Veggies in Your…Tea? Numi Organics Savory Tea Garden Sampler Review

I am a coffee drinker. But I am also a tea-drinker. And, really, there are few varieties of tea that I don’t like. Green, black, white, chai, roobios—I love ’em all! So when Numi Organics offered to send us its Savory Tea Garden Sampler to review, well, the tea-foodie (Or teaie? New word!) in me jumped with delight. Because, guys, included in the sampler pack are crazy-fun concoctions like Beet Cabbage, Tomato Mint, Fennel Spice, Spinach Chive, Carrot Curry and Broccoli Cilantro. Like a tea party, in your cup.

Not quite a soup, but more than your normal “tea,” these veggie-spice-tea blends were inspired by recipes from around the world. With no caffeine, the ingredient list is pretty dang amazing—and unique for a tea.

Each with five calories or fewer, they’re certified organic and verified non-GMO.

And I, of course, taste-tested each one.

They were unlike anything I’ve ever tasted in tea before. Like, ever. Here’s my play-by-play, stream-of-consciousness taste-test…
Beet Cabbage: Dude, look at that color! So red! So pretty! And I like beets and cabbage so I should love this, but…er…*sipping*…I don’t think I can finish this cup.
Tomato Mint: What is that?! It’s like roasted tomato and pasta sauce, but in tea form. Not overly minty, fairly mild. I like it…I think?
Fennel Spice: Whoa! That is a strong fennel smell. I’m not sure I like fennel that much. But, wait, it doesn’t actually taste that fennel-y. The celery root and onion come through, but it’s more mild. A little sweet, too. Kind of pleasant.
Spinach Chive: This smells just like I opened a fresh bag of spinach! Which is a good thing. The dill and turmeric really come through, with a hint of green onion. I can taste the spinach, and it’s oddly kind of nice.
Carrot Curry: Oh! This one is also mild, but kind of sweet. Fairly watered down, but the ginger is so nice in it. Me likey! Like, a lot!
Broccoli Cilantro: This stuff smells like steamed broccoli. Ick. And it tastes…very, very much like broccoli. And I like broccoli, but drinking it? Apparently, no. While I’m not tasting much cilantro, the black pepper and onion and garlic are coming on—strong. Too strong.
To say these are “unique” is an understatement. Each veggie tea I tried was so darn exotic. Carrot Curry was definitely my favorite, followed by Fennel Spice, Spinach Chive and Tomato Mint. Beet Cabbage and Broccoli Cilantro brought up the rear for me. All of them did have the ability to fill you up a bit—they were all more satisfying than your normal cup of tea, and it was almost like drinking a very watered-down form of soup.
While I’d probably rather eat all of these flavors rather than drink them in tea form, it’s certainly a cool concept and it was super fun to taste them. If you’re a true tea-lover and foodie, I can even see getting a pack of these and doing a little taste-test with friends. Like a garden-themed tea party! (Yes, I’m a dork.)
Ever tried vegetable tea? What flavors do you think you’d love—and totally pass on? —Jenn