Beat the hot summer days with a cool, refreshing glass of homemade Mango Iced Tea. Sweet, ripened mangoes are pureed and combined with a homemade simple syrup and then shaken with freshly brewed tea over ice. Serve it with a lime slice and sprig of mint leaves for added freshness!
Best part about summer? MANGO SEASON! Nothing makes me happier than a perfectly ripe, sweet mango. Except for maybe a tall glass of refreshing mango iced tea in the afternoons!
If you have a ton of sweet mangoes that are starting to ripen, this is a wonderful way to use a lot of them to make a fruit flavored iced tea recipe! It doesn't get much better than using in season fruit to make flavored ice teas as a way to cool down in the summer.
Making mango iced tea at home could not be any easier, and it's much better than the canned versions you get at the grocery store * cough cough Arizona iced tea cough cough *. I said what I said.
This recipe makes a pitcher full for serving to guests at a picnic at the park or a summer backyard barbecue. It can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks and served along with lunch!
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Ingredients - Notes and Substitutions
Making the iced tea could not be any easier! You most likely already have all the ingredients you need to make this at home.
- Mangoes - Obviously the star of the show. The mangoes are pureed and combined with simple syrup to make a mango nectar juice. The best types of mango to use are sweet, ripened, non-fibrous mangoes like from the champagne, kesar, or alphonso variety. You can also use canned mango puree. It'll likely already have sugar added, so if it does then skip the step of mango a simple syrup and simply dilute the mango puree with water.
- Water - The water thins out the mango puree and forms a simple syrup when combined with the sugar.
- Sugar - The sugar sweetens the mangoes and black tea by forming a simple syrup with water. Use granulated sugar.
- Lemon juice - The acidity freshens up the mango juice.
- Black tea - Use regular black tea bags. I really enjoy British blends or English breakfast tea. You can also use green tea bags.
🥭 How to make Homemade Mango Iced Tea
It's pleasantly surprising how simple it is to whip up some iced tea in less than 20 minutes! You'll be ready with a pitcher to serve up to guests in no time.
Start by cutting the mango in half and deseeding it. Remove the mango pulp into a bowl and cut the mangoes into chunks.
Add the mangoes into a blender and puree until it's completely smooth. Pass the puree through a sieve to strain out any chunks or fibrous parts. Set the mango puree aside.
Now, let's start on the black tea so it has some time to cool.
Brew the tea. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 4-5 black tea bags and give the water a really good stir. Take the pot off heat and allow the tea to brew for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, discard the tea bags and allow the tea to fully cool in the refrigerator.
While the tea is cooling, let's make a silky smooth mango juice with that mango puree we set aside earlier.
Make the simple syrup. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves, and then add in the lemon juice. Continue to simmer the water on a low heat until it starts to become a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat.
Pour the mango puree into the pot with the simple syrup and whisk it together until fully combined. Allow the mango juice to fully cool as well in the refrigerator as well.
Pro Tip: It's crucial to allow the tea and juice to chill otherwise you'll end up with watery, diluted iced tea.
Once the black tea and mango juice are chilled, you're ready to make some iced tea!
How to Serve
For single servings, add ice to a cocktail shaker with 4 ounces of both the black tea and mango juice. Shake well for 30 seconds, and then pour into a tall glass over ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of lime.
For a large batch, pour the iced tea and mango juice into a pitcher and stir together really well. Keep the pitcher in the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.
If you're planning on serving it immediately for a party, allow guests to add ice into their cups and pour the mango iced tea in to avoid it diluting over time in the pitcher. Optionally, provide lime slices with sprigs of mint for added freshness.
Expert Tips
This drink is truly foolproof but here are some simple tips to ensure an ideal outcome that's tailored to your preferences!
- The amount of sugar added in this recipe doesn't make a painfully sweet iced tea, so feel free to add more simple syrup as preferred.
- Decaffeinated tea bags are a great non-caffeine solution
- Green tea will work just as well as black tea!
- Adjust the strength of the black tea according to the quality of the brand you use. You may need more or less black tea bags.
- Replace the mango with other in-season summer fruits like peaches for a peach iced tea!
- Add sugar or sweetener of your choice to water instead of simple syrup.
- If it's too strong, thin it out with water as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using opting for sweet, non-fibrous variety of mangoes like champagne, kesar, or alphonso mangoes.
Absolutely! You'll still want to weigh out about 13oz of mango puree.
Yes it does if you use caffeinated black tea or green tea bags / leaves. You can also use decaffeinated tea.
Absolutely! Use the serving size in the recipe card to make larger batches. Store the iced tea in a pitcher with a lid for up to two weeks. Stir really well if the mango begins to separate.
Mango Iced Tea Cocktail
Okay, because boozy picnic? Yes, please! My sister-in-law brought it to my attention that the mango iced tea would be amazing spiked for the summertime so I had to test this out.
To make a spiked mango iced tea, add an ounce of vodka to each serving, or about six ounces to the whole pitcher.
More Summer Drink Recipes to try
For more recipes to use up your mangoes, try Mango Juice, Mango Lassi, and Mango-Tamarind Cauliflower Wings!
Recipe
Mango Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 13 oz mango pulp, (~3 mangoes)
- 64 oz water, divided
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4-5 black tea bags
- mint leaves and lime slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the mangoes into halves and remove the seeds. Scoop the mango pulp into a blender. Turn the blender on and puree the mangoes completely until smooth. Strain the mangoes into a bowl to remove any chunks or fibrous bits.
- Pour 32oz of water to another pot and bring it to a boil. Add the black tea bags and remove the pot from heat. Stir the water really well and allow the tea to steep for a minimum of 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, discard the tea bags and allow the tea to chill in the fridge.
- Pour the other 32oz of water into one pot and bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. As the sugar is dissolving, add in the lemon juice.
- Continue simmering the water on low heat until it's almost a syrup, but it should not be thick like maple syrup. A good way to check is by dipping your finger into the syrup, pressing it between your thumb and finger, and then slowly pulling your fingers apart. If you see one strand, it's ready.
- Remove the pot from heat and add the mango puree in with the simple syrup. Stir together really well until you have a silky smooth mango juice. Chill the mango juice with the black tea in the refrigerator.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, 4oz of mango juice, and 4oz of brewed black tea. Shake it together for 30 seconds and pour into a tall glass filled with ice.
- Top off with additional iced tea, if desired. Serve with a lime slice and mint leaves. For large batches, stir together the brewed tea and mango juice really well in a pitcher and chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- If the iced tea is too strong, thin it out with water as needed.
- Use green tea bags instead of black tea.
- Frozen mango chunks or canned mango puree can be substituted for fresh mango.
- Please serve this drink chilled, it doesn't taste great when warm.
Sammy says
Very refreshing, perfect for a summer afternoon. Easy to make, not too sweet perfect blend of tea and mango.