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–+ servings
stinging nettle tea in pot
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5 from 2 votes

Herbal Tea

You can use both fresh or dried herbs for tea. I prefer using dried herbs for brewing a hot cup of tea. I find there’s more consistency and it’s easier to store and manage dried herbs.
But in summer I often brew tea from fresh herbs when I’ve done some pruning and have a handful of clippings.
Prep Time5 minutes
Course: beverage, tea
Keyword: family friendly drinks, herbs, hot beverages, patio drinks
Servings: 1
Calories: 4kcal
Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water boiled to 100℃/212℉

Choose dry or fresh herbs or use a mix!

  • 1-2* Tbsp dry herbs
  • 3-5* Tbsp fresh herbs

Instructions

  • DRY: Crush dried herbs a little before steeping to help release essential oils.
  • FRESH: Muddle (gently rub, bruise or crush) fresh herbs to release their essential oils.
  • Pour boiling water over herbs
  • Let steep for 3-5** minutes
  • Strain and serve simple or with sweetener, to taste.

Video

Notes

*The amount of herbs to use varies depending on the type of herb, when it was harvested, how long it’s been stored, growing conditions, etc. Start with 1 Tbsp dried and 3 Tbsp fresh per cup of boiling water and go from there. Experiment to find what works best for you and your homemade tea blends.
**Most garden herbs require steeping for 5 minutes, but some herbs release a bitter flavour steeped too long. Only steep chamomile, lavender, rosemary, rose, orange/lemon peel for 3 minutes.
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Tips for brewing homemade herbal tea
  • Use three times more fresh herbs than dried herbs.
  • When muddling fresh herbs, don’t crush too hard otherwise you’ll release the green chlorophyll which can leave a bitter taste.
  • 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, colour, 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 4kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Iron: 1mg