Moroccan mint tea is more than just our favorite drink, it’s a ritual my husband and I cherish deeply.
With its sweet aroma and comforting taste, it’s no wonder we enjoy two pots daily and even named our website Mint Tea Trails after our love for it.
It’s the first thing we prepare to welcome anyone into our home, filling the air with its delightful scent.
Here, I’ll share with you how to make your own authentic Moroccan mint tea, so you can experience the warmth and happiness it brings us every day.
What kind of tea is used for Moroccan mint tea?
The tea used to prepare the iconic Moroccan mint tea is gunpowder tea which is a Chinese green tea.
There are several popular brands sold across Morocco but they are easily accessible to other countries.
Gunpowder is normal Chinese green tea with its leaves tightly rolled into little pellets.
Because it is compressed, it is stronger than regular tea leaves. It is called gunpowder because it resembles old-school gunpowder.
Some of the famous Moroccan gunpowder tea Brands:
- Sultan Tea
- Sbaa (4011)
- Al Bahia
- El Kafila
What type of mint is used for Moroccan mint tea?
The freshness of Moroccan mint tea comes from the marriage of the delicate flavor of the mint and the sweetened sugar. And that’s because Moroccans use a handful of fresh mint leaves to get the minty flavor out.
Several different types of mint are commonly used in Moroccan mint tea, including spearmint, and peppermint.
However, if your local store does not sell these two types of mint, feel free to use any kind of mint you find to flavor your Moroccan mint tea.
How to flavor Moroccan mint tea?
In addition to the mint, Moroccans use other herbs and spices to flavor their cup of tea.
Some of the herbs that are commonly used in Morocco mint tea are absinthium, verbena, marjoram, and sage which are used to prepare tea specifically in the centre and north of Morocco.
While Southern people prefer to use a pinch of Saffron and some Aniseed instead.
Other herbs such as rose petals and nuts are used on more intimate occasions such as weddings and other special events.
How Moroccan mint tea is served in Morocco?
Moroccan mint tea is usually served with a traditional tea set, which includes a silver tray with three containers for tea, mint, and sugar.
There’s also another tray with the teapot and glasses, which are used for pouring and serving the tea.
The teapots are usually made of silver and decorated with engravings. These engraved Moroccan teapots are beautiful but they are generally saved for guests and special occasions.
Moroccans make mint tea 3 to 4 times a day so they need simpler and more practical teapots. Many opt for something sturdy and easy to clean.
How to make Moroccan mint tea at home
Even though you can play around with different ingredients to make Moroccan mint tea, an authentic version requires these basic and essential ingredients:
- Fresh mint is called Nana in Morocco. In winter, which is not the season of mint, we can replace it with a few leaves of Absinthium, or Za’atar.
- Sugar is an essential ingredient in Moroccan mint tea. You can always abstain from using it but it won’t taste as good as the super sweet Moroccan tea.
- Enough boiled water
- Moroccan stainless steel teapot. Highly recommended for an authentic Moroccan mint tea
The procedure of making Moroccan tea is considered an art that should be preserved. These preparations are usually done by men and are common during special occasions such as welcoming guests and having celebrations.
First of all, the women in the house prepare all the ingredients: sugar, gunpowder tea, and fresh mint in front of the tea maker, usually an elderly man in the house.
The man should start the ceremony by washing his hands and then cleaning the tea by rinsing it in boiled water and then adding mint and sugar to the tea already in the pot and filling it with water.
To give the tea a strong taste, they put it on low to medium heat for a few minutes, and then it’s time to serve it with some Moroccan homemade sweets and pastries.
Serving tea to the guests is somehow another unique tradition in Morocco. The tea server should make sure the teacup is almost half full, and make white bubbles on the surface. That’s actually how you know a good cup of tea from a bad one.
Tea is really important for Moroccans as a daily drink. Therefore, wasting neither tea nor time is not an option for them.
One pot of tea can be served up to 3 times by just filling it with water, adding more sugar and mint then straight to the fire. 3 minutes later another full pot of tea is ready for serving.
The Moroccan tea ceremony isn’t just about tea, though. It’s about sharing and socializing with one another. People spend hours of their days just drinking tea, laughing, and gossiping.
These joyful moments are incomplete in Morocco unless they are accompanied by tea.
Best served with
Moroccan tea can be enjoyed alone or with some of the delicious Moroccan homemade sweets (Zlabia, Chebakia, Makroud) homemade Moroccan pancakes (Msemen, Beghrir, Betbout), or organic nuts, dates, and figs. Moroccan tea can be served also with food during lunch or dinner.
Read More: The Authentic Moroccan Breakfast
Read More: Moroccan Food: 40 Best Foods You Will Love
Moroccan tea-making tips
Don’t use too much tea: Adding too much gunpowder tea will throw off the balance and ruin the taste. A little goes a long way!
Don’t boil your mint: Fresh mint should be added at the very end. Boiling it will destroy its aroma and take away that signature freshness.
Use a little extra sugar: We’re not saying to go overboard, but Moroccan tea is meant to be sweet. The strong flavors of mint and tea need a good amount of sugar to balance them out.
Don’t drink alone: This one’s not a strict rule, but Moroccan mint tea is best enjoyed with company. Invite a friend over and get that pot brewing—that’s the way it’s meant to be!
Moroccan mint tea recipe
Moroccan Mint Tea
Equipment
- Tea pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon loose Chinese gunpowder green tea
- 1 handful of fresh mint leaves preferably spearmint
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar adjust to taste
- 4 cups water
Instructions
Preparations
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a kettle
- Rinse your mint tea leaves
Making the tea
- In a Moroccan teapot (or any heatproof teapot), add the gunpowder green tea.
- Pour about ½ cup of boiling water over the tea, swirl for 10 seconds, then discard the water (this removes bitterness and cleans the tea leaves). Repeat this step 3 times.
- Add the sugar and pour the remaining boiling water into the teapot.
- Let it steep on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stuff the teapot with fresh mint leaves (more mint = stronger flavor).
Serving customs
- Mix properly. In Morocco, we mix the tea by pouring a glass, and then pouring it back into the pot a few times. This aerates the tea and enhances the flavors.
- Serve in Moroccan glasses
- Pour the tea from a height to create a slight foam on top
- Enjoy hot!
Notes
- Do not add mint while boiling the tea, mint should be added last to avoid burning it.
- Sugar should be added while the tea is boiling, not while serving.
- Do not mix with a spoon; the tea should be aerated by pouring instead.
- Use a Moroccan teapot (Berrad) if possible
- Adjust sugar based on preference; traditional Moroccan tea is very sweet!
- Try adding absinthe (Sheeba) or verbena for a different herbal twist.
That’s a wrap!
Moroccan mint tea is refreshing, delicious, and has several health benefits. We have shown that it is easy to make and requires only three basic ingredients, green tea, sugar, and mint.
Over and above that, the tradition of making and drinking tea in Morocco is a very intimate and sociable experience. It is an excuse for people to come together, sit, and talk about the events of the day.
In a time when there is so much that threatens to divide us, the tradition of drinking tea together is a call for unity, friendship, and understanding 🙂
I hope you will try my recipe and if you do share with me how your tea came out.
In Morocco we purchased a silver tea pot set. I remember the cleaning of it was to be easy using household ingredients but I have forgotten the ingredients used. If you know how to safely clean Moroccan silver I would appreciate your suggestion. Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Hello Karen, for a stainless steel teapot you can use your normal dishwashing liquid/soap to clean it. It won’t damage it.
I’m looking for the recipe and can’t find it? At the bottom where it says “recipe” it takes me to the recipe index.