As summer gathers momentum and the festive season sweeps across South Africa, an unexpected local hero is earning a spot on holiday tables everywhere: Rooibos. Long loved as a calming cup of tea, Rooibos is rising as one of the most versatile ingredients in modern cooking — enriching drinks, starters, mains and even desserts with its earthy sweetness and unmistakable aroma.

For award-winning cookbook author and health-focused food consultant Heleen Meyer, this evolution is both natural and exciting. Having explored Rooibos in the kitchen for years, she believes its gentle, layered flavour makes it a dream ingredient for summer entertaining.

“Rooibos has a soft, layered flavour that blends easily with other ingredients,” Meyer explains.
“It adds depth and colour without overwhelming a dish. And because it’s caffeine-free and doesn’t turn bitter when brewed strong, it’s incredibly practical in both hot and cold recipes.”

🌼 A flavour that blends effortlessly

Rooibos pairs beautifully with many festive favourites — citrus, cinnamon, ginger, thyme, berries and honey — making it ideal for everything from a refreshing mocktail to a warm, aromatic roast.

Meyer notes its flexibility as one of its greatest strengths. Whether infused into syrups, folded into marinades or used as a lighter, healthier stock alternative, Rooibos adapts with ease.

Using Rooibos as a cooking liquid may seem unconventional at first, but its subtle sweetness and earthy notes enhance food in surprisingly elegant ways. A strong brew adds depth to roasted fruit or glazes, while a lighter infusion gently uplifts desserts.

🌄 A beloved ingredient with a fresh purpose

Grown exclusively in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape, Rooibos carries both cultural pride and culinary potential. For many South Africans, cooking with Rooibos feels like rediscovering something familiar in a new, creative way.

“There’s something lovely about taking a familiar local ingredient and giving it a new role in the kitchen,” Meyer says.

She encourages home cooks to experiment — even a small splash of Rooibos syrup or a Rooibos-based marinade can transform a dish while adding a healthy twist.

🍹 Featured Festive Recipes

Created by Heleen Meyer

These approachable dishes show Rooibos at its refreshing, aromatic best.

❤️ Rooibos Red Mocktail

A cooling, subtly spiced summer drink built on a homemade Rooibos syrup infused with cinnamon.
Perfect for guests, picnics, pool days — or even drizzled over yoghurt or ice cream.

(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

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

1. Place the Rooibos bags, cinnamon, sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over a medium temperature. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the Rooibos has infused. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken and form a syrup.
2. Remove the bags and allow the syrup to cool down completely.
3. Add spoonfuls of ice into glasses 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:

1. This Rooibos syrup will be delicious as a cordial in a gin and tonic.
2. Use flavoured Rooibos bags if preferred, like berry, lemon, floral, citrus, buchu or vanilla for a different flavour.
3. 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

A glossy, flavour-packed topping of Rooibos-infused roasted grapes spooned over warm, melty camembert.
Ideal for festive grazing boards and long, lazy summer lunches.

(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

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

1. Preheat oven to 200 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper or use a shallow oven dish.
2. Mix oil, honey, Rooibos and thyme together in a bowl and season with pepper. Toss grapes in the Rooibos mixture. Spoon in a single layer onto the tray or into the dish.
3. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until the skins of the grapes just start to bubble. Remove from the oven and allow grapes to cool slightly.
4. 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.
5. Carefully remove camembert from tray and place 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

A light, aromatic dessert where Rooibos meets yoghurt or buttermilk for a creamy finish.
Chilled and served with seasonal fruit, it’s the perfect ending to a warm evening.

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

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

1. Place the water in a shallow bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over. Allow to sponge, but make sure there are no dry pieces.
2. Meanwhile, heat milk and Rooibos bags in a saucepan over a low heat for a few minutes until infused. Remove the bags and stir in the cream, honey and vanilla seeds and pod or essence. Stir until the honey has dissolved and heat to just below boiling point. Don’t allow the mixture to boil.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine until it dissolves completely. Allow mixture to cool down slightly, until you can keep your finger in the liquid.
4. Stir the yoghurt or buttermilk into the Rooibos mixture and remove the vanilla pod. It may look as if the mixture wants to split but continue stirring.
5. Pour into glasses. Cover and refrigerate for three to four hours or overnight until set.
6. Serve panna cotta with fresh fruit and edible flowers.

🌞 Rooibos: A Simple Ingredient with Endless Possibilities

Cooking with Rooibos doesn’t require special tools or advanced techniques — just curiosity and creativity. Its subtlety lets it shine in both sweet and savoury dishes, enhancing flavour without overpowering it.

As Meyer reflects:

“Rooibos is woven into our daily lives, so bringing it into our cooking is simply the next, most natural step.”

Whether used in a mocktail, a roasting syrup or a summer dessert, Rooibos adds a fresh, local, and wholesome touch to your festive spread.

So this season, let Rooibos do more than fill your cup —
let it inspire your entire table.

For more Rooibos-inspired festive ideas, visit sarooibos.co.za or follow the Rooibos Council:
📸 Instagram: @sarooiboscouncil
📘 Facebook: @rooiboscouncil