If you're asking yourself, "What goes good with green tea?" Then you're in the right place! I'll share the 10 food and green tea pairings you'll want to try right away.
Green tea got its name from the color of the leaves it came from. Unlike other teas, green tea is lightly oxidized, so the green color of the leaves remains slightly the same.
When paired with certain types of food, green tea can enhance the flavor you taste, both from the tea and the paired food. In this article, we’ll show you some of the foods that pair well with green tea.
Though I usually focus on Japanese green tea, in this article, I'll introduce green tea from different countries and how each pairs with different types of food.
The Wonders Of Pairing Tea With Food
Just like how we add spices to our food, tea can bring out the best flavor of food when the pairing is right. It’s the same as adding seasoning to a soup or marinating a chicken. Most delivery companies also offer green tea to complement their healthy and delicious meal prep menu.
When done right, tea can make a wonderful snack when paired with the right food. Tea can be paired with almost any type of food, and it will complement it remarkably. That just shows how tea is an incredibly flexible beverage.
If you’re not much of a tea connoisseur, then you may not know there are numerous varieties of green tea, and each one has a unique aroma. While China alone has over a thousand tea tastes, there are some of the main flavors you might come across in Japan, China, and Sri Lanka.
Interestingly, there are actually three flavors of green tea with different food pairings.
- Vegetal Green Tea: Vegetal green tea usually comes from Japan. An example of Japanese green tea is Sencha green tea. They have a grassy flavor that can be compared to seaweed. They’re paired best with seafood, which is why it’s popular in Japan to have tea when eating sushi.
- Smoky Green Tea: Smoky green tea is commonly produced in China. It got its name from the slight smokiness it gets from manufacturing. They’re paired best with slightly stronger-flavored foods than seafood. Examples of foods to pair with smoky green tea are chicken, turkey, light stir-fry, root vegetables, and light-style pizzas. Smoky green tea doesn’t go well with sweets, as they bring out the bitterness of the tea.
- Fruity Green Tea: Fruity green tea is mostly associated with India or Sri Lanka. They’re paired best with light meats like chicken. Greasy or deep-fried light meats don’t go well with it. They’re sometimes used as iced tea because of their natural sweetness. Because of this natural sweetness, fruity green tea pairs well with fruit salads, sandwiches, and unsweetened pastries.
10 foods you need to try to pair green tea with
Green tea is a popular tea worldwide, so it’s no surprise people try to experiment with what pairs well with it. Here are some of the foods you can pair green tea with for a wonderful tea experience full of rich flavors and culture.
1. Seafood
Seafood provides a grassy and bitter aftertaste that’s good for the palate. Vegetal green tea usually comes from Japan. An example of Japanese green tea is Sencha green tea. They have a grassy flavor that can be compared to seaweed. They’re paired best with seafood, which is why it’s popular in Japan to have tea when eating sushi.
2. Japanese Food
Japanese food and green tea are healthy combinations that pack a lot of flavor. Japan’s cuisine contains mainly seafood and noodles, which pair well with green tea. If you want to experience a Japanese style of drinking tea, you should try sencha tea paired with Japanese cuisine.
Sencha has a balance of acidity and sweetness that pairs well with the flavors of Japanese cuisine. The Japanese foods also enhance the flavor of Sencha green tea, which makes this pairing a heavenly match.
(By the way, did you know green tea is also used in many cocktails? Here are 10 trendy recipes for you to try!)
3. Chocolate Desserts
Chocolate desserts are actually great when paired with green tea. Chocolate contains cocoa, which gives it a bitter taste. Dark chocolate contains more cocoa than other chocolates, giving it an intensely bitter taste. You’ll want to pair it with fruity green tea to harmonize the flavors from the bitterness of cocoa and the sweetness of the green tea.
If you’re looking to eat sweet types of chocolate (like milk chocolate), vegetarian green tea is a good pair for it. The slightly bitter and vegetal taste of green tea helps enhance the sweet flavor of the chocolate.
4. Barbeque Dinners
Instead of beer, try green tea with barbecue dinners. Green tea can also be an alternative to beer for a barbecue party. Especially if you’re not a beer drinker or trying to quit drinking, green tea can be a great and healthy alternative for you.
Gunpowder green tea, in particular, pairs great with barbecue foods. Its wood-barrel-smoky flavor complements the taste of smokey barbecues well.
5. Pan-fried Chicken
Pan-fried chicken and green tea are favorites among Chinese cuisines. The smoky flavor you get from smoky green tea pairs well with it. Smoky green tea helps reduce the greasy mouth feeling you get from eating pan-fried chicken. That’s why the Chinese accompany teas like oolong when eating foods dipped in oil.
If you’re preparing pan-fried turkey for the holidays, green tea also pairs well with it. If you want a really great combination, go for Chinese green tea. You also experience a different blend of green tea and how China consumes its tea.
6. Pizzas With Root Vegetable Toppings
Green tea and pizzas with root vegetable toppings actually pair well. Smoky green teas, in particular, with their intense flavors, help balance out the flavor you taste from root vegetables in pizza, giving you a unique blend of flavor in your mouth.
7. Unsweetened Pastries
Fruity green teas make unsweetened pastries taste a lot sweeter because of their natural sweetness. This is great for afternoon tea parties if you don’t want to consume sugar or if you have a guest who doesn’t want to eat sugary snacks.
8. Whole Wheat Bread
Whole-wheat bread and green tea make for an energizing breakfast. Whole wheat and green tea are great healthy food choices and can make for a nutritious breakfast. Starting your morning with this pairing can kickstart your metabolism for a productive day. In addition, fruity green tea helps add flavor to whole wheat bread that doesn’t have much flavor.
(Don't throw your green tea leaves in the trash! Read about composting them instead in this article.)
9. Fruit Salads
Fruit salads and green tea have a taste I would describe as healthy sweetness. Not only does this provide good sugar, but it won’t make you hungrier, unlike refined sugars. Fruit salad and green tea combined can help alleviate your sugar craving.
The natural sweetness in them doesn’t do harm to your body. However, too much of anything is a bad thing, so consume in moderation.
10. Sandwiches
Sandwiches and green tea are delightful snacks packed with rich flavors. A sandwich on its own already contains a mixture of flavors that really satisfies your cravings. You pair it with green tea, and those flavors are enhanced even further. Make sure you use fruity green tea, as it’s the best pairing for sandwiches.
Final Thoughts
Tea is a very versatile beverage that you can pair with almost any food. But remember, tea also varies in flavor. Be mindful of what tea you’re drinking before pairing it with food. You can try and experiment with other foods, and you may find a new combination of flavors that will satisfy you.
Shop our green tea products to pair with one of these food options to discover your new favorite combination!
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About the author
Kei Nishida
Author, CEO Dream of Japan
Certification: PMP, BS in Computer Science
Education: Western Washington University
Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese green tea connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Green Tea Co., a Dream of Japan Company.
Driven by a deep desire to share the rich flavors of his homeland, he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—earning multiple Global Tea Champion awards.
Expanding his mission of introducing Japan’s finest to the world, Kei pioneered the launch of the first-ever Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee through Japanese Coffee Co. He also brought the artistry of traditional Japanese craftsmanship to the global market by making katana-style handmade knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time through Japanese Knife Co.
Kei’s journey continues as he uncovers and shares Japan’s hidden treasures with the world.
Learn more about Kei
