How to Make a Hot Matcha Latte (Plant Based)
There’s nothing better than a hot Matcha Latte to get your day started… Other than a 100% plant-based matcha latte. This vegan matcha latte recipe is easy to make from home, even if you’ve never made one before.
There’s no fuss here, or crazy barista skills needed. Just a minimalist, delicious, and healthy brew. Plus, it uses any plant-based milk you happen to have on hand. Let’s get into it.
Ingredients
1 gram (1/2 teaspoon) of Matcha
30 grams (2 tablespoons) of water
80 grams (1 cup) of Oatly or any plant-based milk
Instructions
Add 1 gram (about one scoop) of Matcha powder into a sifter or mesh strainer. Sift into a tall glass.
Pour in 30 grams (2 tablespoons) of hot (but not boiling) water, around 80°C, or 176°F.
Froth the Matcha and water using a frother, or just a whisk, until it's frothy. About 7-8 seconds.
Warm up (but don't boil) 80 grams (1 cup) of oat milk, and froth with a frother or whisk until frothy.
Pour frothed Matcha into a mug, then pour frothed milk over top.
(Optional) Sprinkle top with a pinch of Matcha powder.
Watch the Recipe Video
The Best Hot Matcha Latte
Frankly, I’ve never liked Matcha Lattes. Here in the United States, they were always sickly sweet and off-tasting. To make matters worse, the only place you can typically get a matcha latte is from Starbucks.
If you love Starbucks Matcha lattes, you should probably know…That the Starbucks matcha latte… actually has zero Matcha in it! If you read the ingredients carefully, they are clear that it’s made with “ground green tea.”
While real Matcha is in fact “ground green tea”… It has additional and specific processing steps that make it Matcha. That’s what gives matcha the characteristic umami, savory taste.
For example, tea leaves used to make Matcha are intentionally covered about 2 to 4 weeks before harvesting. This process is called Tea shading.
So not only is the Starbucks latte not actually Matcha, it’s not even healthy. In fact, over 50% of the Starbucks “Matcha Latte” powder is pure sugar! So, you can imagine that I’d have little to no interest in these sugary, fake drinks. But then, I went to Japan…
Tasting a Real Matcha Latte
While in Japan I had the great fortune to have a real Matcha latte. Real Matcha powder. No sugar. Simple.
Frankly, I’m so excited to share this recipe with you. You seriously deserve to have a real Matcha latte. In the morning it will give you a healthy, zestful energy to take on the day without the hard surge that coffee will give you.
Because maybe you didn’t know, but caffeine in Matcha doesn’t affect you the same way it does in coffee. So not only is Matcha packed with natural antioxidants… It also contains an amino-acid called L-theanine which alters caffeine’s effects on your body and helps you stay calm and alert at the same time.
But beyond any of that… This just tastes good. Truly, good. And it’s damn good for you.
How to Make a Hot Matcha Latte
Using Matcha for the first time can be intimidating. It’s very different from other green teas, or from coffee. There’s a bit of a process, which we’ll go through together now.
Getting the Water Ready
First up, get your kettle on.
You want the temperature to be under boiling. Set it to 80°C, or 176°F.
It’s important to keep the water below boiling. If you don’t have a fancy kettle, it’s cool. Just bring the water to a boil and leave it cool for 5 or 10 minutes. If you use straight-up boiling water you’ll ruin your Matcha.
Selecting the Matcha
Next up: the Matcha. Don’t skimp, don’t be like Starbucks. No “green tea powder” with lots of sugar.
You don’t need to drop a ton of cash, but try to get “ceremonial” grade Matcha. And if you are not sure how to recognize quality Matcha, you can take a look at our article Ceremonial Vs Culinary Matcha here.
Extra info: If you were curious to know, Starbucks shops in Japan do use real Matcha powder (even if the quality is not always the best). But they still use a lot of sugar, meaning it’s not that different from the one you drink in the USA.
For the Matcha, use a small spoon and scoop up some powder. In the photo above, I used a traditional bamboo Matcha scooper, also known as a Chashaku. That’s not necessary.
Here’s the other thing: you don’t need to be super precise. 1 gram of Matcha is good, but no real need to weigh it…
Once you get it scooped up, using a spoon or whatever, throw it in a mesh strainer.
Sifting the Matcha
The goal here is to break apart the clumps of Matcha powder. Static electricity holds the particles together.
Why’s that a big deal? Well… if you don’t sift it then it sticks together just like hot cocoa when you pour water on it. Those clumps will screw up the texture.
Once you put the Matcha in the mesh strainer you can use your spoon to carefully push it through. Don’t push too hard. Just some light pressure will cause the powder to fall through.
Also, a quick note. You don’t need to sift the Matcha powder. It will just make it easier to mix with water and give you a smoother consistency.
Grab your kettle… it’s time for the fun part.
Frothing Your Matcha
We need to add water to our Matcha now. You don’t need much. About 30 to 60 grams, about 2 or 3 tablespoons.
Just like with measuring the Matcha, you don’t exactly need to be a perfectionist here. In fact, the less water the easier it is to froth up.
It’s a common beginner Matcha mistake to add too much water — don’t make that mistake. Anyhow, once you have your water it’s time to froth it. I use a typical frothing wand for frothing milk.
If you don’t have a milk frother, you can just use a typical whisk.
You only need to froth the matcha for about 8 seconds. You’ll notice that it will start to look creamy.
Finally, I’ll give it a few swirls to even it out. That foam on top or “froth” is known as crema. You’re looking for that with your Matcha (it’s a lot like espresso). It has a creamy, smooth texture that comes from millions of miniature air bubbles.
Getting Your Oat Milk Ready
As far as plant based milk go, I found Oat Milk to be the best. Specifically, Oatly. That said, any kind of plant milk will work… but it might not froth up quite as beautifully.
You can use the same froth stick as you used for the Matcha. Or… you can use a cheap milk frother counter top unit.
I used the counter unit because it has the advantage of warming the milk while whipping it up.
But warming the milk on your stove top is just as fine. Just don’t bring it to a boil or anything.
Once this is done, you’ll have a lush dollop of whipped plant milk. Now, let’s grab your cup to make the Matcha latte!
Making the Latte
We’re at the final stretch now. Grab a cup. Ideally a Bizenware cup, which retains heat better than ceramic or glass.
Give your Matcha a swirl, and pour it into your (ideally pre-warmed) cup.
This step is so refreshing.
At this point, you could just stop and drink your Matcha. But we’re going for the Latte version, so take your foamed milk, and pour it on.
You can also sprinkle some extra Matcha powder left in your strainer to spruce it up.
Better for social media… if nothing else. But I’ve got to admit, it does look nice.
And there you have it. The best plant-based, and vegan, Matcha Latte. Easily made at home with no special tools.
As good as the real thing from Japan… because this is the real thing! Tons of hyperbole online about the “best” Matcha latte. But trust me on this… This one actually is.
Give it a Try
Alright, so you’ve got the tools and steps to brew it up yourself. Give it a try, and let me know in the comments what you think about it. Or if you have your own twists on the original latte, tell me that too. We read all the comments on the Ooika blog, and respond to everyone.
And if you are looking for authentic Japanese Matcha to make a really delicious Latte, look no further. At Ooika, we stone-mill Japan’s most rare single-cultivar Matcha right here in the US to ensure unrivaled freshness. You can buy our freshly-ground Matcha here.
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