How to Make Moroccan Mint Tea

June 11, 2014
Drinks,Recipes

I’ve mentioned before how tea has always played a special role here at our house. My wife’s family is from England, and a cup of English breakfast tea with a little milk and sugar is a daily staple. I’ve grown to appreciate the rituals of making British tea, like using a proper porcelain cup, allowing your water to come to a full roaring boil, and knowing the perfect amount of time to let the tea steep. Basically . . . tea is important. But this tea, this tea is on a whole different level. Forget cocktails, forget coffee, Moroccan mint tea is my new jam.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

After our delicious lunch with chef Karam and Project Bly, we all shared a pot of tea. I was super giddy because while I’ve heard a lot about Moroccan mint tea, I had yet to enjoy a cup of my own. Let’s just say I did my happy dance – or was that just my sugar high? Seriously, I can’t get enough of this tea. It’s minty, refreshing, cleansing, and oh so sweet. Simply put, it just makes me happy.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

A couple quick things to note about Moroccan mint tea. First, the tools. The Moroccan teapot, or berrad, is not only beautiful, but the perfect shape for delivering the long pour you’ll need for your tea. Moroccan tea glasses are generally small, handleless, and often colorful. Next, the process. Crafting the perfect cup of Moroccan tea is a special process. You cannot rush. You cannot cut corners. And no, a microwave is not involved. I tried to be as clear as possible, as it can be a bit confusing at first. Pay close attention to these steps, and I think you’ll do just fine. Also, if you’re more of an audio/visual learner, I recommend checking out Cooking with Alia and Tastemade for some great videos of the process. Start by adding the loose tea into your Moroccan tea pot. If you don’t have a Moroccan tea pot, a different type of teapot will do. Just make sure it can be used on the stovetop. Meanwhile, separately boil about 5 cups of plain water – I used an electric kettle.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Once the water comes to a boil, pour one cup of water into your Moroccan teapot. Let the tea steep for about 30 seconds and then empty the tea into a teacup. Set this aside for later. The first cup is very important, as it contains the essence of the tea flavor.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Next, add another cup of boiling water into your Moroccan teapot. This time, swish the water around inside of the teapot in a circular motion, then pour into another tea cup. This process cleanses the tea, and helps remove any strong bitter flavor. This tea will not be used and can be discarded. Dump it down the drain.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Now it’s time to start building our tea. Add the sugar and the mint to your Moroccan teapot.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Also add the first cup of tea that you set aside. This will strengthen the tea and add flavor. Lastly, you’ll want to fill your Moroccan teapot with water.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Now it’s time to place your Moroccan teapot on the stove over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for about five minutes. This process helps the sugar to caramelize and gives the tea its distinct flavor.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Once your tea has done its thing, remove from the heat and pour a glass of tea. But wait, you’re not quite ready to drink! Pour the cup back into the pot. This is done to help mix everything together. It also helps to cool the tea a bit before drinking. Repeat this step two or three times.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Finally, you’re ready to serve the tea! However, the way you pour the tea is VERY important. Start by pouring the tea normally into the glass, but as you continue to pour, raise the teapot higher and higher above the glass, until you have a very high pour. This helps the tea become nice and frothy – another distinctive trait of Moroccan mint tea.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

If you’d like, garnish with a couple mint leaves.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

And you’re done!!

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

I hope you enjoy this tea making process as much as I do.

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Moroccan Mint Tea by HonestlyYUM

Moroccan Mint Tea

Servings: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Add the loose tea directly to your Moroccan teapot.
  2. In a separate kettle, boil a pot of water.
  3. Add one cup of boiling water to the Moroccan teapot.
  4. Let the tea steep for 30 seconds. Pour the tea into a glass and set aside.
  5. Add another cup of boiling water to the Moroccan teapot. Swish around the teapot in a circular motion for 5 seconds. Pour the tea into a glass and discard.
  6. Add the mint, sugar, and first glass of tea back into Moroccan teapot, then fill with boiling water.
  7. Place the Moroccan teapot on the stove over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
  8. Remove from heat and pour one glass of tea. Pour this glass back into the teapot to mix. Repeat two more times.
  9. Pour the tea from high above each glass to create a froth.
  10. Garnish with a couple mint leaves (optional) and serve.

