Zobo Drink: The Best Hibiscus Drink Recipe Ever!

This can’t be any ordinary drink. If you haven’t tried Zobo drink before, you’re missing out.

This hibiscus iced tea drink is made from sorrel/hibiscus dry leaves, and it’s a refreshing way to hydrate on a summer day!

What Is Zobo Drink?

Zobo drink is a popular African drink made from dry hibiscus leaves. This deep-red tea is served as a refreshment during parties and special events.

As a young child, this hibiscus tea was something we looked forward to enjoying during the school breaks.

Although we call this delicious sorrel tea Zobo drink in Nigeria, it is also known as Bissap juice or Sobolo in other parts of Africa.

What Does Zobo Taste Like?

Zobo leave (sorrel leave) is sour and tart with a noticeable acidic flavor, unlike anything I’ve ever tried.

Although some compare these dry hibiscus flowers to a taste similar to raspberry, I feel like it tastes more like cranberries.

Facts About Zobo Drink

• Sorrel leaves grow abundantly in many parts of Africa, including Nigeria.
• Zobo drink can be enjoyed any time of the day.
• Hibiscus tea is rich in vitamin C, iron, and antioxidants.
• See this article for the potential health benefits of hibiscus flowers.

Zobo Drink Ingredients

The ingredients for Zobo drink vary around Africa and even among my family members. Here are my tried-and-true ingredients for zobo drink:

• 2-4 cups dried Zobo leaves
• 8 cups of water
• Ripe pineapple chunks or rind
• 6 thumbs of Ginger
• 2 tbsps Cloves (optional)
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 3 cups of sugar (as needed)

Ingredient Substitutions For African Hibiscus Tea

Here are a few substitutions and additions you can try when preparing this African hibiscus drink:

Additions

With how easy it is to make sorrel tea, it comes as no surprise that there are a great variety of products you can add to “beef” up the taste of the drink. A few population additions are:

• Watermelon – you can add watermelon to add a sweet and juicy flavor (also a popular fruit in Nigeria).
• Orange – add a citrus boost to this dry hibiscus leaves tea.
• Citrus liqueur – add this mixed citrus liqueur for a more mature flavor.
• Ginger
• Cucumber
• Fresh mint leaves

Sugar

Honestly, if you’re comfortable drinking tea without sugar, you’ll enjoy this Nigerian hibiscus flower drink without the extra calories.

But if you have sweet tooth, as I do, here are a few substitutes:

• Honey
• Monk Fruit

Pineapple

Although adding pineapple is optional, you can substitute pineapple rind with pineapple chunks (the fleshy part of the pineapple).

And if you don’t have fresh pineapple readily available, you can try this recipe with canned pineapple chunks.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is also another optional product. If you don’t have cinnamon sticks on hand, cinnamon spice will more than suffice.

How to Make Zobo Drink

There are several ways to make Zobo drink. You can make Zobo drink plain, with pineapple and ginger, or with watermelon.

You can also make this drink without sugar. It all comes down to personal preference.

In this recipe, I’ll be showing you how to make Nigerian zobo drink with pineapple and ginger for the perfect kick!

1. Rinse the Zobo leaves (Hibiscus leaves) thoroughly with cold water to remove any dust and dirt. 
2. Place the washed leaves into a large stockpot and add the water, cinnamon stick, pineapple chunks/rind, ginger, and cloves.
3. Bring mixture to a boil and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and adjust the sugar level to your taste.
5. Allow to cool then remove the zobo leaves, pineapple rind, and cinnamon with a colander followed by a cheesecloth.
6. Transfer zobo drink to a jug and refrigerate.
7. Optional: Garnish with pineapple chunks, lemon, or cucumber.
8. Serve cold. Enjoy!

Tips About Zobo Drink Recipe

As long as you properly wash your sorrel leaves before boiling them, it’s really hard to mess up this hibiscus tea.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• The deep red color of zobo leaves can STAIN your clothes. Once this happens, it can be hard removing the stain. Caution for the preparer and the consumers of this refreshing drink 😉
• If possible sieve the zobo leaves out of the mixture a minimum of two times especially if the dry zobo leaves you get are super small. I recommend using a colander or mesh sieve. Part of what makes this drink enjoyable is the clean, smooth taste.
• You can use a generous amount of water if you need to make a bigger batch. The more concentrated your mixture, the higher the tart/bitter/sour taste (= more sugar).

Storage: How Many Days Can Zobo Drink Last?

While I always make my zobo drink on the day I plan on consuming it, I do not recommend drinking hibiscus drink after 24 hours if left unrefrigerated.

Zobo drink is best consumed within 48 hours of preparation of refrigeration. Freezing seems like a great idea if you need to keep it longer than a couple of days.

Alternatively, prepare this Nigerian drink in small batches, when desired.

FAQ About Zobo Drink

Is Zobo drink healthy?

It depends! Zobo is considered a healthy food but the preparation can make it less of a healthy drink. The particular culprit is sugar. Keep the amount of sugar you add to a minimum to enjoy this healthy drink.

Conclusion

If you’ve never had the chance to try zobo drink before, now is your opportunity!

So if you’re looking for a refreshing drink to hydrate on a hot day, or you want to enjoy something special, give zobo drink a try.

Zobo leaves are easy to find and make, and it’s definitely one of the best African drinks around.

Have you tried dried hibiscus flower drink before? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!

I hope you found this Nigerian zobo drink recipe helpful. For more African food ideas, check out our complete List of Nigerian food you should absolutely try. Here are a few suggestions for you:

• How To Make Perfect Nigerian Jollof Rice Every Time
• This is the BEST moi moi recipe EVER!! (Nigerian version)
• How To Mix A Chapman Fanta Cocktail – Nigerian Version
• Crazy Good Blackberry Basil Manischewitz Mojito Recipe
• Easy Homemade Copycat Starbucks Caramel Brulee Latte