How to Make Fresh Nettle and Mint Tea

Fresh nettle and mint tea is one of the easiest and most refreshing herbal teas you can make at home. Made with young wild nettles and fragrant garden mint, this caffeine-free infusion has a grassy goodness and is rich in vitamins and minerals. Fresh nettle tea with mint is quick to make, naturally refreshing and a lovely way to enjoy foraged ingredients in spring and early summer.

Why make your own nettle and mint tea?

Granted, there's plenty of herbal blends of tea on the market. But making your own with fresh stinging nettle leaves is so much nicer!

• The flavour of tea made with fresh nettle leaves is much better. It has a fresh, grassy, green, herby taste. And there's no dustiness at the bottom of the cup which often happens with teabags made with dried nettles
• Mint adds a slight sweetness, which complements the flavour of nettles and makes a delicious herbal tea blend which is very palatable
• More of the vitamins and minerals are available in tea made from fresh leaves
• There's no packaging. And assuming you've got nettle and mint nearby, there's very few food miles too!
• If you are lucky enough to pick the leaves from your garden or the local countryside, this fresh nettle tea is free:)

Nettle and mint tea is also caffeine-free, so you can enjoy it at any time of the day.

You might also like to try this tea made with strawberry leaves, or make your own elderflower tea.

Ingredients

Fresh stinging nettle leaves. You may well have a good supply of these in the garden. I certainly do. And eating (or drinking) them is one of the most rewarding ways to deal with them.

Despite their downsides, both as an aggravating weed, and as a stinging plant, nettles are very nutritious. They have been used in herbal medicines for many centuries.

Nettles are rich in vitamins A,C, K, and several B vitamins. They are also a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. And like most greens, they are rich in a number of antioxidants and polyphenols.

(See here for a nettle soup and nettle pesto recipes if you're looking for other ways to use them up. You can also pop them in the oven and turn them into nettle crisps.)

Fresh mint leaves. There are many different types of mint, and you can use whichever you prefer for this recipe. I like to use spearmint which is milder and sweeter, with a lower level of menthol. Peppermint will give a stronger flavour, with a distinctive cooling taste.

Like nettles, mint is a traditional herbal remedy and a good source of antioxidants.

Foraging tips

In the UK, nettles are at their best in spring and early summer.

If you are foraging nettles in the wild, make sure you are away from busy polluted traffic areas and dog-walk routes. If you are not completely confident in identifying stinging nettles, use a good foraging guide

It's best to pick the fresh, young green leaves at the tip of the stem. They'll have a fresher, milder taste. Tough, older leaves can start to taste bitter.

Simply snip off the top 2-3 pairs of leaves and pop them in a bag.

Harvest nettles before they come into flower. The flowers of the stinging nettle look like little catkins hanging down under the leaves.

If you've got nettles growing in your garden, you can cut them back when they start to flower, and they'll regrow new, fresh leaves, providing you with tender green nettles later into the summer.

Of course, it's wise to wear gloves when picking and preparing nettles. Either gardening gloves or washing-up gloves will protect you from stings. Once the nettles touch boiling water, they'll no longer sting.

How to make fresh nettle tea

Prepare the herbs by removing any large woody stems, and give the leaves a quick rinse under the tap. Remember to use gloves.

Add the leaves to a pot or heat-resistant jug. Pour over 500ml of just-boiled water, and leave to steep for 5-10 minutes.

Nettle tea brewed for less time will be fresher and milder in taste.

A longer brew time will give a darker tea with a stronger, more earthy mineral flavour, so you might need to experiment to see what you prefer!

Strain and serve.

Iced nettle and mint tea

You could also serve iced nettle and mint tea. Chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours and serve over ice. You may find the tea darkens in colour as it starts to oxidise, but it is still safe to drink.

(If you enjoy iced tea you might also like this caffeine-free rooibos iced tea recipe.)

FAQs

Other foraged herbal tea recipes

You might also like to try some of these other healthy drinks. The foraged ingredients are easy to find, and these homemade herbal teas and drinks are caffeine-free and sugar-free.

On a cold day, you might also enjoy this comforting vegan hot chocolate.

Recipe