Iced Watermelon Tea with Mint & Lime

Juicy watermelon is elevated with fresh mint, lime juice, and maple syrup—the perfect thirst quencher this summer!

Course Drinks

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 77kcal

Author Tajda Ferko

Equipment

small saucepan
Blender or food processor
fine mesh sieve
large pitcher / jug
glasses

Ingredients

3 teaspoon loose leaf Earl Grey tea
3 cups water
3 cups 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

US Cups - Metric

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

Don't forget! Step-by-step images in the blog post above will help you visualize each step.

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.

To store - Best enjoyed fresh. Store any leftovers (without ice cubes!) in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within 24 hours.

To 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.

Nutrition