Chicory coffee: what is it; the pros & cons; how to make it at home

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October 1, 2025

On October 1, 2025

Introduction to Chicory Coffee

Chicory coffee is another thing I have Portugal to thank for. About 10 years ago, I became curious after seeing locals choosing between different brands on the shelves and bought a jar myself. It was actually a 70:30 mix of chicory and coffee.
Encouraged by this excellent formula, I then wanted to create my own personal blend of chicory coffee. Because chicory coffee is not only good for its taste, but also for other aspects: health and ethics.

What is Chicory Coffee

Chicory coffee is made from the roots of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus). The roots are washed, chopped, roasted and then ground. The extract obtained from chicory roots is called ‘coffee‘ because of its resemblance to the famous beverage in terms of colour and taste.
Today, it is used by many as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee (normally caffeine makes up about 1–2% of the weight of traditional coffee), but in the past, especially in Europe, it was an important substitute for coffee during wartime, when the traditional beverage was virtually impossible to find.

The benefits of chicory coffee

Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, antitumour, antioxidant, anthelmintic and prebiotic properties of chicory consumption (1, 2). Additionally, chicory has been shown to promote good digestion, regulate appetite and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal diseases.

Similar properties have also been identified in chicory root, which is processed into flour and used as a functional food(3, 4, 5). These properties include:

Anti-cancer: reducing the risk of tumour formation,
Antibacterial and antiviral properties, stimulating the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria while reducing the presence of pathogens, including in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (6);
Anti-diabetic: as it is hypoglycaemic and antioxidant, as well as being excellent at regulating appetite;
Lipid-lowering properties reduce the risk of liver disorders.
Antioxidant: helps reducing inflammation in all cells.
It improves digestion, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal diseases.
It is rich in minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium and potassium, and is therefore useful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

Excitingly, research into the beneficial effects of chicory and its components is ongoing around the world.

However, as with everything, there are some contraindications for certain categories of people, which we will explore below.

Cons of Chicory Coffee

Chicory root is rich in inulin, which is why people looking to increase their fibre intake use supplements containing inulin extract.
If you are one of these people, you should review the amount of chicory coffee you consume, as excessive inulin intake can cause bloating, flatulence and intestinal disorders.

Chicory root is also high in oxalates. If you have kidney problems or suffer from kidney stones, chicory coffee may not be suitable for you.
In any case, you should always consult your doctor.
If they agree, why not try a nice cup of homemade chicory coffee?

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Ingredients for a perfect Chicory Coffee

about ten wild chicory roots
oven
coffee grinder

Directions for an easy Chicory Coffee

Step 1. Wash the chicory roots thoroughly and use a brush to remove any soil.

Step 2. Using a sharp knife, cut them into small cubes or slices, as evenly as possible to prevent the small pieces from burning while the large ones roast.

Step 3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 80°C: before actually roasting the roots, we should first dehydrate them.
To do this, place the cubes or slices of chicory root on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dehydrate them for about an hour and a half or two.

Step 4. Then increase the temperature to 180°C and roast your chicory coffee. This will take 20–45 minutes, or until you can smell the pleasant aroma of coffee and the cubes have turned a nice hazelnut colour.

small pieces of roasted chicory roots on a baking paper

But how can you determine the right level of roasting for you? You could remove a few roasted roots from the oven without turning it off, grind them and steep them in hot water to see if you like the flavour, or roast them for a few more minutes to intensify it.

Step 5. Once roasted, the chicory coffee is ready to grind, but you can grind whenever you want. To do this, use either a manual or electric grinder.
It’s that simple.

roasted chicory root pieces are in a coffee grinder ready to be grinded

How to prepare chicory coffee

You can prepare chicory coffee in a moka pot as you would do with normal coffee, or add it to hot water like an infusion in a French press or in a coffee filter, like American coffee.

If using a moka pot, grind the chicory to the ideal size. If using a French press or American coffee filters, wait 1-2 minutes before filtering the infusion to allow the boiling water time to absorb the aroma.
I often opt for the infusion method, adding one and a half teaspoons of chicory to 100 ml of boiling water. After waiting for about a minute, I strain out the residue.
I prefer my coffee bitter, so I don’t add sugar. However, if you want some sugar in your cofffee, don’t add too much: chicory roots contain inulin, which gives the coffee a naturally sweet flavour.

Alternative uses for chicory coffee

If you don’t like the taste of homemade chicory coffee, you can try mixing it with espresso or instant coffee in proportions of 70:30 or 60:40 (the larger the proportion of chicory coffee, the better). This way, coffee and chicory blends strike the perfect balance between taste, health benefits and cost.

Enjoy your chicory coffee and happy revolution!

Bibliography
1) Perović J., Tumbas Šaponjac V., Kojić J., Krulj J., Moreno D.A., García-Viguera C., Bodroža-Solarov M., Ilić N. Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) as a food ingredient—Nutritional composition, bioactivity, safety, and health claims: A review. Food Chem. 2021;336:127676
2) Pouille CL, Ouaza S, Roels E, et al. Chicory: Understanding the Effects and Effectors of This Functional Food. Nutrients. 2022;14(5):957. Published 2022 Feb 23
3) Pouille C.L., Jegou D., Dugardin C., Cudennec B., Ravallec R., Hance P., Rambaud C., Hilbert J.L., Lucau-Danila A. Chicory root flour—A functional food with potential multiple health benefits evaluated in a mice model. J. Funct. Foods. 2020;74:104174
4) Puhlmann, Marie-Luise et al. “Dried chicory root improves bowel function, benefits intestinal microbial trophic chains and increases faecal and circulating short chain fatty acids in subjects at risk for type 2 diabetes.” Gut microbiome (Cambridge, England) vol. 3 e4. 28 Apr. 2022,
5) Birsa, Mihail Lucian, and Laura G Sarbu. “Health Benefits of Key Constituents in Cichorium intybus L.” Nutrients vol. 15,6 1322. 8 Mar. 2023,
6) Janda, Katarzyna et al. “The Common Cichory (Cichorium intybus L.) as a Source of Extracts with Health-Promoting Properties-A Review.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 26,6 1814. 23 Mar. 2021,