(images by HonestlyYUM; vintage Moroccan Tea Pot & Silver Tray available at Project Bly, Moroccan Tea Glasses available here)

Conversation

WOW! I have never made tea this way, but it was so delicious I am hungry for more tea recipes. I used fresh mint from my garden and some gunpowder green tea in a tin from Harney & Sons that we bought on amazon. I will definitely be making this, again. I didn’t own a teapot that could be put on the stove so I used a Pyrex measuring cup for liquids and it worked wonders. I loved the step by step simple process outlined in the blog post that made the perfect tea. I’m never going back from traditional loose leaf ever again. ❤️❤️❤️

Hi! Dear
This is fantastic tea, I will must try it. Right here is the right site for anyone who wishes to understand this topic.

How great information in this read I become the fan of this special Tea…

I like the helpful information you provide on your articles.
I will bookmark your blog and check again right here regularly.
I’m somewhat sure I will learn a lot of new stuff
proper here! Best of luck for the following!

Thankyou for this, has taken me back to my memories from Morocco, tastes exactly the same as the tea given on the farm in the dessert. Amazing

Hi I don’t think we have gunpowder tea leaves in Pakistan. .what should do..but we have Moroccon green tea..can I use that.

Morocco is truly an amazing country to live, if one has means. I have been in morocco and like it very much. I have a very good friend lived there, whom I owe my admiration and love.

bought bag of loose tea in Morroco recently. When home I opened the bag, It smelled awful!! but boiled water, etc and added to the loose tea. tasted it, horrible taste!!! Was I scammed buying bad tea???

This is my first time reading you blog. My father is from Casablanca and I grew up drinking this tea. I am really happy to hear all the good things you had to say about it. This tea ( like you said ) is so much more than a beverage; the whole experience is designed to bring people together and SLOW DOWN a bit.
Thank you again.
Karim

Right here is the right site for anyone who wishes to understand this topic.

You know a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally
will need to…HaHa). You certainly put a fresh spin on a
subject that has been written about for years. Wonderful stuff, just great!

This is exactly how my stepdad taught me how to make tea, we even use the same brand of loose tea! He and one of his friends came to the US from Morocco a decade ago, when his friend comes over we all have a contest to see which one of us can make the frothiest tea, it’s one of our favorite household games. One thing we do differently, though, is tearing up the mint leaves a little bit. We don’t shred them or anything, we tear them just enough so that “the juices get into the tea easier” (stepdad’s words). I don’t know if it actually makes a difference, but honestly Moroccan tea tastes good regardless of what we do to the mint.

Hello,

What a coincidence! Today I was surfing the net during lunch, looking for a tea pot and showing my French class student our traditional way to make green tea. In the evening I got an email from my coworker containing your article link.

I’m originally from Oran located in North west Algeria and this is exactly how my mom used to prepare the Mint Tea “Latey” North African for Chai. My siblings would surround the round footed silver tray waiting impatiently for their afternoon tea buzz, and my mother taking her time rinsing and setting aside a cup. WE had to wait little more while she would check the tea color and tasting a sip.
Todd, while reading your article, I got so nostalgic and made me long for a real cup of Mint Tea.

Thank you!
Khadija

Lived with Moroccans in Paris. THIS tea and everything they cooked….just fell in love with their cuisine. Unfortunately have induction hob, annoying. But definitely will try this tea recipe. Thank you.

I have it in the house – my mother bought it and I made a cup and its horrible. Maybe its not that good quality. I can find another drink somewhere which is just as wholesome and good I hope. I don’t like flavored specialty teas in general. I think they are pretty pathetic (although thats my opinion). Maybe an unsweetened juice is as good?

Fantastic directions for making the perfect cup of Moroccan tea! I love tea of all sorts but the tea in Morocco was a great experience, too. Thanks for making the directions clear enough for me to have it at home, too!

Your photography and instructions are spot on! I first tasted this tea in Andalusia in one of the tea houses and my husband and I can’t stop drinking it! I bought the Morrocon teapot there! The Cooking with Alia YouTube instructions is how I learnt to make it. Once again beautiful photography and super instructions!

Hi, I would like to buy the first image from your moroccan tea image if possible.

Please let me know if you are open to the thought and how much you would charge for the same.

Thanks

Sneh

We love the green tea recuse no any type of side effect of natural tea. Dear Sir – Can we use it as a Ice tea for impress our upcoming gust ??? If it possible then it will be a good idea for all..

Thank you for making it as clear as possible! I’ve tried reading the process before and became hopelessly confused! Tea has become a daily staple in my life as well and I need something to do with all the mint that grows in my garden.

My fave tea ever! Taste it at Arabic restaurant and they have 1 page for Moroccan drinks and food choices..and the moment I tried I just fall in love..super cool and thnks for this info where I could make.my own at home 🙂

Hey!! I’m Moroccan and I drink that Tea every Day, it’s Amazing <3 😀 :*

You say to put the Moroccan teapot on the stove. I have a Moroccan teapot with legs similar to yours. Can this work on an electric stove to bring it to a simmer?

Hello There. I found your blog using msn. This is a very smartly written article.
I’ll make sure to bookmark it and come back to learn extra of your useful info.
Thank you for the post. I will definitely comeback.

As a military family stationed in Morocco when a child I watched carefully as the Fatima’s made my life long love of Spearmint Moroccan tea . It was made with black gun powder tea and standing by was a large cone of light brown to med. brown sugar which they broke a chunk off of and dropped in the pot stirring until liquid smooth. Nothing comes close to making the real Moroccan tea and is my most cherished tea to this day …some 50 plus years later.

So, does the brown sugar come closer to the Moroccan Mint Tea? Thank yoy

I’m looking for an authentic Moroccan tea pot for a friend. In your instructions for this tea, you say that the pot needs to sit directly on the stove top. Most of the Moroccan tea pots I am seeing have feet on them. Any chance you could recommend one? Or a website I could search?

When you add the second cup of water and swish it around, are you supposed to pour out the tea leafs with the water, or are you supposed to keep the tea leafs in the pot and steep them again with the mint and sugar?

I think I have finally found a way to get my friends to drink tea with me! Complex preparation, mint, and gorgeous tea ware; if that doesn’t convert someone to be a tea drinker, I don’t know what will. 🙂

We are tea-crazy people too! This is such a cool mix of flavours. Can’t wait to try this!! xx

Haha – crazy tea people unite! Thank you Katrina. I’ll trade you for a glass of rhubarb iced tea 😉

LOVE moroccan mint tea. The styling is so gorgeous, Todd 🙂

The recipe, the glassware and teapot, the styling, wow – Todd, this is something out of a highend foodie magazine shoot. Just gorgeous & pinned!

Averie, you’re making me blush!! That means so much coming from you 🙂 thank you.

Omg the tray and glasses are so gorgeous! And what a refreshing recipe. I’ll need to make this.

I love a good cup of tea, I’ve always preferred it over coffee. I feel so much more refined after reading/seeing this. Every single picture is so beautiful and makes me want to whip up my own batch of moroccan tea!

Thank you Nicole 🙂 I’m as hardcore of a coffee drinker as they come, and yet still have a soft spot for a good cup of tea. Thank you for the kind words – all the gorgeous teaware makes it pretty easy to photograph.

I absolutely adore Moroccan tea, but I have never even thought about trying to make it! I’m definitely going to be trying this. Such great instructions, and a beautiful post.

Aww, thank you Sarah. That’s so nice of you to say. Yay!! I’m so addicted to this yea right now. It helps that the box of tea I ordered is huge!! Seriously, like as big as my head, haha. I have my work cut out for me 😉

I never even knew there was a Moroccan tea pouring method?! But I do love Moroccan tea! Okay, and I love the glasses to.

Btw- Matt is nuts, we are both regular readers of Honestly Yum-like I’m not gonna see this???

Yea, it’s ALL about the pour. While truthfully all the steps were a bit hard for me to follow at first, it all makes so much sense now. I’m in love with the glasses too. Erica found them, of course!! Matt’s blog comment secrets are my fave, haha. 😛 Thanks Naomi!!

Hello,
I was wondering if you only use gunpowder green tea or can one use black tea. I must say that I do not like the flavor gunpowder tea, nor green teas. Thank you.

Hi Madeleine. Great question! I’d say the gunpowder tea really adds to the special flavor that Moroccan tea is known for. While it is a Chinese tea, it’s really what is used all around Morocco (from what I’ve heard). I’d guess you could get away with using a different type of green tea, but black tea would really push it into a whole different direction. That all being said, I’d say there’s no reason you can’t try it out and see how it goes! If you do, I’d be curious to know how it turns out. Personally, I’ve never had mint with black tea before. Other people feel free to chime in here as well.

Ah yes, I remember my mom doing this when I was a kid. Part of my Middle Eastern heritage. It’s the best.

I am going to try to get Naomi not to read this post, so that I can actually attempt making this for her. She LOVES good tea and this sounds absolutely incredible. It’s truly awesome how much work you put into all of your posts. So inspiring.

Thank you so much Matt. That means the world coming from you. It’s comments like that that make it all worth it 🙂

WOW!!! What a process!!! I would have felt like the queen of English after I was served with this tea 🙂
So glad for this recipe. I will definitely try this. Thank you Thank you Thank you 🙂

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