Authentic Moroccan mint tea recipe is really hard to find. If you made some research on Google, you probably found hundreds of recipes that claim to be authentic and traditional. Unfortunately, most of them are not.
If you’ve never made Moroccan mint tea the Moroccan way, prepare yourself to have a culinary revelation in your kitchen. The steps are easy, the ingredients are simple and you will be amazed at the deliciousness you will be able to create.
To make Moroccan mint tea, you need to use the right tea leaves, a teapot or kettle with a few requirements, all while following a specific technique. It might look complicated but it’s really not.
In fact, making authentic Moroccan mint tea is neither complicated or expensive. All it takes is 3 ingredients and less than 10 minutes of preparation. Once you make it to your friends, I can assure they will long for your invitations, as your mint tea will taste like being on vacation in Morocco.
Growing up in Morocco, Moroccan mint tea was part of my everyday life as it is for the majority of Moroccans. It’s the symbol of family and friend gatherings and the first thing prepared to welcome guests. The smell of this sweet aromatic tea announces a good moment of chilling, catching up, and connecting.
(picture taken in 1983, Fez, Morocco)
Credits: Bruno Barbey
Traditionally in Morocco, the family head male was the person in charge of making Moroccan mint tea. Now things have changed and women are mostly the ones in charge of making it, at least on non-special occasions.
In fact, during celebrations and in some traditional families, Moroccan mint tea is still men’s specialty. They prepare it with great care following a definite ceremony.
They would bring the equipment and ingredients to the living room and chat with the guests while preparing tea with high finesse. At least three glasses will be served, each one stronger than the previous one as tea continues infusing. A saying in Morocco states that the first glass of Moroccan mint tea is as soft as life, the second as strong as love, and the last as bitter as death.
If you already had a mint tea in Morocco or in a traditional Moroccan restaurant, you probably noticed it is poured from a height.
Pouring Moroccan mint tea from a height is an important part of the Moroccan tea ceremony. The higher the tea is poured, the more foam you will get on top of your drink, the closer it will be to the traditional Moroccan mint tea cup.
What is Moroccan Mint Tea Made of?
To make Moroccan mint tea, the ingredients are Gunpowder loose tea, a generous bunch of fresh mint leaves, and sugar. You can also flavor your tea with some aromatics as I will show you to give it a more interesting flavor and some health benefits. Choosing the right kettle or teapot is also primordial to make real Moroccan mint tea.
Authentic Moroccan mint tea is very sweet, but you can adjust sugar quantity to match your taste and diet. Personally, I tend to cut sugar quantity by half, sometimes more, and leave the classic sweet version to special occasions or when I have sweet cravings.
What Teapot to Use for Moroccan Mint Tea?
To make traditional Moroccan mint tea, you will need either a Moroccan teapot or a heat-resistant teapot. The reason is simple: Moroccan mint tea is prepared by active infusion, which means tea leaves infuse in boiling water for many minutes. A regular teapot cannot support the stove’s heat and can break. I learned the hard way and lost some beautiful teapots in the process. So make sure your teapot is heat-resistant.
If that is not the case, I recommend looking for a good quality stainless steel Moroccan teapot. You can use it to make Moroccan mint tea but also any other teas or infusions. It also makes a great pitcher for serving coffee or wine.
If you don’t own a Moroccan teapot yet, check my Moroccan teapot buying guide.
For affordable Moroccan teapots, you can check our baby platform Little Moroccan Things where we feature Morocco-imported artisanal products. We don’t restock often but when we do, we make sure our teapots are qualitative with a competitive pricing, ranging from $40 to $80.
What Kind of Tea is Used for Moroccan Mint Tea?
The tea used to make authentic Moroccan mint tea is the Chinese green gunpowder loose tea. It’s what gives mint tea the best results.
Whenever I go to Morocco I make sure I restock some gunpowder tea as it is so much affordable there. Whenever I run out, I restock online. There are many brands offering good quality Chinese green gunpowder, just make sure you choose a brand offering non-radiated leaves. I’ll some brand links on the recipe card below.
What Kind of Mint is Used for Moroccan Tea?
The mint used in traditional Moroccan mint tea is Spearmint, also called Nana Mint. This mint variety brings a strong flavor and delicate sweetness. If you can’t find Spearmint in your local store, no worries, you can use other mint varieties and your Moroccan mint tea will still be delicious!
