Watermelon Basil Iced Tea has all you need for the summer. It’s light, refreshing, and naturally sweet. This tea drink is my favorite way to unwind on hot afternoons: sweet watermelon, cooling ice, and that crisp touch of basil.
Contents
Watermelon Basil Iced Tea Recipe
Watermelon Basil Iced Tea is a refreshing, fruity herbal drink that combines sweet watermelon juice with brewed tea and fresh basil leaves. The combination creates a unique balance of sweet, fruity, and herbal notes.
The drink is low in calories, naturally sweet, sugar-free, and healthy. It contains antioxidants such as lycopene and vitamin C from watermelon, and antioxidants from tea leaves.
Watermelon Basil Iced Tea pairs well with light, summery dishes like grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, or vegetable skewers. It also complements fresh green salads, fruit-based salads (watermelon or mixed berry), and citrusy vinaigrettes.
The tea goes well with light appetizers like bruschetta, caprese salad, or fresh spring rolls. You can pair it with cold seafood dishes like ceviche or chilled shrimp cocktails and summer desserts such as sorbets or fruit tarts.
Here’s how to make the watermelon basil iced tea – a flavorful, hydrating, and healthful beverage ideal for summer.
Watermelon Basil Iced Tea
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 2 green tea bags
- 1 cup hot water about 8 oz / 240 ml
- 10 fresh basil leaves sweet basil or Thai basil
- 1 cup diced seedless watermelon
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Place 2 green tea bags in a large glass or heat-safe pitcher. Pour in 1 cup of hot water. Add 10 basil leaves, stir gently, and let steep for 15 minutes.
- Add diced watermelon to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove pulp, collecting the juice.
- After the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and basil leaves. Add ice cubes and stir for about 20 seconds to chill.
- Pour in the strained watermelon juice and stir again to combine.
- Garnish with extra basil leaves or a small watermelon wedge if desired.
Notes
- Sweeten to taste with honey or simple syrup if desired.
- For extra flavor, muddle the basil lightly before steeping.
- For a sparkling version, top with club soda before serving.
SIMILAR RECIPES:
Variations
Watermelon Basil Iced Tea has several popular versions with different types of tea and additional flavor elements.
- Watermelon Basil Sweet Tea uses sweetened black tea infused with fresh watermelon and basil.
- Lime Addition combines green tea with fresh watermelon juice, lime juice, and basil simple syrup. It offers a tart and refreshing drink with a balance of sweetness and herbaceous notes.
- Watermelon Chamomile Iced Tea with Basil uses chamomile tea as the base, mixed with watermelon syrup and fresh basil. It creates a floral and soothing iced tea with a summery vibe.
- Iced Watermelon Basil Matcha features a layered presentation with pureed watermelon and basil at the bottom and cold-brewed matcha on top.
- Watermelon Basil Green Tea Latte adds cold frothed milk or coconut milk after mixing the tea and watermelon juice.
- Sparkling Watermelon Basil Tea replaces half the watermelon juice with sparkling water or soda water for a bubbly version.
- Frozen Version
- Freeze watermelon chunks first.
- Blend frozen melon with chilled green tea and basil for a refreshing slushie.
- Watermelon Basil Arnold Palmer mixes the watermelon juice with half green tea and half lemonade.
- Spicy Watermelon Basil Tea adds a few slices of jalapeño or a pinch of chili flakes while steeping the tea for a subtle kick.