What is meadow tea? Meadow Tea is a popular summertime beverage among Lancaster County residents, particularly the Amish and Mennonites. It is a simple refreshing drink made from fresh mint leaves.
Having grown up Amish in that area, fresh iced meadow tea was kept in our refrigerator almost all summer long. It's a perfect drink for a hot summer day. And even to this day, this delightful beverage made with fresh mint remains one of my favorite summer drinks. Its invigorating and refreshing qualities are truly unmatched.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Amish Meadow Tea
- Nothing beats a cold glass of fresh mint tea on a hot summer day.
- This simple drink is a refreshing way to use fresh mint from your garden.
- It's a Lancaster County Amish summertime tradition that has been enjoyed for generations.
- It's easy to make and perfect for keeping in the refrigerator all summer long.
Why is it Called Meadow Tea?
Traditionally, meadow tea was made with wild mint leaves found in the meadow, and yes, that's where the name came from. But you can use any variety of fresh mint leaves for this recipe.
How to Make Mint Tea From Your Garden
Take a bowl and scissors to the garden and snip a couple of large handfuls of mint.
(When mint is not regularly cut it will go into seed/flowers will grow on the top. I don't like adding the flowery part to the tea water because it will need extra fine straining to catch all the seeds. So I try to cut it before that happens. But if it has gone to seed, you can always snip off the tops.)
Do I Add the Stems or Only the Leaves?
Now this is where you will need to decide whether you want to strip the leaves from the stems or just use the whole stems for making tea.
Young, thin-stemmed, fresh mint is the best to use for making iced tea. And when using young stems, I add the whole leafy stems to the water.
But if you haven't cut your tea in a while, and the stems are thick and long with giant leaves, it is best to remove the leaves and discard the stems. Thick woody stems tend to add a bitter flavor. It takes a bit longer to remove all the leaves, but it's worth it.
Wash the Mint
Obviously, anything that you bring in from the garden needs to be washed before consumption. And how well you need to wash it will depend on how dirty it is. I like to mulch around my mint as it helps to keep it clean as well as preserve moisture.
I typically wash mine by swishing it around in a large bowl of cold water at least three times to make sure I get any bugs or dirt. If the water is still looking dirty after removing the mint, then you know it needs to be washed again.
This post contains affiliate links...
Boil Water and Steep
In a large pot (at least 4 qt. size), bring approx. 3 - 3 ½ quarts of water to a boil. Add the washed tea leaves/stems. Use a large spoon and submerge the leaves into the water.
Remove from the heat, cover with the lid, and let it steep for 5 - 10 minutes (depending on how strong you want the flavor).
Fill a gallon pitcher or jar approximately ⅓ full with ice.
With a large slotted spoon, remove the majority of the tea leaves from the pot. (Feel free to lightly squeeze a bit of that extra minty goodness out of the leaves). Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Then strain the tea into the gallon pitcher with ice.
Stir and fill the gallon pitcher with more ice or water as needed. Then go ahead and enjoy your heavenly creation!
Freezing Meadow Tea Concentrate
Whenever I have lots of mint leaves that need to get used, I like to freeze some concentrate for use over the winter months.
It is made in much the same way as when we are making one gallon of tea. Only we use more leaves and steep it a little longer.
Boil 4 quarts of water. Steep 4 - 8 cups of tea leaves (removed from the stems) for 15 minutes. (Most Amish recipes say 4 cups of leaves, but that's not strong enough for my taste. I like to use approx. 8 cups of mint leaves.)
Add 3 - 4 cups of sugar (Here again, Amish recipes say 4 cups. But if you prefer less sweet tea, you can cut back on the amount) and cool. Pour the concentrate into quart freezer containers and freeze. (Leave a bit of space at the top for room to expand.)
To serve, combine 1 quart of tea concentrate with approx. 3 qt. water.
Growing Mint
I love fresh herbs! Typically they are easy to grow, and they bring a burst of refreshing flavor to so many dishes and drinks. So I encourage you to visit your local greenhouse and purchase a pot or two of mint. (I recommend trying at least two different kinds.)
It's relatively easy to grow in home gardens, preferring well-drained soil and a sunny or partially shaded location. Regular watering is also essential if you live in a dry climate.
Be warned, though, that mint loves to spread, and it can quickly overtake a flower bed or garden! So I encourage you to plant it in a dedicated location where it will be free to spread, such as a large pot, raised bed, etc.
And if you have a garden bed where mint thrives abundantly, Meadow Tea presents an excellent opportunity to utilize the surplus leaves.
What Kind of Mint Should I Use?
