Learning how to make shiso tea takes about ten minutes and a small handful of leaves. Shiso tea is an aromatic, herbaceous, caffeine-free infusion made by steeping the fresh or dried leaves of shiso (Perilla frutescens) in just-off-boil water for several minutes. Red (purple) shiso gives a gorgeous rosy-pink cup, especially with a squeeze of lemon, while green shiso gives a clear, herby one with a minty-basil, faintly cinnamon-anise scent.
Below you'll find what shiso actually is, the difference red and green leaves make, exact amounts, and a simple shiso tea recipe you can adapt to whatever leaves you have on hand. If you want the wider background on leaf infusions first, our guide to what herbal tea is covers the basics so we can stay focused on the cup itself here.
What is shiso tea?
Shiso is the fragrant, serrated-edged leaf of Perilla frutescens, a member of the mint family that grows in both purple-red and green forms. It is one of the most beloved culinary herbs across East Asia, a fixture in the kitchens of Japan and Korea, where the Korean variety is known as kkaennip. If you have eaten sashimi, sushi, or a rice bowl finished with a frilly green garnish, you have likely met green shiso (often called ooba). The red form is the herb behind the deep ruby colour of umeboshi (salted, pickled plums), as well as countless pickles, garnishes and cordials.
As a tea, shiso tastes much the way it smells: green and herbaceous, with a cool minty lift, a whisper of basil, and a warm, faintly cinnamon-anise edge. It is caffeine-free, so it suits an evening cup, and it sits somewhere between a culinary-herb tea and a fragrant leaf infusion, closer in spirit to fresh mint or a fragrant East-Asian leaf brew than to a true tea. If you enjoy that style of aromatic leaf infusion, shiso is a close cousin of pandan tea.
Red shiso tea vs green shiso: the colour story
The single most striking thing about red shiso tea is its colour. Purple shiso leaves are rich in the same class of natural pigments (anthocyanins) that colour red cabbage and blueberries, and those pigments are sensitive to acidity. Steep red shiso on its own and you get a deep purple-to-burgundy cup; add a squeeze of lemon and it shifts, almost instantly, to a bright, clear rosy-pink. It is a small piece of kitchen chemistry that makes red shiso a favourite base for iced summer drinks and cordials.
Green shiso does not do the colour trick. It brews to a pale, clear, greenish infusion, but it is every bit as aromatic, arguably a touch brighter and more basil-like on the nose. Fresh leaves of either colour give the liveliest, most perfumed cup, while dried leaves are mellower and a little more savoury. That is worth keeping in mind when you decide how much to use.
Ingredients and amounts
- Shiso leaves: about 5 to 8 fresh leaves per cup (roughly 250 ml), or about 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried, crumbled leaves.
- Water: around 90 to 95 C (195 to 205 F), just off the boil rather than at a rolling boil.
- A squeeze of lemon (optional): the way to unlock the pink colour with red shiso and to brighten either version.
- A little honey or another sweetener, to taste (optional). Never give honey to infants under 12 months.
- A pinch of green tea leaves (optional), if you would like a blended cup with a little more body and a gentle caffeine lift.
That is the whole shopping list. Treat the amounts as a starting point rather than a rule, because fresh herbs vary a lot in strength, so it always pays to taste as you go.
How to make shiso tea, step by step
- Prep the leaves. Rinse fresh shiso under cool water, then tear or lightly bruise each leaf to help release its aromatic oils. If you are using dried shiso, simply measure it into your pot or cup.
- Heat the water. Bring water to a boil, then let it settle for 30 to 60 seconds so it drops to about 90 to 95 C. Fiercely boiling water can scald delicate herbs and flatten their perfume.
- Steep, covered. Pour the water over the leaves, cover the cup or pot (a lid or saucer traps the aromatic oils), and steep for 4 to 7 minutes. A shorter steep is lighter and greener; a longer one deepens both the colour and the flavour.
- Strain. Lift out or strain off the leaves so the tea does not turn grassy or bitter from over-extraction.
- Brighten and sweeten. Add a squeeze of lemon (watch red shiso flip from purple to pink) and stir in a little honey if you like. Taste, then adjust.
- Serve. Sip it warm, or pour it over a glass of ice for a cordial-like cooler. Red shiso over ice with lemon is especially pretty.
If you would like a refresher on the general technique behind any leaf tea, from water temperature to steep times, our walkthrough on how to brew herbal tea applies neatly here too.
Red vs green shiso at a glance
| Leaf | Amount per cup | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Red (purple) shiso, fresh | 5 to 8 leaves | Brews deep purple; a squeeze of lemon turns it bright pink. Best for iced drinks and cordials. |
| Green shiso, fresh | 5 to 8 leaves | Pale, clear cup with the brightest, most basil-like aroma. No colour change with acid. |
| Dried shiso (either colour) | 1 to 2 tsp | Mellower and more savoury than fresh; start at 1 tsp and steep a minute longer. |
The purple-to-pink colour change and dialling in flavour
The colour shift is worth lingering on because it is genuinely useful. Brew red shiso on its own and the cup is a moody purple; the moment acid hits it, whether lemon, lime, or a splash of ume vinegar, the anthocyanins change and the whole glass glows pink. Add the acid at the table for a bit of theatre, or stir it in early if you simply want the rosy colour from the start. More leaves and a longer steep give a deeper, more saturated result, while less of each keeps things delicate.
For flavour, remember that fresh leaves are bright and perfumed while dried leaves are quieter and rounder. If your cup tastes thin, add a leaf or two and extend the steep by a minute. If it edges toward grassy or bitter, you have probably steeped too long, so pull the leaves sooner next time. Blending in a pinch of green tea adds body and a light caffeine lift; if that is the direction you want, our guide to how to make green tea covers the gentler temperatures green leaves prefer.
How to store shiso and leftover tea
Fresh shiso is delicate. Keep unwashed leaves wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel inside a container or bag in the refrigerator, where they will stay lively for a few days. To keep them longer, dry them: spread clean leaves in a single layer somewhere warm and airy, or use a low oven or a dehydrator, then crumble them and store in an airtight jar away from light and heat. Dried shiso holds its aroma for several months.
Brewed shiso tea is best fresh, but leftovers keep well. Cool it, cover it, and refrigerate for up to two days. It is lovely chilled, and red shiso especially makes a beautiful base for an iced drink. If a batch has been sitting out at room temperature for hours, keep it refrigerated, and when in doubt, throw it out.
Is shiso tea safe to drink?
Shiso is a common culinary herb that people across East Asia have cooked with and steeped for generations, and an occasional cup is generally enjoyed simply as a fragrant, caffeine-free drink. Use the leaf (the part used in cooking), keep it to sensible everyday amounts, and treat it as the pleasant beverage it is rather than a remedy. Responses vary from person to person, and this is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or taking any medication, it is best to check with your own healthcare provider before making any herbal tea a regular habit. And as with any home-grown or foraged herb, make sure you have correctly identified the plant before you brew it.
Beyond that, shiso is one of the friendliest infusions to experiment with. Play with red versus green, the length of the steep, and that magic squeeze of lemon, and you will quickly land on the cup you like best.