Green Thai Tea Recipe

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This green Thai tea recipe makes a refreshing double-layered drink that’s perfect for cooling down on hot summer days. With fresh lime juice and sweet honey, this is the perfect mix of tangy notes and natural sweetness.

This easy and refreshing drink is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for your next summer party! Serve it alongside other popular Thai drink recipes, like cha manao recipe for delicious Thai lime iced tea, and Thai tea for a classic choice.

What is green Thai tea

Green Thai tea is a traditional Thai beverage made from green tea leaves, sometimes enriched with jasmine. It’s often served chilled and can be prepared with sweet milk, making it perfect for warm days.

Thai iced green tea

The best thing about the countless Thai street food markets are the refreshing drinks, and Thai teas are always a hit. Originally from Northern Thailand’s tea plantations, they’re now available at every single food market and even at local 7-elevens.

Green Thai tea is super versatile and usually served iced, perfect for cooling down from the tropical heat. The green tea leaves are steeped in hot water before being chilled into a plastic cup full of ice.

Hand reaching for Thai green tea in a long glass.

I love the variety of Thai drinks available at the markets, such as Thai coffee and fruit shakes like Thai mango shake, but what I love even more is recreating them at home. I get to pick how sweet, what goes in, everything.

For this recipe, I went with a double-layered Thai green tea. It’s a variation of green tea, but not something you’d typically find at Thai food markets.

The tea is gently poured over a sweet mix of honey and lime. And it tastes as good as it looks! You can mix it up before serving or just sip the layers as they are and have it hot or iced.

A smiling woman enjoying a glass of homemade Thai green tea with a tropical backdrop.

This green Thai tea recipe is a must-try for anyone who loves simple-to-make and refreshing drinks. Perfect for serving at family gatherings, or simply to cool down on hot days, it’s the best choice for any occasion.

Thai Green tea vs matcha

Both of these green drinks share a vibrant green hue, but they are worlds apart when it comes to taste, ingredients, and preparation:

Thai green tea

Flavor profile: Refreshing and sometimes enriched with added flavors like lime and honey.
Origin: Hails from Thailand, specifically the Northern part, known for its many tea-growing regions.
Color: A green hue, clear and smooth.
Preparation: Steeped in hot water, sometimes served iced with additions like honey and lime or lemon for a refreshing note.
Health benefits: Rich in antioxidants, promotes heart health, and aids in digestion.
Caffeine content: Thai green iced tea is lower in caffeine compared to matcha, great for a gentle energy boost. The caffeine content can vary depending on factors such as the specific type of tea leaves used, the brewing method, and the duration of steeping.

Matcha

Flavor profile: Known for its vibrant, umami-rich taste and a touch of bitterness, sometimes described as grassy or vegetal with a slightly sweet aftertaste.
Origin: Some people believe matcha originated in Japan, but it actually originated in China. Matcha tea’s origins can be traced all the way back to the Tang Dynasty in China, almost a thousand years ago.
Color: Matcha is a very bright green tea – high quality matcha is vibrant vivid green, but it can range in color from a yellow-green to a deep green.
Preparation: Traditionally, matcha powder is whisked into hot water or milk.
Health benefits: Matcha tea may improve cardiovascular health, is rich in antioxidants, and it may have cancer-fighting effects. Additionally, it may spur weight loss, and it may give you healthy, glowing skin. (source)
Caffeine content: A typical serving of matcha contains about 70 milligrams of caffeine, offering a unique caffeine kick without jitters.

Green Thai tea vs Thai tea

Green Thai tea: Made from green tea leaves, sometimes enriched with jasmine flavor. It’s served chilled and can be sweetened with milk.
Thai tea: This tea is famous for its orange color, derived from food coloring. It has a rich, creamy taste from added condensed milk, and is served iced.

