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Marrakech.Cooking
Drinks

Moroccan Mint Tea

How to make Moroccan mint tea the traditional way, including the technique for pouring it from height.

Prep

5 minutes

Cook

10 minutes

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Moroccan mint tea is less a recipe than a small ceremony — offered to guests almost automatically, and often poured with visible technique as a form of hospitality rather than just a drink to have with a meal. Getting the basics right (green tea, fresh mint, a careful pour) matters more than any complicated method.

The pour is the detail most visitors remember: tea poured from well above the glass, creating a thin layer of foam on top. It looks like a flourish, but it genuinely aerates the tea and is considered a sign that it’s been made properly.

If you’d like to practice the pouring technique hands-on rather than just reading about it, our Pastry & Mint Tea Workshop in Marrakech teaches it directly alongside traditional Moroccan sweets.

Ingredients

Tea

  • 1 tbsp Chinese gunpowder green tea
  • 1 large bunch fresh mint (spearmint if available)
  • 3-4 tbsp sugar, to taste
  • 600ml boiling water

Instructions

  1. 1

    Rinse the green tea leaves briefly with a small splash of boiling water in the teapot, then discard this first rinse — it removes some bitterness.

  2. 2

    Add the fresh mint and sugar to the teapot along with the tea leaves.

  3. 3

    Pour in the boiling water and let it steep on low heat (or off the heat, covered) for about 5-10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Pour a small glass of tea, then pour it back into the pot — this helps dissolve the sugar evenly and mix the flavors.

  5. 5

    To serve, pour the tea from a height of 20-30cm above each glass. This aerates the tea and creates a light foam on top.

  6. 6

    Taste and adjust sugar if needed before serving the rest.

Tips

  • Pouring from height isn't just for show — it genuinely changes the texture of the tea by aerating it, which is why Moroccan hosts take the technique seriously.
  • Fresh mint matters more than the specific tea — spearmint is closest to what's traditionally used, though other fresh mint varieties work reasonably well.
  • Tea is often served three times from the same leaves in Moroccan hospitality, with the flavor changing slightly each round — a well-known saying describes the first glass as 'gentle as life,' the second as 'strong as love,' and the third as 'bitter as death.'

Questions About This Recipe

Why is Moroccan tea poured from so high above the glass?

Pouring from height aerates the tea, creating a light foam on top of the glass, which is seen as a sign the tea has been made and served well. It's as much a matter of technique and hospitality as taste.

How much sugar is traditionally used?

Traditional Moroccan mint tea is served quite sweet, though the amount varies by household and can be adjusted to taste. Starting with less and adding more is easier than the reverse.

Learn to Make This in Marrakech