Paraben 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 fragrant basil leaves for a syrup that tastes genuinely special. Black tea brings a grounding, slightly tannic backbone that keeps the whole thing from tipping into dessert territory. The beauty here is that every ingredient is whole and straightforward — fresh fruit, fresh herbs, real maple syrup, and tea bags — so there's nothing hidden or synthetic to worry about. Many flavored teas and bottled drinks rely on artificial preservatives and synthetic fragrance compounds that can be a concern for people avoiding certain additives, but this one is made entirely from scratch with nothing you wouldn't recognize. Straining the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve gives you a silky, jewel-toned concentrate that blends seamlessly into the chilled tea. Poured over ice and garnished with a sprig of basil, it looks like something from a café menu but comes together in your own kitchen with minimal effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 4 cups water
- 4 black tea bags
For the strawberry basil syrup
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ 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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