Low Sodium Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This refreshing twist on a classic half-and-half drink layers fragrant black tea steeped with fresh mint and basil — plus an optional hint of lavender — against bright, freshly squeezed lemonade. Every element is made from scratch, so you know exactly what's going into your glass: no mystery additives, no preservatives, and absolutely no added sodium hiding in a bottled mix. The herbal steep is where the magic happens, coaxing floral and garden-fresh notes from the leaves before they're strained away, leaving behind a clean, aromatic tea base. A simple homemade syrup sweetens the lemonade just enough without overpowering the citrus, and when the two halves meet over ice, the result is genuinely stunning. It's the kind of drink that looks impressive on a summer table but comes together with nothing more than a saucepan, a pitcher, and some good lemons. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lemon wheel and it's practically begging to be photographed before you drink it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the herbal tea
- 4 cups water, divided
- 3 black tea bags
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender (optional)
For the simple syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
For the lemonade
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)
- 1 ½ cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, mint leaves, basil leaves, and dried lavender (if using), and steep for 5 minutes.
- 2
Remove and discard the tea bags. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the herbs gently to extract their liquid, then discard the solids. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of cold water and let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
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