If you can find some fresh Speamint branches, then go for it. Don’t forget to wash the brunches thoroughly before use. Moroccan people use a generous quantity of mint and sometimes, they have to bend the branches and squeeze them to make them enter the teapot. That’s how you get the strong minty flavor in Moroccan mint tea.
I grow Spearmint in my apartment in a small pot, that way I have fresh mint leaves handy. It also decorates and perfumes the kitchen beautifully. If you want to give it a try, these are the seeds I use. Fresh Mint leaves can be expensive so it’s totally a great deal.
You can also use ready-to-use dried mint leaves. They conserve very well and they will get you covered for months. I often bring some from Morocco or buy them online. You’ll find many brands, just make sure they are organic and not radiated like these organic dried spearmint leaves.
How to Flavor Moroccan Mint Tea?
Moroccans love flavoring their Moroccan mint tea. While the basic Moroccan mint tea is a go-to drink for every day, Moroccans like to add aromatics on special occasions or to get some health benefits.
As an example, during the cold season, Moroccans tend to add herbs known for their warming properties, like a variety of Pennyroyal mint and absinthe.
On special occasions like marriages, the most used flavor is orange blossom water, known for its relaxing benefits and aphrodisiac properties.
Orange blossom water is known for adding a delicious flavor, and for it’s relaxing & aphrodisiac properties
Orange blossom water is my favorite flavor to add to Moroccan mint tea. If you want to give it a try, I recommend using a good quality orange blossom water. This will not only be good for the flavor, but you can get the best health benefits from natural organic brands. It’s also great for relaxation, just add a few drops to your teas and infusions or spray a little on your pillow. You will be hooked, I promise!
RECIPE WITH USEFUL LINKS
Authentic Moroccan Mint Tea Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Moroccan tea leaves
- 4 branches fresh mint OR 1 tbsp Organic non-Radiated dried spearmint leaves
- 1 tsp distilled Orange blossom water optional but adds an amazing flavor
- 2 tbsp white sugar adjust to taste and diet
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Put the green tea leaves in your teapot.
- Boil water in a separate kettle.
- Once water is boiling, pour 1 cup of water in your teapot and swish it around a few times to clean the tea leaves. This helps get rid of tea's strong and sour flavors.
- Pour that water in the sink through the teapot spout.
- Now that your tea leaves are clean and the flavors milder, pour the remaining boiling water in the teapot. Don't fill the teapot to the brim keeping one inch space. Add the sugar.
- Place the heat diffuser on the stove and position the teapot on top of it. Turn the heat to medium and let boil for 1 to 3 minutes depending on how strong you like your tea. Also, the more you boil your tea the more caffeine content you will get.
- Add mint (fresh or dried) and make sure it is all covered with water, otherwise, it may leave your tea with a bitter taste. If you are using fresh mint branches and they don't fit in the teapot, you can bend them.
- Let everything boil for another 1 to 2 minutes, until liquid starts foaming slightly.
- Turn the heat off. Be careful as your teapot can get extremely hot, so make sure you wrap the handle with a cotton cloth.
- Add the orange blossom water or other aromatics.
- Serve hot with some cookies, pastries or biscuits.
Nutrition
Get one FREE Delicious Moroccan Recipe Every Month
Question regarding mint
Sorry if I missed it, but is there a specific type of mint that works best for the tea? I’m thinking of adding mint to the garden, and would want to use some for a tea like this. Your advice (and recipe) is appreciated!
Response from Moroccanzest
Hi Nicki, Traditional Moroccan mint tea is made with spearmint (or nana mint). I grow spearmint too and it is very handy. Just keep in mind that you will need a large bunch for each Moroccan mint tea you make, so have a couple of plants or more to never run out. I just updated the article with more details and the link to the seeds I use – xx
remembering my last visit to Morocco
I drank gallons of this tea in Marrakech last fall and back home, I couldn’t replicate the recipe until I found your website. Thank you for the precious tips and links
Just Like I Had In Morocco Last Month!
So good! I Do wonder, though, how much of the dry mint leaves to use in place of the fresh mint in your recipe.
Response from Moroccanzest
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jan. If you have dry mint leaves, you can use 1 to 2 full tablespoons in a medium-sized teapot, depending on how strong you want it to be. I will update the recipe with dry mint quantity. -xx
very fragrant
thank you for the awesome recipe Safa. it was perfect my guests loved it!
What a great find of Moroccan & Mediterranean Foods!
I came upon your site as I searched for tagine recipes after watching Rick Stein’s Moroccan & Mediterranean food travels.
