Kava Recipe Ideas: 3 Creative Ways to Enjoy This Calming Root

Ah, kava: the root of all stress relief. Used for thousands of years by Polynesian communities across the Pacific for fostering community, spiritual traditions, welcome ceremonies, and more, this root is now available across the world.

But considering the diversity of cultures that use kava, it should be no surprise that there are a lot of different kava drink recipes. From traditionally prepared kava straight from the Pacific Islands to delicious kava mocktails, here are our favorite recipe ideas for making drinks at home using kava root powder or the more potent kava extract.

Kava Recipe #1: Traditional Fijian Kava

One of the most well-known traditional preparations of kava is the Fijian method. Also known as grog, this recipe is incredibly simple and gives you a lot of control over the potency of your drink. This recipe is best for either bulk preparation for solo drinking or social events where you’ll need a large amount of kava.

PREP TIME	2-5 minutes
MIX TIME	5-10 minutes
SERVINGS	3 servings (or bilo)
MATERIALS	Porous and loosely woven cloth bag, such as muslin or cheesecloth Mixing bowl Serving spoon Small cups or coconut shells
INGREDIENTS	4-6 tbsp. kava root powder, depending on potency preference 2-3 cups cold water

Traditional Fijian Kava Recipe Instructions

1. Add your kava powder to your cloth bag. This recipe doesn’t really have exact measurements; the more you add, the stronger it is. Typically, Fijians will add anywhere from four to six tablespoons of powder.
2. Wrap the bag opening and keep it tightly closed with your fist while pouring cold water over the bag. Squeeze and massage the bag in the water as you pour. The more water you add, the more diluted and less potent your drink will be. We recommend only adding about 2-3 cups of water.
3. Potency and flavor is up to the drinker. The darker the water is, the more potent it will be. Alternate between kneading the bag in water and lifting it out to wring water out until you achieve the preferred strength. In this kava recipe, we recommend doing this for 5-10 minutes.
4. Mix with a ladle or large serving spoon for around a minute to make sure the powder is properly dispersed, then serve into small cups. You may want to save the bag with the washed powder for a second wash or brew; otherwise, discard it.

Tips For Drinking Traditional Fijian Kava

1. Kava has a very strong taste that lingers. It’s typically eaten with a snack as a chaser, such as chips or candy.
2. Consider adding some milk (either dairy or non-dairy), which can take away some of the bitterness.
3. Unlike the kava drink recipes we’ll share later, this is a drink meant to be downed all at once like a shot of alcohol.

Kava Recipe #2: Kava Mojito

Kava is often used as an alternative to alcohol, so it shouldn’t be surprising that there are cocktail recipes that substitute shots for kava! One great example is a kava mojito, which uses kava root extract powder as a base.

PREP TIME	30 minutes
MIX TIME	5-10 minutes
SERVINGS	1 serving
MATERIALS	Mixing glass OR cocktail shaker Serving glass
INGREDIENTS	1-3g 30% kavalactones extract OR .5g-1.5g 70% kavalactones extract 1 cup iced mint tea (Moroccan Mint tea recommended; brand does not matter) 4 oz. lime juice Ice cubes Fresh mint leaves

Preparation

1. Brew 1 cup of mint tea. If in pre-packaged tea bags, follow the brewing instructions on the packaging.
2. Chill tea in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.

Mojito Kava Recipe Instructions

1. Add the chilled mint tea and lime juice to your mixing glass or cocktail shaker.
2. Add kava extract (with potency of your choice).
3. Stir and shake thoroughly to incorporate.
4. Fill your serving glass with ice cubes.
5. Pour the stirred kava-mint tea mixture into glass over the ice.
6. Garnish with mint leaves.

Tips For Drinking a Kava Mojito

1. Stir the drink occasionally to prevent the kava powder from settling at the bottom of the glass.
2. Due to its increased potency, measure out your kava extract carefully. Only add the amount of extract to this kava drink recipe you know you can enjoy.

Kava Recipe #3: Tropical Kava Smoothie

With its tropical origins and relaxing properties, what better drink to add kava to than a fruit smoothie? This recipe is perfect for hot days when you need something that’s both refreshing and healthy!

PREP TIME	3-15 minutes
COOK TIME	5 minutes
SERVINGS	1 serving
MATERIALS	Blender Knife and cutting board
INGREDIENTS	1-3g 30% kavalactones extract OR .5g-1.5g 70% kavalactones extract 1 frozen sliced banana ¼ cup fresh pineapple 1.5 cups of orange juice ¼ cup milk 2-5 ice cubes

Preparation

1. If bought fresh and whole, slice the banana, put it in a resealable bag, and store the bag overnight in the freezer to freeze. Skip this step if you have frozen bananas.
2. If bought fresh, cut up the pineapple. Skip this step if you purchased canned pineapples.

Kava Smoothie Recipe Instructions

1. Add all liquid ingredients to the blender.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Blend until the smoothie is a consistent texture.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Find Your Calm Naturally With MN Nice Ethnobotanicals

Ready to experience kava with one of our kava drink recipes? You can buy kava online at MN Nice Ethnobotanicals. Our kava is just one of many ethnobotanicals for sale on our site. 

You can buy blue lotus to complement your pursuit of relaxation, or buy amanita muscaria mushrooms to join a long history of pursuing spiritual and mental wellness through all-natural means. Add kava to your wellness journey with fun recipes from MN Nice Ethnobotanicals!