Black Pepper Free Green Tea Citrus Agua Fresca
This refreshing agua fresca is the kind of drink that makes you feel like you're sitting somewhere sunny and unhurried, even if you're just standing at your kitchen counter. Pale gold-green from gently steeped green tea, it gets a bright, tangy lift from freshly squeezed orange and lime juice, with maple syrup rounding everything out into something lightly sweet and completely balanced. A pinch of fine salt might sound unexpected in a cold drink, but it quietly sharpens all the citrus notes and makes every sip more interesting. Because this recipe is built entirely from whole, simple ingredients, there's nothing to second-guess — no spice blends, no seasoning packets, no hidden additives to scan for. The technique is straightforward: steep, sweeten, chill, combine, and pour over ice. Garnished with a thin citrus slice and a sprig of fresh mint, it looks genuinely beautiful in a glass and tastes even better than it looks.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the green tea base
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
For the citrus blend
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 2 cups cold water
- ¼ tsp fine salt
For serving
- 1 cup ice cubes, for serving
- 4 thin orange or lime slices, for garnish (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the green tea bags and steep for 3 minutes, until the tea is a clear, pale gold-green color. Remove and discard the bags — do not squeeze them, as this releases bitter tannins.
- 2
Stir the maple syrup into the hot tea until fully dissolved. Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, at least 10 minutes.
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