Moroccan
a cup of lemon verbena tea

This simple lemon verbena tea the recipe can be made in just 15 minutes with loose verbena leaves and water. The aromatic, citrusy tea pairs well with a spoonful of honey or can be enjoyed on its own for a refreshing, slightly sweet hot drink. It also serves as a wonderful lemony base for making iced tea – read on for detailed instructions!

a cup of lemon verbena tea

Tea time in Morocco is a ritual that is celebrated daily. It is a fundamental part of Moroccan cuisine much appreciated by my family. This verbena tea (also called Louisa in Morocco) is often served as part of this ritual, all year round.

My dad, aunts, and uncles love Louisa tea so much that they took the seeds and grew their own plants in their respective new homes across North America. I remember my father taking care of his plant so carefully, only to be totally devastated when it couldn’t survive the coldest winter.

It used to be really hard to find lemon verbena leaves here in Washington. Luckily, it’s now much easier to find them! You can find them online or in many local Arab markets.

If you live in a warmer climate, I highly recommend growing your plant in a pot, as the fresh leaves are a real treat when steeped as directed in this recipe. That said, using dried leaves works great too.

This herbal tea is caffeine-free and provides a calming and relaxing experience, which I find perfect before bed.

It is easy to prepare and is delicious served hot or cold as an iced tea.

The flavors are versatile and easy to integrate, whether it’s a squeeze of real lemon juice, a teaspoon of honey, a piece of citrus zest, or fresh fruit added to the frozen version.

If you like this tea, you must try this Moroccan mint tea, turmeric tea and Moroccan spiced coffee recipe.

a bowl of dried lemon verbena leavesa bowl of dried lemon verbena leaves

What you will need

With such a refreshing lemon scent, you’ll be surprised to find that there’s no lemon in this tea!

Find the exact quantities in the recipe card below.

Step by step instructions

What to enjoy with tea

Moroccan tea time is a daily afternoon tradition best enjoyed with sweets. Every family has their own favorite assortment of cookies and other small treats.

Here are a few that I grew up enjoying Louisa tea on a regular basis:

a cup of lemon verbena teaa cup of lemon verbena tea

Lemon verbena iced tea

Any leftover lemon verbena tea can be cooled and then stored in the refrigerator. They should keep for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.

Enjoy cold leftovers straight from the fridge or reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also freeze any leftovers ice cube trays to use in iced tea.

Lemon Verbena Iced Tea is super refreshing and is one of my favorite iced tea bases to start with.

I like to add a sweetener like sugar or honey while the tea is steeping to make sure the sweetener dissolves, then chill it. From there you can add ice cubes to the verbena tea, a squeeze of lemon juice, fresh citrus slices, cranberries, and any other ingredients you like. Bonus points if you have fresh lemon verbena leaves for garnish!

Other Moroccan drinks

Happy sipping!

Salima written in cursiveSalima written in cursive

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Description

This simple lemon verbena tea the recipe can be made in just 15 minutes with loose verbena leaves and water. The aromatic, citrusy tea pairs well with a spoonful of honey or can be enjoyed on its own for a refreshing, slightly sweet hot drink. It also serves as a wonderful lemony base for making iced tea – read on for detailed instructions!



  1. Bring the water to a boil. In a kettle or saucepan, bring water to a low boil.
  2. Leave the leaves to infuse. Pour water over lemon verbena leaves in a teapot or individual cups. Cover and leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes.
  3. (Optional) Sweeten: If desired, add a spoonful of honey or sugar to the tea.
  4. Enjoy!


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