Dirty Matcha Latte: A Delicious Vegan Caffeine Boost

The dirty matcha latte — just like a dirty chai — is a shot of espresso in your milk tea. Add a caffeine boost to your matcha latte with espresso and fall in love with the dirty matcha.

A dirty matcha latte is a great way to mix green tea and coffee together. If you want an earthy bittersweet drink to make at home or at work, the dirty matcha latte has got you. Here is how to make one:

Vegan Dirty Matcha Ingredients

When making your dirty matcha, the key ingredients you will need are:

• Milk Alternative: Coconut milk works best to sweeten the bitterness of coffee and espresso, but other options include oat, soy, almond, and macadamia nut milk. Read more: What Is the Best Plant-Based Milk, and Should You Make the Swap?
• Espresso: whether stove top or a machine, you can decide if you want one shot or two. 
• Matcha powder: look for organic matcha powder

Matcha is a special grind of green teas traditionally from East Asia. When buying matcha, it is important to make sure it is ethically sourced and grown. It also has a lower carbon and water footprint than coffee.

Did you know that espresso pairs well with some other unexpected options? Try orange juice and espresso together to start your day, for example!

Recipe for Vegan Dirty Matcha Latte — Hot or Iced

First, let’s look at how to make a dirty matcha latte, if you want the color gradient between white, coffee, and green.

1. Steam or heat your coconut or alternative vegan milk. 
2. While it heats up, add ½ teaspoon matcha powder to a cup or mug.
3. Pour the hot milk over the matcha powder and stir.
4. Make however many espresso shots you want in the drink and pour them onto the matcha.

To make a refreshing iced dirty matcha latte for those hot summer days, use the following steps: 

1. Add ½ teaspoon matcha powder to a cup or mug.
2. Pour fresh cold coconut or vegan alternative milk.
3. Use a shaker to shake the cold milk and matcha powder.
4. Add ice.
5. Pour your hot espresso in over the top.
6. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes. 

If you want to get the espresso and matcha to mix more evenly, it’s better to pour in your espresso after the milk rather than before. This way the espresso will bond with the milk already saturated in the matcha. 

Dirty Matcha Health Benefits

Matcha is a very healthy green tea to consume. Your green tea matcha is also full of antioxidants, boosts metabolism, rich in fibers and vitamin C, and naturally detoxifies the body. Because of the way it is ground and produced, you consume 100 percent of the matcha leaf whenever you drink some. This means you are getting a full punch of its benefits every time. 

Espresso also has potential health benefits, including boosting energy levels, lower risk of diabetes, may support weight management, and is linked to a lower risk of depression.

Read more:

• Matcha Cookie Recipe: Vegan Green Tea Treats
• Golden Matcha Latte Recipe (Vegan)
• Coconut Milk vs. Almond Milk: Which is Better for You and the Planet?

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Tags: Guide recipe Vegan