How to Use Herbs For Tea – Fresh or Dried

I love growing and using herbs for tea and in this article, I’m happy to share how to use garden herbs for tea – whether fresh or dried. Growing your own herbs and brewing them into tea is one of the simplest, most satisfying things you can do with a garden. Whether you have a few pots on the patio or a full herb bed, you likely have everything you need for a great cup of tea.

This article covers how to brew herbal tea using fresh or dried garden herbs — including water temperature, amounts, steeping times, and which herbs work well. If you want to go deeper on herb properties, flavour profiles, and blending your own tea recipes, I cover all of that in my Everyday Cooking with Herbs book.

Also Read: Top 9 Herbs to Grow for Tea, How to Make Herbal Iced Tea, Simple Syrup with Herbs, How to Muddle Herbs

How to Make Tea with Herbs 

Here’s the general process I use for making tea with garden herbs.

• Use boiling water (100°C/212°F) to brew most herbs. 
• Use 1-2 Tbsp* of dried herbs or 3-5 Tbsp of fresh herbs per 1 cup of hot water. 
• Cover and steep for 3-5** minutes. 

The three most important things to get right: water temp, amount of herbs, and steep time. Here’s what I have found works:

Water Temperature

For most garden herbs — mint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemongrass, thyme, sage — use fully boiling water (100°C/212°F).

For delicate flowers and herbs — chamomile, lavender, rose petals, calendula — let the boiling water sit for one to two minutes before pouring. Slightly cooler water (around 85–90°C/185–195°F) helps preserve delicate aromatics and reduces bitterness. You don’t need a thermometer: just boil and wait a couple of minutes.

How Much Herb to Use

Start with these amounts per one cup of water and adjust to taste:

• Dried herbs: 1–2 tablespoons
• Fresh herbs: 3–5 tablespoons

The right amount varies depending on the herb, how long it’s been stored, and how strong you like your tea. Older dried herbs lose potency, so you may need a little more. Fresh herbs should be muddled (gently bruised or crushed) before steeping to release their essential oils — but don’t crush too hard or you’ll release chlorophyll, which adds a bitter, grassy taste.

Steep Time

• Most garden herbs: 5 minutes
• Delicate herbs (chamomile, lavender, rose petals, rosemary, citrus peel): 3 minutes

Steeping too long can turn some herbs bitter, especially the more delicate ones. Cover your cup or pot while steeping to keep the aromatic oils from escaping with the steam.

Here are some things I’ve discovered over the years:

• Crush dried herbs a little before steeping to help release essential oils.
• Muddle (gently rub, bruise or crush) fresh herbs to release their essential oils. Don’t crush too hard though, otherwise you’ll release the green chlorophyll which can leave a bitter taste.
• Use three times more fresh herbs than dried herbs.
• The older your dried herbs, the less flavour they’ll have, so you may need to use more.
• Choose one type of herb for your tea or combine several different ones. You could even add dried fruit, flower petals or spices like cinnamon or ginger to your tea.
• Consider adding black, green or oolong tea to the mix. There are no set rules – base your combination on your personal preferences for flavor, color, caffeine, medicinal benefits, etc.
• Don’t expect bright vibrant colours like you get with commercial herbal teas.
• If you want bright colours, consider adding hibiscus, calendula or blue butterfly pea blossoms to your herbal tea mix.
• Lemon balm is best used fresh, it loses its flavour when dried.

Fresh or Dried Herbs for Tea?

Both work. I personally prefer dried herbs for a hot cup of tea — there’s more consistency and they’re easy to keep on hand. In summer, when I’m pruning the garden, I’ll often brew a quick cup from whatever fresh clippings I have.

A few things to keep in mind:

Don’t expect the vivid colour you see in commercial herbal teas. Garden herbs brew up subtly. If you want colour, add hibiscus, calendula, or blue butterfly pea blossoms to your blend.

Use about three times more fresh herb than dried.

Dried herbs benefit from a gentle crush before steeping to wake up their essential oils.

The older your dried herbs, the more you may need to use.

Lemon balm is best used fresh — it loses most of its flavour when dried.

I also like using fresh herbs for iced teas and lemonades .

Favourite Herbs for Tea

Here are some common herbs for tea. Also read my post on Top 9 Herbs to Grow for Tea to see which herbs I enjoy growing for tea in my Canadian prairie garden rated to Zone3.

• Chamomile – helps calm nerves, reduce stress, soothe the digestive system and promote sleep
• Hyssop – a lovely scent good for the heart, digestive system and for promoting sleep
• Sage – a woodsy scent to help clear the mind and soothe sore throats
• Rosemary – stimulates circulation to soothe aches and pains, helps clear congestion and boosts mood and memory
• Peppermint –  menthol flavor for relaxing muscles, soothing sore throats and relieving stress
• Chocolate Mint – chocolate and peppermint flavor to enjoy and promote relaxation
• Spearmint – great for soothing digestive issues
• Apple Mint & Other Fruit Mints – mild mint with unique aromas and flavor good for digestion
• Lemon Balm – helps clear the mind and lift spirits
• Lemon Verbena – rejuvenating fresh scent helpful for indigestions, cramps and nausea
• Lemon Grass – great flavor with properties to boost immune system
• Lemon Thyme – light lemony flavor beneficial for digestive system and colds
• Thyme – helps with cramps and coughs
• Stevia – the “sugar plant”, a natural sweetener for your tea

For a full breakdown of each herb’s flavour profile, properties, and how to blend them together, see the Everyday Cooking with Herbs book. It includes a Properties of Common Tea Herbs guide, blending tips, and six ready-to-use tea blend recipes.

A Word of Caution about Herbs for Tea

All plants have properties in them that may cause allergies or undesirable side effects, especially if taken in large doses. The herbs for tea mentioned in this article are intended to be enjoyed as an occasional cup of tea now and then.  Anyone intending to consume more than an occasional cup for pleasure should do more research about each individual herb and talk to their medical practitioner. This is particularly true for young children, pregnant women, anyone on medication or anyone with a chronic disease.

I would love to hear your experience with brewing your own herbal teas.  Do you have a favourite flavor? Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram at #getgettys.

Want to know which type of mint you have? Watch my new video: 3 Types of Mint — how to tell the difference, use each one, and keep it contained.

Getty Stewart is an engaging speaker and writer providing tasty recipes, time-saving tips, and helpful kitchen ideas to make home cooking easy and enjoyable. She is a Professional Home Economist, author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, mom and veggie gardener.