Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
Sip on this Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea for a cool, invigorating pick-me-up. After making this for countless summer cookouts, I’ve discovered the perfect balance of mint and lemon verbena for a better-than-takeout experience. Keep reading for my best tips on achieving the perfect iced tea. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Pancake Tacos Recipe for a Fun Breakfast or Brunch and Crispy Baked Potato Skins with Cheddar and Greek Yogurt.
Why This Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout Is Pure Comfort
- Perfectly balanced mint and lemon verbena flavor
- Easy to make and ready in just 15 minutes
- Better than store-bought or takeout, and free of artificial flavors
What You'll Need for Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- Water
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh lemon verbena leaves
- Lemon slices
- Sugar or honey (optional)
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh lemon verbena leaves
- Lemon slices
- Optional: Sugar or honey (optional)
đź“ť Ingredient Notes
- Fresh mint leaves: Use 1 cup of packed leaves for a strong mint flavor.
- Fresh lemon verbena leaves: Use 1/2 cup of packed leaves for a subtle lemon verbena flavor.
đź›’ Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Stainless Steel Mesh Infuser — Ensures even steeping and easy removal of leaves. → See on Amazon
- High-Quality Glass Pitcher — Keeps iced tea cold and fresh for hours. → See on Amazon
How to Make Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
- Step 1: In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Step 2: Add 1 cup of packed fresh mint leaves and 1/2 cup of packed fresh lemon verbena leaves to the water. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large glass pitcher. Discard the leaves.
- Step 5: Add 1/2 cup of sugar or honey (optional) and stir until dissolved. Add 4 cups of cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
- Step 6: Add lemon slices to the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over ice and enjoy!
Cook's Tips for Perfect Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
- Common mistake and fix: Using too many mint leaves can make the iced tea taste like toothpaste. To prevent this, use 1 cup of packed leaves for a strong mint flavor, or adjust to taste.
- : For a stronger lemon verbena flavor, use 3/4 cup of packed leaves instead of 1/2 cup.
- : To make this iced tea ahead of time, prepare the mixture without the cold water and lemon slices. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then add cold water and lemon slices before serving.
Storing & Reheating Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the mixture without cold water and lemon slices up to 24 hours ahead. Add cold water and lemon slices before serving.
Freezing Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
Not recommended.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not applicable. Microwave: Not applicable.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a stronger mint flavor, use 1 1/2 cups of packed mint leaves instead of 1 cup.
- Best substitution: Substitute fresh lemon verbena leaves with 1/4 cup of dried lemon verbena leaves, increasing the steeping time to 15 minutes.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the mixture without cold water and lemon slices up to 24 hours ahead. Add cold water and lemon slices before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the iced tea is too strong, dilute it with additional cold water until it reaches your desired taste.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-Quality Glass Pitcher — Keeps iced tea cold and fresh for hours, paying for itself vs. buying takeout. → Check price on Amazon
Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Water
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh lemon verbena leaves
- Lemon slices
- Sugar or honey (optional)
Seasonings
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh lemon verbena leaves
- Lemon slices
Optional Toppings
- Sugar or honey (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Step 2: Add 1 cup of packed fresh mint leaves and 1/2 cup of packed fresh lemon verbena leaves to the water. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 3: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large glass pitcher. Discard the leaves.
- Step 5: Add 1/2 cup of sugar or honey (optional) and stir until dissolved. Add 4 cups of cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
- Step 6: Add lemon slices to the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over ice and enjoy!
Notes
- Chef tip: For a stronger mint flavor, use 1 1/2 cups of packed mint leaves instead of 1 cup.
- Best substitution: Substitute fresh lemon verbena leaves with 1/4 cup of dried lemon verbena leaves, increasing the steeping time to 15 minutes.
- Make-ahead: Prepare the mixture without cold water and lemon slices up to 24 hours ahead. Add cold water and lemon slices before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If the iced tea is too strong, dilute it with additional cold water until it reaches your desired taste.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended.
- Oven reheat: Not applicable.
- Microwave reheat: Not applicable.
- Make ahead: Prepare the mixture without cold water and lemon slices up to 24 hours ahead. Add cold water and lemon slices before serving.
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 – Better Than Takeout FAQs
Yes, prepare the mixture without cold water and lemon slices up to 24 hours ahead. Add cold water and lemon slices before serving.
Using too many mint leaves can make the iced tea taste too strong. To prevent this, use 1 cup of packed leaves for a strong mint flavor, or adjust to taste.
Yes, substitute 1/4 cup of dried mint leaves for 1 cup of fresh mint leaves, increasing the steeping time to 15 minutes.
Store leftover iced tea in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
No, the air fryer is not suitable for making iced tea.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Refreshing Mint and Lemon Verbena Iced Tea – Better Than Takeout 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!
