Dairy Free Strawberry Basil Iced Tea
This drink is the kind of thing you make once and then find yourself craving all summer long. Fresh strawberries are simmered down with maple syrup until they release a gorgeous, deep-pink juice, then steeped with a generous handful of basil leaves that add a herby, almost floral complexity you won't find in any bottled tea. The whole thing comes together naturally without a drop of dairy anywhere in sight ā no cream, no butter, no hidden milk solids to second-guess. Black tea forms the backbone, giving it just enough tannin to balance the sweetness of the fruit and the maple. Straining the syrup leaves you with a silky, jewel-toned concentrate that blends beautifully with the brewed tea. Poured over ice and finished with a sprig of basil or a few strawberry slices, it looks genuinely stunning in a glass. It's refreshing, a little sophisticated, and completely plant-based without trying to be.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 4 cups water
- 4 black tea bags
For the strawberry basil syrup
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- Ā½ cup maple syrup
- Ā½ cup water
- Ā½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
To finish
- 2 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh basil sprigs, for garnish (optional)
- sliced strawberries, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags, then set the brewed tea aside to cool slightly.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the halved strawberries, maple syrup, and 1/2 cup water in the same saucepan (or a second small saucepan) over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have softened and released their juices and the liquid is a deep pink, about 8 minutes.
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