Basil Tea Recipe using Fresh Leaves

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While fresh herbs are perfect for salads, sides and pasta, they can also be used to make soothing herbal tea. Basil is no exception and this basil tea recipe is mild, herbaceous and lovely.

I’ve also used basil to make this simple basil mint tea too but the mild herbaceous flavor isn’t as dominant as the mint. Both are great herbal teas to make at home.

Basil tea, when served, warm is great for colder months. The tea added to ice also makes a refreshing summer drink when the temperatures are scorching. Both versions are lovely.

If you are curious about other herbal teas, stop by these tea recipes with holy basil, chamomile, lavender, and parsley. They’re all worth trying!

basil tea recipe pin

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Ingredients for basil tea

  • sweet basil: use your leftover herbs before they go bad or substitute for 1 to 2 tsp of dried basil. If you have access to other types of basil like Thai or holy basil, you can also use them in place of sweet basil.
  • water
  • sweetener: [optional] you can use sugar, honey, agave or no sweetener at all.

Equipment for this recipe

While no equipment is needed, I enjoy using my teapot with tea infuser. It’s great for steeping fresh herbs and clean up is so easy. Of course, you can use a regular teapot and strainer or anything you have available for making brews.

How to make basil tea

Prep the fresh leaves

Wash the basil leaves. Tear them into large pieces and add them to the tea infuser, teapot or teacup.

add basil leaves to infuser

Steep

Bring water to a boil using a kettle, saucepan or even the microwave. Pour boiling water over the torn basil leaves. Leave to steep for 30 minutes.

Although sweet basil is delicate, the longer you leave the leaves (pun intended ha!) to steep, the more flavor and color will infuse into the water.

add boiling water to basil

Serve

Strain the tea. You can sweeten at this point with your desired sweetener like honey. Serve warm or allow it to cool, add ice and serve it as a refreshing, summer herbal tea.

basil tea in a white teacup with saucer, fresh basil leaves on the left and a silver spoon on the right

More herbal teas

Basil tea recipe

basil tea in a white teacup with saucer, fresh basil leaves on the left and a silver spoon on the right
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Basil Tea with Fresh Leaves

Basil tea made with fresh sweet basil leaves has a mild, herbaceous taste that is pleasant and soothing. Steep this tea and serve it warm or cold as a refreshing, afternoon drink.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Steep Time30 minutes
Total Time37 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: basil tea, sweet basil tea
Servings: 2
Author: Ros Singh

Ingredients

  • 6 g sweet basil leaves (2 tbsp or 8 large leaves)
  • cups water

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil (using a kettle, saucepan, etc; approx. 5 minutes).
  • Wash the basil leaves.
  • Tear them into pieces.
  • Add to tea infuser (or teacup).
  • Pour boiling water over the leaves.
  • Allow to steep for 30 minutes.
  • Strain and sweeten if desired.
  • Serve warm or cold.

One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    I had a few extra basil leaves after making pasta and I tried your recipe! Was pretty good and I got to be zero waste. Yay!

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