Homemade iced tea with lemon and mint is tea bags and half the mint steeped in hot water at about 70°C (158°F) for 5 minutes, then added to a pitcher of cold water with lemon slices, lemon juice, the remaining mint, and sugar, and chilled for 30 minutes over ice. It takes 10 minutes of preparation and 5 minutes of steeping, and serves 4.
A favorite summer drink: fresh, inexpensive, and made with very simple ingredients.
How to Make Iced Tea?
Use the tea you like, green, white, or black, and flavor it with lemon, orange, or peach juice. Do not oversteep, or it turns bitter.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of iced tea with lemon and mint contains approximately 70 kcal, 0 g of protein, 0 g of fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 18 g of carbohydrates, 18 g of sugars, and 5 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Iced Tea with Lemon and Mint Recipe
Preparation: 10 minutes (plus 30 minutes of chilling)
Cooking: 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 liter (4 cups) of cold water
- Hot water
- 4 tea bags
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 lemons
- Mint leaves
- Ice
Instructions
- Put the tea bags and half the mint leaves in a large bowl, cover with hot water at about 70°C (158°F), and steep for about 5 minutes, gently pressing the mint to release its aroma.
- In a large pitcher of at least 1½ liters, add 1 sliced lemon, 10 to 15 of the remaining washed mint leaves, and the sugar. Add the cold water, the juice of the other lemon, and finally the tea. Stir well, adjust the sweetness, and add ice to taste. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Serve the iced tea right away, very cold, with more ice if you like.
Additional Tips
Do not oversteep
Five minutes is enough; longer steeping makes the tea bitter.
Dissolve the sugar
Add the sugar while the tea is warm, or stir well in the pitcher so it dissolves.
Other flavors
Swap lemon for orange or peach juice.
Sweetener swap
Use the chart to replace sugar with your preferred sweetener.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black tea | Green tea | 4 bags | Lighter, grassy |
| Sugar | Honey | 3 tbsp | Floral |
| Lemon | Peach | 2 | Fruitier |
| Mint | Spearmint | To taste | Sweeter herbal note |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which tea is best for iced tea?
Any you like: black tea gives a classic flavor, green or white tea a lighter one.
2. Why steep at 70°C?
Water at about 70°C extracts the flavor without much bitterness, especially from green and white teas.
3. How long does it keep?
Up to 2 days covered in the fridge; add the ice when serving so it does not dilute.
Benefits of Tea
Tea is hydrating and contains antioxidants, and unsweetened it has almost no calories.
Did You Know?
The earliest records of tea drinking come from ancient China, where legend says a leaf fell into Emperor Shen Nung’s pot of hot water and he found the drink refreshing.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
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