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Moroccan mint tea: how to make it, how to serve it, and what you need

By Souvenir Express team · Published 16 October 2026

Mint tea poured from a raised metal teapot into small tea glasses on an engraved brass tray with fresh mint
Illustration of mint tea served the Moroccan way.

Short answer: Moroccan mint tea is Chinese gunpowder green tea brewed with fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar. Rinse the tea once with boiling water and pour that away, steep it for 2 to 3 minutes, add mint and sugar for 3 to 4 more, then pour from high into small glasses. A pot makes about six glasses, each with roughly 10 to 12 mg of caffeine.

What is Moroccan mint tea?

It is the drink Moroccans serve to every guest: green tea, fresh mint and sugar, brewed in a metal teapot and poured into small decorated glasses. Morocco presented the ritual at the FAO headquarters in Rome for International Tea Day in May 2025, as a symbol of hospitality.

Three things make it Moroccan rather than just "mint tea":

  • Gunpowder green tea: Chinese green tea rolled into small pellets, strong enough to stand up to the mint and sugar.
  • Fresh spearmint (nana): a large handful, stems included, never dried mint.
  • The pour: tea poured from height to aerate it and raise a light foam on top of the glass.

How do you make Moroccan mint tea?

IngredientFor one pot (about 6 glasses)
Gunpowder green tea1 tablespoon, about 5 g
Fresh spearmint1 large handful
Sugar3 to 6 teaspoons, to taste
Boiling water750 ml
  1. Rinse the tea. Put the tea in the pot, add a small glass of boiling water, swirl for 30 seconds and pour it away. This first infusion is bitter.
  2. Steep. Add the rest of the boiling water and leave for 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Add mint and sugar. Push the mint into the pot, add the sugar, and steep for 3 to 4 more minutes.
  4. Mix by pouring. Pour a glass and tip it back into the pot two or three times: this dissolves the sugar without stirring.
  5. Serve from height. Pour into small glasses from as high as you can control, which leaves a thin foam on top.

There is no single national recipe: families adjust the amount of mint and sugar to their taste.

Moroccan mint green tea in a metal tin of 20 pyramid bags

Why is the tea poured from high?

Pouring from height mixes the sugar and aerates the tea. The light foam that forms on top of the glass is called rghwa. Start low, then raise the teapot as the glass fills.

What do you need: teapot and glasses

  • A metal teapot (berrad): the traditional pot for mint tea. Ask whether it is stainless steel or plated metal.
  • Small glasses of about 100 to 120 ml: decorated tea glasses are the classic choice.
  • A tray to serve the pot and glasses together.

Tradition says guests drink three glasses, and each one tastes a little different as the tea keeps brewing in the pot.

Does Moroccan mint tea contain caffeine?

Yes, because it is made with green tea. The US Food and Drug Administration gives about 37 mg of caffeine for a 12 fl oz (355 ml) serving of green tea, which works out to roughly 10 to 12 mg in a small 100 to 120 ml glass. Three glasses come to about 35 mg, against the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults. Caffeine varies with how much tea goes in the pot and how long it brews.

For an evening glass without caffeine, use a mint infusion made without tea leaves.

Metal tin of Nahnah mint infusion decorated with a teapot

Moroccan mint tea as a gift

Tea travels well: closed tins are light, unbreakable and accepted in hand luggage. Pair a tin of mint green tea with a mint infusion for evenings and a box of pastries to serve with it.

  • Delivered within 24 hours, free, anywhere in Morocco, to your hotel reception or address. An express option delivers in under an hour, for a fee shown at checkout.
  • Ready to give: orders arrive wrapped and ready to offer; our teas come in metal tins of 20 pyramid bags.
  • Pay by card or cash on delivery. Returns are accepted for 14 days after delivery, with return shipping on us.

Bringing tea home? Check what food you can bring back from Morocco, and see the best souvenirs from Morocco and what they cost.

FAQ

What tea is used for Moroccan mint tea?

Chinese gunpowder green tea, rolled into small pellets. It is brewed with fresh spearmint and sugar.

Why is the first infusion thrown away?

It rinses the tea and removes some of its bitterness. The tea is swirled with a little boiling water for about 30 seconds, then that water is poured away.

How much sugar goes in Moroccan mint tea?

Usually 3 to 6 teaspoons for a 750 ml pot, adjusted to taste.

Does Moroccan mint tea have caffeine?

Yes. Based on the FDA's figure for green tea, a small glass contains roughly 10 to 12 mg of caffeine.

What is the Moroccan teapot called?

A berrad, the traditional metal teapot used to brew and serve mint tea.

Sources