Description
Refreshing homemade Mango Iced Tea, bursting with tropical flavor. Features a vibrant mango syrup and a robust black tea base, perfectly balanced with a touch of lemon.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups water, divided
- 4 black tea bags (or 4 tablespoons loose leaf black tea)
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3–4 lemons)
- Ice cubes, for serving
- Optional garnishes: mango slices, lemon wedges, mint sprigs
Instructions
- Combine Mango and Water: In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped mangoes with 1 cup of water.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the mangoes are very soft and pulpy. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Strain the Syrup: Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Pour the mango mixture into the sieve. Use the back of a spoon to press the mango pulp against the sieve, extracting as much syrup as possible. Discard the remaining pulp (or save it for smoothies!).
- Add Sugar: Return the mango syrup to the saucepan. Add the granulated sugar.
- Dissolve Sugar: Heat the syrup over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Cool the Syrup: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mango syrup cool completely.
- Heat Water: Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan.
- Steep Tea: Place the black tea bags (or loose leaf tea in a tea infuser) in a heatproof pitcher or large measuring cup. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.
- Steep Time: Let the tea steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on your preference.
- Remove Tea Bags: Remove the tea bags (or tea infuser) from the pitcher. Be sure to squeeze the tea bags gently to extract all the flavor.
- Cool the Tea: Let the brewed tea cool to room temperature.
- Combine Tea and Syrup: In a large pitcher, combine the cooled black tea and the cooled mango syrup.
- Add Lemon Juice: Add the fresh lemon juice to the pitcher.
- Stir Well: Stir the mixture well to combine all the ingredients.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the iced tea and adjust the sweetness and tartness to your liking. If it’s too sweet, add more lemon juice. If it’s not sweet enough, add a little more sugar or mango syrup.
- Chill: Refrigerate the mango iced tea for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Fill Glasses with Ice: Fill glasses with ice cubes.
- Pour Iced Tea: Pour the chilled mango iced tea over the ice.
- Garnish (Optional): Garnish with mango slices, lemon wedges, and/or mint sprigs.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the mango iced tea immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust Sweetness: The amount of sugar in this recipe is just a suggestion. Adjust it to your personal preference. You can also use other sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, or stevia.
- Use Frozen Mango: If fresh mangoes are not available, you can use frozen mango chunks. Just thaw them before using.
- Add Ginger: For a spicy kick, add a small piece of fresh ginger to the mango syrup while it’s simmering.
- Sparkling Mango Iced Tea: Top off each glass of iced tea with a splash of sparkling water or club soda for a refreshing fizz.
- Mango Green Tea: Substitute the black tea with green tea for a lighter, more delicate flavor.
- Make it a Cocktail: Add a shot of rum or vodka to each glass for an adult twist.
- Infuse the Tea: Add a few slices of fresh ginger or a cinnamon stick to the tea while it’s steeping for added flavor.
- Make a Large Batch: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
- Storage: Store leftover mango iced tea in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavor may mellow slightly over time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes