This homemade watermelon tea is refreshing, hydrating, and punching with a strong watermelon flavor. Juicy watermelon is elevated with fresh mint, lime juice, and maple syrup-the perfect thirst quencher this summer!
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💌 Why I Love This Recipe
- Refreshingly Light: Ideal for hot summer days.
- Easy to Make: Simple steps and minimal ingredients.
- No Frills: Uses just fresh fruit & no artificial sweeteners.
- Versatile: Can be adjusted to personal taste preferences.
- Vitamin C: Packed with Vitamin C-rich watermelon and lime.
- Crowd Pleaser: The perfect alcohol-free drink to serve when you're next hosting.
🛒 Ingredients
- Earl Grey Tea: This bold black tea with hints of bergamot is the base for our recipe. You can use other types of black tea if desired. Use either tea bags or loose leaf tea.
- Watermelon: Packed with hydrating properties and a burst of vitamins, fresh watermelon is our main flavor. It also adds some sweetness.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Adds a tart, citrusy kick that balances the sweetness of the watermelon. You can also use fresh lemon juice instead.
- Maple Syrup: Offers a distinctive taste and some extra sweetness without being too overwhelming. You can use any other type of sweetener instead (sugar, agave syrup, stevia, etc).
- Fresh Mint Leaves: Elevate the aroma while providing a boost of freshness.
- Vanilla paste: Completely optional but helps to enhance the flavor.
📝 Equipment
- Small saucepan - for steeping tea
- Blender or food processor - for making our watermelon mixture
- Fine-mesh sieve for removing any pulp or seeds
- Large pitcher or jug for mixing
- Glasses or jars for serving
No blender? It will be more work, but you can make this beverage without a blender. You'll need a fork or a potato masher and room-temperature watermelon (to make it easier to mash).
👣 Step-by-Step
Hint - The photos below should serve as a quick visual overview! For detailed steps & instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1 - Steep Tea: Place tea bags or loose tea leaves in a saucepan of hot water. To avoid bitter flavor, do not let it steep for longer than 2 or 3 minutes. Let it cool and move to step 2.
Step 2 - Blend: In a blender or food processor, combine watermelon, lime juice, maple syrup (adjust sweetness to taste), fresh mint, and optional vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Step 3 - Pour Through a Sieve: Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the watermelon mixture. This helps to strain out any pulp.
Step 4 - Press: Use a spoon or spatula to press down on the mixture in the sieve. This helps to extract as much liquid and flavor as possible.
Step 5 - View of the Pressed Mixture: At this point you should have a vibrant watermelon mixture free from any bits of pulp.
Step 6 - Pour Tea: Transfer the cooled tea into a large jug.
Step 7 - Pour Watermelon Mixture: Pour the mixture from the bowl into the large jug with the brewed tea. Stir gently to combine all the flavors.
Step 8 - Serve and Garnish: Fill glasses with plenty of ice cubes and divide the watermelon tea between them. If desired, garnish with mint and lime juice.
Green Tip: Have leftover watermelon? Blend it into smoothies, add it to salads, or cut it into cubes and enjoy it as a snack.
💡 Chef's Tips
- Adjust-Adjust the ratio of the watermelon mixture to tea if desired. For example, if you want the fruit flavor to be in focus, lower the amount of tea.
- Sweetness-To keep things light and neutral this recipe isn't overly sweet. For a sweeter version, add more maple syrup or sugar. You can also add some simple syrup.
- Add ice-It's vital that you serve this with ice. However, only add ice right before serving. If you add it too soon and let the drink stand, the ice cubes will dilute the beverage.
- Garnish-If you're serving this for a special occasion, you might want to decorate it with a sprig of fresh mint, lime slices, or small watermelon wedges.
- Freeze-You can freeze this watermelon tea in an ice cube tray to enjoy a refreshing drink later. Simply add a few frozen cubes to a glass of water. It's a great way to add some subtle flavor to your water.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with different teas, such as green tea, oolong, rooibos, or herbal blends, to find your favorite combination.
You can even use fruit teas, such as mixed berries, mango, and strawberry.
Yes, frozen watermelon works well too. It can help chill the drink without diluting it too much.
If you serve this for kids, I recommend using a different tea base.
Earl Grey contains caffeine and a strong flavor that young children might dislike. Fruity tea, herbal tea, or rooibos are great caffeine-free alternatives.
🍊 Variations
- Citrus Twist: To intensify the citrusy flavor, add some freshly squeezed orange juice.
- Spiced Infusion: Include a dash of cinnamon or ginger for a warm note or some cayenne pepper for a spicy version.
- Fizzy Twist: For an effervescent version, serve it with soda water (sparkling water in the UK).
- Rose Garden: Add a few tablespoons of rose water (or more to taste) to give the tea a delicate floral note.
- Alcoholic Version: Transform this into a cocktail by adding a splash of vodka or rum.
🧊 Storage
For best results, enjoy this tea fresh.
If you do have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a day. Make sure to store the drink without ice.
Ice will dilute the flavor. Remember to stir or shake well before serving, as the ingredients may settle.
👏 Conclusion
If you're looking for more delightfully refreshing drinks I recommend trying out my:
Got any questions about making this recipe? My comments section is ALWAYS open to any questions.
Made this iced watermelon tea? It would mean a LOT to me if you could leave a comment & star rating below - seeing your comments always makes my day!
🍴Recipe
Iced Watermelon Tea with Mint & Lime
EQUIPMENT
- small saucepan
- Blender or food processor
- fine mesh sieve
- large pitcher / jug
- glasses
INGREDIENTS
- 3 teaspoon (3 tea bags) loose leaf Earl Grey tea
- 3 cups (710 ml) water
- 3 cups (400 g) watermelon cubed
- ½ lime juice only
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup or more to tase
- A few mint leaves and more for serving
- 2 teaspoon vanilla paste optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Steep Tea: Start by brewing Earl Grey tea. Place tea bags or loose tea leaves in a saucepan of hot water. To avoid bitter flavor, do not let steep for longer than 2 or 3 minutes. Then, let it cool and move to step 2.3 teaspoon loose leaf Earl Grey tea, 3 cups water
- Blend: In a blender or food processor, combine chunks of fresh watermelon, fresh lime juice, maple syrup (adjust sweetness to taste), fresh mint leaves and optional vanilla. Blend until smooth.3 cups watermelon, ½ lime, 3 tablespoon maple syrup, A few mint leaves
- Pour Through a Sieve: After blending, place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the watermelon mixture through it. This helps to strain out any pulp or seeds.
- Press: Use a spoon or spatula to press down on the mixture in the sieve. This helps to extract as much liquid as possible and release more flavor.
- At this point, you should have a vibrant watermelon mixture free from any large bits of pulp.
- Pour Tea: Transfer the cooled tea into a large jug.
- Pour Watermelon Mixture: Pour the mixture from the bowl into the large jug with the brewed tea. Stir gently to combine all the flavors.
- Serve and Garnish: Fill glasses with plenty of ice cubes and divide the watermelon tea between them. If desired, garnish with mint and lime juice.
Notes
- Tip 1 - Adjust-Adjust the ratio of the watermelon mixture to tea if desired
- Tip 2 - Sweetness-This recipe isn't overly sweet. For a sweeter version, add more maple syrup or sugar. You can also add some simple syrup.
- Tip 3 - Add ice-Always serve this with ice. However, only add ice right before serving. If you add it too soon and let the drink stand, the ice cubes will dilute the beverage.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.
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