This mango iced tea happened because of an Instagram scroll and a heatwave. I saw it pop up on Loulou Kitchen’s account one afternoon when it was far too hot to think about turning on a stove, and I knew immediately it was going to be one of a kind.
I followed her version almost to the letter, because sometimes a recipe is already perfect and all it needs is someone willing to actually make it instead of just saving it for later.
The result was exactly what I needed: refreshing, fruity, barely sweet, and ready in the time it takes the tea to cool down.
Mango Iced Tea – About the dish
Fruit-steeped iced teas sit at the crossroads of two traditions: the ritual of brewing tea, and the tropical habit of blending fresh fruit into cold, sweet drinks. Mango and passion fruit are a classic pairing across many tropical kitchens, showing up in juices, coulis and desserts long before anyone thought to drop them into a pitcher of tea.
Vanilla ties it all together. Infused into the tea itself and reinforced with a whole bean in the blender, it rounds out the tartness of the passion fruit and gives the drink a softer, almost dessert-like edge, without adding much extra sugar.
Mango Iced Tea – Recipe
Ingredients – Advice & key points
- Mango: use one large, very ripe mango, the fragrance and softness are the best clue it is ready
- Passion fruit: choose fruits with wrinkled, dimpled skin, that is when they are at their sweetest
- Vanilla bean: split and scrape the pod for the blender, its seeds bring a warm background note
- Vanilla tea: brew one bag in 1L of water and let it cool completely before using
- Sugar: two tablespoons is enough here, taste your fruit first and adjust if needed
- Ice: don’t skimp, this drink is meant to be poured over plenty of it
Recipe – Advice & key points
- Blend first: puree the mango, passion fruit, vanilla and sugar with a splash of tea before adding the rest
- Cool the tea fully: warm tea poured over ice will only water the drink down
- Assemble in a pitcher: add the ice, then the fruit puree, then the cooled tea, and stir well
- Taste before serving: adjust the sugar at this stage, the ripeness of the fruit will change how sweet it needs to be
- Keep it simple: this drink comes together in minutes, there’s no need to overthink it
This is the kind of drink I keep in the fridge all summer, it takes barely any effort and disappears just as fast. Enjoy!
Mango Iced Tea
Description
A refreshing mango and passion fruit iced tea infused with vanilla, blended fresh and served over plenty of ice. Quick to make and barely sweet, it's the perfect drink for hot summer days.
Ingredients
Instructions
Blend the fruit
In a blender, combine the mango, passion fruit pulp, vanilla bean seeds, sugar and a splash of the cooled tea. Blend until smooth.
Assemble the pitcher
Fill a pitcher with plenty of ice, pour in the fruit puree, then top with the cooled vanilla tea. Stir well to combine.
Serve
Pour into glasses and serve immediately, while it's still cold and packed with fruit.