Refreshing Mint Tea

By
Lindsey Goodwin
Lindsey Goodwin
Lindsey Goodwin is a food writer and tea consultant with more than 12 years of experience exploring tea production and culture.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/14/22
Tested by
Danielle Centoni
Danielle Centoni
Tested by Danielle Centoni

Danielle is a James Beard Award-winning food writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon.

Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Mint tea with lemon slice garnish

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 8 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
0 Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 0
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 5mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Fresh mint leaves give this mint tea recipe an alluring herbal aroma and flavor. Since this tea is made with an herb instead of tea leaves, it is considered an herbal tea or tisane and does not contain any caffeine. You can enjoy a cup of mint tea before bed without worries about it keeping you up.

You can vary the mint in this recipe as long as it's fresh. Peppermint or spearmint are classic choices, but other varieties will work just as well. You can even use a mixture of them. While you can use dried mint for tea, it doesn't compare to the flavor of fresh herbs. Serve it hot or iced, sweetened or unsweetened, and with or without lemon. It's easy to adjust to your taste and customize to each drinker.

If you love mint tea but prefer a caffeinated beverage, Moroccan mint tea made with a blend of green tea ​(that has caffeine) and mint leaves might be just the ticket. For a summer quencher, consider an ​​iced tea recipe. 

0:40

Click Play to See This Refreshing Mint Tea Come Together

"What a good reason to plant mint! Just a few leaves steeped in hot water makes for a refreshing and deliciously fresh tea that works well both hot and iced. I steeped the leaves for the full 5 minutes, pulled them out, and poured half into a mug and refrigerated the rest for iced tea." —Danielle Centoni

Refreshing mint tea in a mug with mint leaf
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 cups filtered water

  • 15 fresh mint leaves (peppermint or spearmint)

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (or honey), optional

  • 1 cup ice, optional

  • 2 lemon slices, optional

  • Fresh lemon juice, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Mint tea ingredients gathered

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  2. Bring the water to a boil.

    Boiling water for tea

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  3. Remove from the heat and add the fresh mint leaves. Steep for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired strength.

    Steeping mint leaves for tea in a saucepan with water

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  4. Add optional sweetener. Start with 1 teaspoon per cup and add more as desired.

    Adding honey to mint tea in the saucepan

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  5. If serving iced, fill tall glasses with ice and pour the tea over. If serving hot, pour the tea into mugs. Garnish with optional lemon slices and/or lemon juice to taste.

    Fresh mint tea with lemon wedge in a clear glass

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Recipe Variations

There are hundreds of varieties of fresh mint, and they are all good candidates for a mint herbal tea. Here are some of the more obscure types that make great tea:

  • Pineapple mint
  • Apple mint (woolly mint)
  • Ginger mint
  • Red raripila mint
  • Catmint
  • Chocolate mint
  • Orange mint
  • Lavender mint
  • Grapefruit mint
  • Calamint
  • Licorice mint
  • Basil mint
  • Chewing gum mint
  • Water mint
  • Corn or field mint

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