Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
Sip on this Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe for a cool pick-me-up. After making this dozens of times, I’ve perfected the balance of mint and lemon verbena. The fresh, invigorating taste will make your taste buds dance. Keep reading for my best tips or jump to the recipe card. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Coconut Milk Snack Cake Recipe for Cozy Desserts and Easy Broccoli Pasta Recipe with Garlic and Parmesan.
Why This Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe Is Pure Comfort
- Cools you down on hot summer days
- Easy to make with just a few ingredients
- Customize the sweetness to your liking
- Better than store-bought, with no artificial flavors
What You'll Need for Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Water
- Sugar
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Lemon Verbena Leaves
- Lemon Slices
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Lemon Verbena Leaves
- Lemon Juice
- Optional: Ice Cubes
- Optional: Lemon Slices
- Optional: Mint Sprigs
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Mint Leaves: Use 1 cup packed leaves for a strong mint flavor, or adjust to taste.
- Lemon Verbena Leaves: Lemon verbena has a strong lemon flavor, so start with 1/2 cup and adjust as needed.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer — Effortlessly mixes large batches of iced tea. → See on Amazon
- OXO Good Grips Adjustable Measuring Cup — Accurately measures water and other liquids for your iced tea. → See on Amazon
How to Make Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
- Step 1: In a large pot, combine 8 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Step 2: Add 1 cup of packed fresh mint leaves and 1/2 cup of fresh lemon verbena leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes.
- Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Step 5: Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Discard the solids.
- Step 6: Fill glasses with ice cubes, lemon slices, and mint sprigs (optional). Pour the iced tea over the ice and serve.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
- : For a stronger flavor, let the mixture steep for up to 30 minutes.
- Common mistake and fix: Avoid over-steeping, as it can make the iced tea bitter. If this happens, dilute with more water or add a bit more sugar to balance the flavor.
- : Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less sugar to suit your taste.
- : For a less strong mint flavor, use less mint leaves or remove them earlier during the steeping process.
Storing & Reheating Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover iced tea in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make this iced tea up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Freezing Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
Not applicable.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not applicable. Microwave: Not applicable.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a fun twist, add a splash of your favorite fruit juice or a handful of berries to the pitcher for a fruity iced tea.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the lemon verbena with lemon zest or lemon balm for a similar flavor.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the iced tea mixture up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Scaling: Easily double or triple the recipe to serve a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the iced tea is too strong, dilute it with water or add more ice to the glasses.
Want to level up this recipe?
Fellow Stagg EKG+ Electric Kettle — Heats water to the perfect temperature for steeping herbs and ensures consistent results. → Check price on Amazon
Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Water
- Sugar
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Lemon Verbena Leaves
- Lemon Slices
Seasonings
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Lemon Verbena Leaves
- Lemon Juice
Optional Toppings
- Ice Cubes
- Lemon Slices
- Mint Sprigs
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large pot, combine 8 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Step 2: Add 1 cup of packed fresh mint leaves and 1/2 cup of fresh lemon verbena leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes.
- Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Step 5: Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Discard the solids.
- Step 6: Fill glasses with ice cubes, lemon slices, and mint sprigs (optional). Pour the iced tea over the ice and serve.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a fun twist, add a splash of your favorite fruit juice or a handful of berries to the pitcher for a fruity iced tea.
- Best substitution: You can substitute the lemon verbena with lemon zest or lemon balm for a similar flavor.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the iced tea mixture up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Scaling: Easily double or triple the recipe to serve a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the iced tea is too strong, dilute it with water or add more ice to the glasses.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover iced tea in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Not applicable.
- Oven reheat: Not applicable.
- Microwave reheat: Not applicable.
- Make ahead: You can make this iced tea up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 50
- Protein: 0g
- Fat: 0g
- Carbs: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sat. Fat: 0g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make the iced tea mixture up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Over-steeping can make the iced tea bitter. If this happens, dilute it with more water or add a bit more sugar to balance the flavor.
While this iced tea is perfect for summer, you can enjoy it year-round. Just adjust the amount of ice and serve it chilled.
You can substitute lemon verbena with lemon zest or lemon balm for a similar flavor.
While you can freeze the iced tea, it may become watery when thawed. It's best to make it fresh or store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
