Fresh Mint Tea
Mint tea made with fresh mint and hot water, in your teacup in less than ten minutes! There’s nothing more comforting than a cup of fresh mint tea.
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why we love this recipe
Fresh mint tea is one of the ways I know that yes, spring is here for sure and summer is right behind it.
Because out of all my brave herbs out there in my kitchen barrel gardens, the mint is always the first one to leaf out, and just like that, the chilly weather is gone and summer is just around the corner.
And one the best ways to celebrate (especially on those spring days when there is still a little chill in the air) is a warm, sweet-smelling cup of the easiest tea in the world to make.
(Oh, and if you want to make the world’s easiest coffee cake to go with it, I have you covered for that! Or maybe a fruit filled glazed strawberry bread? I’ve got you covered there too!)
And yes, I know there are all kinds of mint tea bags out there to be had. But honestly? There’s nothing like tea made with a handful of fresh mint.
ingredients you need to make this recipe
ingredient notes and substitutions
Fresh mint: If you don’t have any growing in your back yard, fresh mint is pretty easy to find in the produce section of your supermarket.
And yes, you can use any variety you like, from spearmint to peppermint to chocolate mint (there is such a thing!)
how to make this recipe
(Scroll down for the handy complete printable recipe with nutrition info!)
STEP 1: Take about 4 or five good-sized stalks of mint. Now go find that teapot that I know you have somewhere. I have one that fits about 4 cups of hot water which is just about perfect.
STEP 2: Fill it up with hot water and let it sit for a few minutes to warm the pot up.
STEP 3: Now put a kettle of water on and wait until it is boiling merrily away. Next, take those mint stalks and give them a quick rinse with cool water. Now roll them between your palms a few times.
STEP 4: Pour the hot water out of your teapot and pop the mint, stems and all, into your warm teapot. Pour the boiling water over them until your teapot is full, and put the top on.
STEP 5: Now comes the hard part…you have to wait for FIVE full minutes to give your mint time to steep. Five minutes.
Go fold one load of laundry and come back – I know you have laundry! By this time your clothes are folded you have a pot of delicately light green, gently, deliciously mint-flavored tea.
Take a deep sniff of it before you take that first sip…ahhhhhhh. I like mine with just a teeny bit of sugar in it, but just plain mint is perfectly wonderful too.
recipe FAQs
Yes, yes, yes! I have both spearmint and orange mint growing outside my kitchen door, but you can use anything from traditional peppermint to chocolate mint (yes, there is such a marvelous thing) – experiment to find your fave!
The produce section of your supermarket will most likely have it next to the other herbs, but if you are lucky enough to have a farmer’s market nearby, you can buy a mint plant (or plants) and grow it either in an inside pot or outside. And places like Lowes and Home Depot will have mint (and other herbs) as well. Mint is very hardy and grows (and spreads) easily.
Letting the teapot sit filled with hot water will warm it up, which will keep your fresh mint tea warmer longer. (The Southern husband also does this with my tea mugs. Love him.)
This is going to release the mint oil in the leaves to give your tea the most flavor, and is also going to make your hands smell like summertime.
Drop it in the comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!
If you have some mint left over, you might want to use it in a mimosa fruit salad! Or maybe some minty lemonade iced tea?
One last little note: if you are lucky enough to have a tea cozy to put over your teapot, this is the time to bring it out.
A good friend of mine made me one (made me one!!) and when I put it on my pot of fresh mint tea, I feel like everything is right with the world.
And with that, it’s tea-time!
want to round out your meal?
We love a nice slice of coffee walnut banana bread with our tea! Or if you are more in a muffin mood, you can’t beat this recipe for easy banana muffins.
other tea recipes we love
could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section. Your thoughts and advice will help both us and your fellow readers. 🥰
Fresh Mint Tea
Mint tea made with fresh mint and hot water, in your teacup in less than ten minutes! There’s nothing more comforting than a cup of fresh mint tea.
- Prep Time: 8 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4–5 stalks of fresh mint, with stems
- 4 cups boiling water
- Sugar or honey, if desired
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- While water is boiling, fill a 4-6 cup teapot to the brim with hot water from the tap, and let it sit until the tea water boils.
- When the tea water is boiling, empty the now-warm teapot. Give the mint leaves a quick rinse with cool water. Roll the mint between your palms until it is slightly crushed. Place in teapot.
- Pour boiling water over the crushed mint, cover the teapot, and let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Pour into your favorite teacup, inhale deeply, and enjoy!
Notes
Fresh mint: You can find this in the produce section of your grocery store – any variety from regular spearmint to chocolate mint (yes, this wondrous plant exists!) will work. In the spring and summer, your local garden store will also have various varieties.
Rolling the mint: You are rolling the mint between your hands in order to release the oils inside the leaves that are so delicious. Your tea will taste better and your hands will smell delicious!
Warming the teapot: Filling your teapot with warm water, dumping it out and then refilling it with the water you are going to use to make the tea will ensure that your tea stays warm for as long as possible.
wonderful too mixed with a pot of coffee, and or a hot chocolate with oil, butter, ground cloves and honey. as you like! [butter coffee!]
can also recommend it poured over porridge oats with fruit and nuts.
ya great tastes and textures; happy health x
yes sorry to reply [ed?]; just to clarify, I did mean coffee porridge. two birds, one bowl
and too many extra ingredients to mention
Hi monkey! I bet it would be good ALL these different ways! :) Happy health to you, too.
aye, but to clarify likely well worth putting on coconut oil;
health awareness presumably useful for commodity investment
Both my husband and I Love this tea hot and poured over ice with just a touch of honey. Great way to use our mint.
Shelly! Thank you so much, both for your sweet comments and reminding me that this also makes a great iced tea! Happy Sunday. :)
Hey thanks for the instruction and nutrition facts of mint tea
Drinking mint tea helps you for better digestion, reduce pain of headaches and also it gives you fresher breath, thanks for this recipe.
Drinking mint tea helps you for better digestion, reduce pain of headaches and also it gives you fresher breath, thanks for this recipe.
The best thing will be to read this and make a nice cup of nice mint tea.
Hi Kitty, and I absolutely agree! :)
Hi, thank you for the recipe, but do I need to rinse the leaves before doing all that?
Hi Bonnie! You are so right that it’s always good to give the mint leaves a quick rinse with cool water before making them into tea. Thanks for that note – I will add it to the recipe!