Not only is this basil iced tea incredibly easy to make, but the combination of basil and green tea create a light and sweet flavor that’s perfect for sipping.

What We Love About This Basil Iced Tea

Great coffee alternative: Get through your day with this instant pick-me-up. It’s made with green tea which, like coffee, contains a small amount of caffeine for an instant mood and energy boost.
Enjoyable all-year round: Unlike commercial iced teas, this recipe is made with freshly brewed green tea leaves, which are steeped for 10 minutes to bring out the flavor of the tea. The tea is then combined with freshly chopped basil leaves, which give the tea a unique and pleasant flavor.
So good and fresh: This basil iced tea has a light and sweet flavor with a hint of lemon and basil that just sets it apart from my other iced tea recipes.

Basil Iced Tea Ingredients

Lemon: Lemon adds a tart and citrusy element to this recipe. Make sure the lemon is thinly sliced so that it can also enhance the visual quality of the iced tea.
Dried Holy Basil: The inclusion of dried holy basil adds a fragrant and slightly peppery flavor to this iced tea. It’s not to be confused with sweet basil.
Green Tea: For this recipe, you can use green tea bags but if you have loose green tea leaves, those can work just as well. Steep for no longer than 10 minutes.
Honey: You can add honey if you prefer a sweeter iced tea.

How to Make Basil Iced Tea

Take your boiling water and add the ingredients. Add the dried holy basil, lemon slices, and green tea.
Let steep for 10 minutes. Once done, discard the tea bags or save them for later for a DIY eye mask.
Add sweetener. If using, this is when you’ll add the honey.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours. You can also place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Strain the mixture. You can use a sieve, tea strainer, or even a coffee filter.
Add ice. Serve chilled.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To make ahead: Brew the lemon slices and green tea for 10 minutes. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature then refrigerate with the dried holy basil in a covered container for at least 2 hours or overnight.
To freeze: Transfer the tea (without the ice) to an ice tray. Freeze until solid then transfer the ice cubes to an airtight container.

Recipe Variations

Add some fresh fruit slices. Consider adding slices of citrus fruits, berries, or even cucumber for a flavorful twist.
Try a cold brew. You can cold brew green tea by steeping the tea bags in cold water for 6-12 hours in the refrigerator. This method often results in a smoother taste.
Experiment with your green tea. Japanese sencha green tea works great with this recipe, but feel free to use your green tea of choice. There are many different varieties of green teas available, ranging from light and floral to dark and earthy.

Basil Iced Tea

Not only is this basil iced tea incredibly easy to make, but the combination of basil & green tea create a light & sweet flavor that's perfect for sipping.

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: glasses

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Ingredients

Instructions

Add the dried basil, lemon slices and green tea to boiling water and steep for 10 minutes.
Discard the tea bags.
Add the honey and stir to combine.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
Strain the mixture.
Pour into ice filled glasses and serve.

Notes

If making tea with fresh holy basil, use 4 tablespoons of fresh leaves.
Do not reuse tea bags because it will affect the intensity of the green tea flavor.
If using loose tea leaves, use one teaspoon of loose leaves per 1 cup of water.
To make a large batch, scale the recipe accordingly and serve in a large glass pitcher with lots of ice. You can easily do double or triple the amount in one go.