This poached pear ginger tea is going to become one of your favorite beverages! With the bite of fresh ginger balanced with the natural sweetness of pear and just a touch of honey, it's a lovely, comforting cup of hot tea that hits the spot. Enjoy it cold and it's a refreshing pick-me-up!

A green pear and a piece of ginger next to a glass mug containing pear wedges and ginger in a yellow liquid. The words poached pear ginger tea on the bottom.

You've heard of my ginger honey tea, but now I've taken that idea and fancied it up a bit.

Now I've added fruit to the mix, creating a tea that has that same ginger and honey base, but now the flavor is rounded out by delicious pear.

Poaching the Pears

Poaching is simply cooking a food in a liquid just below the boiling point. The pears wedges are completely submerged in water and while they will add flavor for the tea, they will also get infused by the ginger and honey in the same pot.

What kind of pear do I use?

While Bosc pears are commonly associated with poaching, any variety that you have available will work. I can't find Bosc pears easily here in Hong Kong, so I use Packham pears, but I could also use Asian pears for this tea.

I like the idea of using pears that are more firm so that they hold their shape versus disintegrating while cooking. You can then add the pears to your cup or glass, adding a nice visual element to your tea.

Do the pears need to be ripe?

No. I have used pears of medium ripeness that aren't necessarily optimal for eating fresh and they worked really well in the tea. You don't want your pear so ripe that it is turning to mush or too soft in your hand, so I would suggest erring on choosing pears that are less ripe.

Do I have to add honey?

No. Depending on how ripe or sweet your pears are, or how sweet you prefer your tea, the honey is completely optional.

How To Make the Tea

Prepare the ginger

Wash the ginger, removing any bits of dirt. Use a spoon to scrape off the skin. Cut the ginger into chunks and using the side of your knife, flatten each chunk so the fibers are spread apart.

Peeled and crushed raw ginger, a peeled pear cut into 8 wedges.

Prepare the pear

Wash the pear and peel off the skin. Cut it the pear into quarters. I like to leave the stem attached to one piece because it looks extra nice if you put the tea in a clear glass or pitcher.

Remove the core from each piece and cut them again lengthwise so you have 8 pear wedges.

Combining all the ingredients

Add the water, pear and ginger to a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Pear wedges and crushed ginger cooking in a pot, a teaspoon of brown honey.

Reduce the heat to low and if you want to add honey to your tea, now would be the time to do it.

Cover the pot with the lid and let the pear and ginger poach for at least 30 minutes, but an hour is best and will give you a stronger flavor. You want to make sure that the water is not boiling but is remaining hot enough for that entire steeping time to let the flavors come out.

Pear wedges and crushed ginger in liquid in a pot.

At the end of the hour, you'll have softened fruit and ginger in a beautiful golden tea, ready for drinking!

Enjoy It Hot or Cold

Fill up your mug with this pear-infused ginger tea straight from the pot!

Looking down into a glass mug containing a cloudy yellow liquid, two green pears and piece of ginger next to the mug.

OR transfer the tea (pear and ginger included!) to the fridge to cool down completely and enjoy cold later! Drinking it hot adds a different heat to the ginger spice, but serving it on ice and sipping on it cold is refreshing and effervescent...perfect for a hot day!

Looking down into a glass containing ice cubes and a yellow liquid.

Enjoy it hot with something small and sweet like Chinese Almond Cookies or Butter Mochi Bites, or something savory like Chinese Sticky Rice or Pan-Fried Crispy Enoki Mushrooms.

If you are serving the tea on ice, pair it with savory dishes like Chicken Skewers with Thai Curry, Rice Cooker Salmon and Egg Rice, or Asian Pulled Pork.

And not only do the pears add a nice touch in your drink, you can also eat them! Serve them with some whipped cream or ice cream while you drink your tea!

I've always enjoyed ginger tea, but now I love it even more with the pear which adds a nice flavor note and almost gives the tea some depth. It's soothing when hot and refreshing when cold, making it perfect drink for enjoying any time of the year.

~ Lisa.

Recipe