibiscus leaves from Amazon and a link is included in the recipe card.