If you have ever wondered how to make lemongrass iced tea, the short answer is simple: bruise a couple of fresh lemongrass stalks, simmer or steep them in hot water (on their own for a caffeine-free glass, or alongside a little green tea), sweeten lightly, brighten with lime and a slice of fresh ginger, then chill it well and pour over plenty of ice. The result is a clean, citrusy, grassy-fresh cooler that tastes like sunshine in a glass.
Below you will find a full lemongrass iced tea recipe with amounts, two reliable methods (hot-brew-then-chill and a fridge cold-brew), a quick fresh-versus-dried guide, and the food-safety points that keep a pitcher tasting fresh for days.
What is lemongrass iced tea?
Lemongrass iced tea is a chilled infusion of lemongrass served over ice. Lemongrass is a tall, fragrant stalk herb whose lower stem carries an oily, lemony aroma without the sourness of a citrus fruit. Steep it and you get a drink that is bright and lemony up front, faintly grassy underneath, and gently sweet and rounded when you add a spoon of sugar or honey.
The plant is central to the kitchens and cooling drinks of Southeast Asia, especially Thailand and Vietnam, where lemongrass flavours everything from soups and curries to sweet iced herbal refreshers. A glass of iced lemongrass tea sits comfortably in that family of light, aromatic coolers. If you enjoy this style, the pandan-scented cooler in our pandan tea guide is a natural next pour.
One of the nicest things about this drink is how flexible it is. A lemongrass-only glass is naturally caffeine-free and feather-light, so it suits any time of day. Add green tea and you get a little lift and a touch more body. Either way, lime and a small piece of ginger make it sing.
How to make lemongrass iced tea: ingredients
Here is how to make lemongrass iced tea for a pitcher of roughly four servings. Scale the amounts up or down and adjust the sweetness to taste.
- 4 cups (about 1 litre) water
- 2 to 3 fresh lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised and sliced (or about 2 tablespoons dried lemongrass, or 2 to 3 lemongrass tea bags)
- A few thin slices of fresh ginger (optional, but lovely)
- 2 to 3 green tea bags (optional, for a caffeinated version with more body)
- A squeeze of fresh lime (about half a lime), plus wheels to serve
- Sugar, simple syrup or honey to taste (start with 2 to 3 tablespoons)
- Plenty of ice
To prep the lemongrass, cut off the dry tops and the tough root end, peel away any papery outer layers, then smash the pale lower stalks with the back of a knife and slice them. That bruising is the whole trick, and we will come back to it below.
Method 1: Hot-brew, then chill
This is the fastest route and it pulls the most aroma from fresh stalks.
- Add the water and the bruised, sliced lemongrass to a saucepan (add the ginger now too, if using). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the kitchen smells lemony and the liquid takes on a pale straw colour.
- Take the pan off the heat. If you want a caffeinated glass, drop in the green tea bags now and steep for just 2 to 3 minutes so the green tea stays sweet rather than bitter, then remove them.
- Strain out the lemongrass and ginger. Stir in your sugar, simple syrup or honey while the tea is still warm so it dissolves cleanly.
- Let the tea cool at room temperature for a short while, then cover it and move it to the refrigerator to chill fully. Do not leave it sitting out warm for hours.
- When it is cold, squeeze in the lime, taste, and adjust the sweetness. Pour over ice and serve. For the broader chill-it-down principles, our guide to making iced tea covers the base method for any flavour.
Method 2: Fridge cold-brew
Cold-brewing is hands-off and gives a rounder, smoother, less grassy result. It also pulls a little less caffeine when you use a tea base.
- Put the sliced, bruised lemongrass (and ginger, and any tea bags) straight into a jug or jar with the 4 cups of cold water.
- Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Always cold-brew in the fridge, never on the counter.
- Strain, then sweeten to taste. Cold liquid dissolves granulated sugar slowly, so a ready-made simple syrup or honey blends in more easily here.
- Add lime, pour over ice and serve. For more on the technique and timings, see our cold-brew tea guide.
Fresh vs dried lemongrass
Both work well. Fresh stalks give the brightest, most citrusy result; dried lemongrass and tea bags are steadier and keep in the cupboard. Here is a quick comparison for a 4-cup batch.
| Factor | Fresh lemongrass | Dried lemongrass |
|---|---|---|
| Amount (4 cups) | 2 to 3 stalks | About 2 tbsp, or 2 to 3 tea bags |
| Prep | Trim, peel, bruise and slice | Measure loose, or use bags as-is |
| Flavour | Brightest, oily, lemon-citrus | Milder, softer, hay-like |
| Best method | Simmer 5 to 10 min, or cold-brew | Steep like tea, or cold-brew |
The key technique: bruise and slice
The single most important step is to bruise the stalks. Lemongrass keeps its aroma locked inside oil cells along the stem, and whole stalks release very little of it. Lay each trimmed stalk on a board and smack it firmly along its length with the back of a heavy knife or a rolling pin until it splits and softens, then slice it into short pieces. Bruising plus slicing exposes far more surface, so the water can draw out that lemony fragrance quickly.
From there, keep it culinary and simple. A few slices of fresh ginger add warmth and a little bite; a squeeze of lime lifts everything and keeps the colour lively. If you want a deeper look at the hot infusion on its own, our lemongrass tea guide covers the warm cup in detail, and everything there translates straight to this iced version.
Storage, make-ahead and food safety
Lemongrass iced tea is a great make-ahead drink. Keep the strained, sweetened tea covered in the refrigerator and enjoy it within about 2 to 3 days; it is at its most fragrant on the first day. Add lime just before serving so it stays fresh and bright, and wash any fresh fruit before slicing it for garnish.
The food-safety rule for any iced tea is about temperature. Either hot-brew and then chill in the fridge, or cold-brew in the refrigerator. Do not brew or steep tea in warm water left standing at room temperature for hours, the old sun-tea way, because lukewarm water is a comfortable place for bacteria to grow. Brewing hot then cooling quickly, or cold-brewing cold, keeps your pitcher safe and clean-tasting.
Is lemongrass iced tea caffeine-free?
It depends on what you put in the glass. A lemongrass-only infusion, made from the stalk herb with no actual tea leaf, is naturally caffeine-free, which is why it makes such an easy all-day cooler. The moment you add green tea, black tea or a jasmine green base, the drink contains caffeine. Cold-brewing tends to pull a little less caffeine than a hot brew, but a tea base is still a tea base. If you are watching your intake, keep it lemongrass, ginger and lime.
As a light, food-first note: lemongrass has been sipped as a refreshing herbal cooler for generations, and most people enjoy it simply because it tastes good. Responses vary from person to person, and this is not medical advice, so if you have any specific concerns just check with a qualified professional. One practical reminder that always applies: never give honey to infants under 12 months, so sweeten a child's glass with sugar or simple syrup instead.
Serving ideas
Serve it tall over lots of ice with a lime wheel on the rim and a whole trimmed lemongrass stalk tucked into the glass as a fragrant stirrer. A sprig of mint is a nice touch, and a splash of sparkling water turns it into a light lemongrass spritzer. However you finish it, once you have this method down you will reach for it all summer.