You can use any variety of fresh mint to make meadow tea. My personal favorite is apple mint because I think it creates the most delicious flavor, but peppermint, spearmint, and chocolate mint can all be used as well. I also enjoy combining different varieties to create my own favorite blend.
Apple Mint
Apple mint has a mild, sweet flavor with a hint of apple fragrance. It has round, light green leaves with a slightly fuzzy texture. Growing up to 1 to 2 feet tall, it spreads through runners or rhizomes. It makes a wonderfully smooth and refreshing iced tea and is my favorite choice for meadow tea.
Chocolate Mint
Chocolate mint has a mild chocolate aroma with a classic mint flavor. It's especially fun to grow and can add a unique flavor to tea and desserts.
Spearmint
Spearmint has a sweet, mild mint flavor and is a popular choice for drinks or adding to a fruit salad. It creates a refreshing tea that is a little less intense than peppermint.
Peppermint
Peppermint has a stronger, cooling flavor because of its higher menthol content. If you enjoy a bold mint flavor, peppermint makes a very refreshing meadow tea.
Can I Use Dried Tea Leaves?
In case you're wondering if you could make Amish meadow tea with dried tea leaves, The answer is "No". I mean, you could make iced tea with dried mint leaves. But it will not taste anywhere close to the same as when making tea with fresh mint leaves.
If you don't have any mint in your garden, you may be able to find some fresh mint at the supermarket.
Health Benefits of Mint
Not only does mint tea have an amazing and refreshing flavor, but drinking mint tea also offers potential health benefits.
Mint is known as a remedy for digestive problems, relieving indigestion and bloating, and promoting relaxation.
Fresh Mint Iced Tea : A Summertime Tradition
This PA Dutch Iced Mint Tea is one of those simple pleasures that just never gets old. It's fresh, it's easy, and it's been a summertime favorite around here for generations. If you've got mint growing in your herb garden, this is the perfect way to use it. Pour a glass, sit back, and enjoy a taste of Lancaster County tradition.
Four words come to mind that perfectly describe this fresh mint tea: Refreshing! Minty! Cooling! and Exhilarating! It's one of my all-time favorite drinks! And honestly, I've never met anyone who didn't like it.
I hope you get to try Amish meadow tea. And if you do, I would love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
Perhaps you'd also like to try my recipe for Easy Homemade Lemonade, or Homemade Rhubarb Punch.
Fruit Slush and my Lime Slushies are also great summertime treats!
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Meadow Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- a couple handfuls of mint (stems and leaves) or approx. 1 quart of mint leaves
- 3 qt. cold water
- ¾ - 1 c. sugar
- Ice
Instructions
- Snip a couple of large handfuls of mint from the garden and wash well.a couple handfuls of mint (stems and leaves) or approx. 1 quart of mint leaves
- In a large pot, bring 3 - 3 ½ quarts of water to a boil.3 qt. cold water
- Add washed mint to the pot of boiling water. Push it into the water to submerge, and cover with the lid. Remove from the heat and allow it to steep for 5 - 10 minutes (depending on how strong you like it).
- With a slotted spoon, remove the majority of the leaves (you can lightly press them with a spoon to squeeze out more of the minty goodness). Add the sugar and stir to dissolve.¾ - 1 c. sugar
- Fill a gallon pitcher about ⅓ full of ice and strain the tea into the pitcher. Fill with ice or water as needed.Ice
- Chill and enjoy! Keep refrigerated.
Gina
This sounds so refreshing! I’m going to try making it as a sub tea with my strawberry mint.
Anna
I've never tried strawberry mint, but it sounds good.
Kathleen Zaffino Bachak
I made this mint tea today. This recipe is 10 out of 10! Best I’ve Ever made! Thanks A Million!!!!!
Anna
So glad you enjoyed it! We love mint tea! What kind of mint did you use?
Anna
My family's favorite summertime beverage!
Ashlyn
Have you ever canned the concentrate? I'm running out of freezer space and was wondering if the concentrate could be water bath canned. Thanks!
Anna
I'm sorry, I have never canned it. I'm sure you could, just not sure about details of how to do it. I found this post online with canning instructions, but it looks like it's more of a syrup than a tea concentrate. So not sure it's what you're looking for? https://homesteadroots.blogspot.com/2010/08/canning-herb-syrup-mint-spearmint.html
Colleen Bang
Picking mint in the meadow is one of my favorite childhood memories. I grew up in that town just south of New Holland, I’m sure you will know why I don’t name it here..
I have never had tea as good as that, but look forward to trying your tea suggestions. Last time I went back home they were selling Meadow Tea in some stores.
Anna
lol, not too hard to guess which town you're talking about.