Ingredients

Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Thai green tea mix number one brand tea (Chatramue) – It’s important to pick the exact brand I used. Original Thai number one brand (Chatramue) is readily available at Asian supermarkets and at Amazon.
Hot water – Hot water is essential for coaxing out the rich flavors of the Thai green tea leaves.
Lime juice – Make sure to use fresh lime juice, not the bottled stuff. The lime juice adds a zesty, citrusy note to the double-layered tea.
Honey – The golden nectar of honey adds a warm, floral sweetness that only pure honey can provide. It perfectly complements the lime’s tanginess. Avoid white sugar and brown sugar to replicate the exact flavors of this Thai green tea recipe.
Water – Water dilutes the lime juice and honey mixture just enough to balance the flavors, making sure that the sweet and tangy flavors in your green Thai iced tea aren’t too overpowering.

How to make green Thai tea

Green Thai tea leaves in a white cloth filter and hot water being poured.

Step 1: Place green Thai tea leaves into a cloth filter in a pitcher.

Concentrated green Thai tea collected in a clear pitcher.

Step 2: Pour hot water over the green Thai tea leaves in the filter. Let it steep for 3 minutes, or longer depending on how strong you like it.

Honey lime and water mixture in a tall glass.

Step 3: Combine water, honey, and fresh lime juice in your serving glass.

Tall glass filled with crush ice and honey lime mixture.

Step 5: Fill your glass with crushed ice.

Step 6: Gently pour the steeped green Thai tea over the crushed ice atop the honey lime mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Kitchenware

Pot (for boiling water)
Tea infuser or tea socks / fine mesh strainer / cloth filter
Ice cube trays or crushed ice maker (for Thai iced green tea)
Tall glasses for serving

Tea variations

This Thai green tea recipe is easy to adjust, there are endless variations you can try:

Thai green tea with milk is typically made with sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk, which adds a creamy sweetness to the tea.

Sweeter or more tangy: Simply adjust the honey and lime ratios to make your tea sweeter or more tangy. At Thai street food markets, the drinks are usually served very sweet as Thais love sweet drinks.

Creamy variation: Stir in some evaporated milk after steeping the green tea.

Sparkling: Add carbonated water for a fizzy drink.

Boba tea: You can easily turn this drink into a bubble tea, like mango bubble tea, by adding chewy tapioca pearls. Don’t forget a large straw when serving!

Matcha: Add some matcha for an extra caffeine boost or a deeper flavor.

Lemon: Swap out the lime for lemon to give your green tea with honey a different kind of citrus zing.

Thai green tea mix (number one brand – ChaTraMue)

Thai green tea mix from Chatramue, also known as Number One Brand Tea, is a premium blend of quality green tea leaves. Renowned for its authentic flavor, this mix is perfect for creating a traditional green Thai tea.

It’s a must-have for making this recipe and is exclusively grown & harvest from the cool mountainous regions in Thailand.

Green tea with lime and honey serving ideas

Serve this green Thai tea iced on a hot summer’s day or warm for cozying up during the winter chill. It also provides a gentle energy boost, perfect for any time you need a little lift.

When ready to serve, pour the lime honey mixture into a serving glass and fill with crushed ice. Then, carefully pour the freshly brewed green tea on top of the mixture.

Two glasses of iced Thai green tea, sauced up with honey and a splash of lime juice.

You can serve your drink with one of my many appetizers like Thai ground beef lettuce wraps, shrimp in a blanket, and Thai egg rolls.

How to store

This tea tastes the best when it’s fresh. If you need to store it, first let your brewed Thai green tea cool down. Then, pour it into a container that seals tightly, ideally glass or ceramic. Keep it either in a dark spot or in your fridge, and it’ll be good for up to two days.

Benefits of green Thai tea

Green Thai tea, mixed with lime and honey, is a delicious drink with many health benefits. It’s full of antioxidants that boost overall wellness and heart health. This tea aids digestion, thanks to honey’s prebiotic properties, and keeps you hydrated.

The caffeine in green tea gives a gentle energy lift, while its metabolism-boosting qualities assist in weight management. Lime’s vitamin C boosts immunity, and both honey and lime have soothing and detoxifying benefits. Plus, it’s a delicious way to stay healthy and refreshed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Thai tea to water ratio?

Use 1.5 tablespoons of Thai tea powder for every 1 cup of water.

Does green Thai tea have caffeine?

Yes, green Thai tea contains caffeine, but generally less than black tea or coffee.

How many calories are in Thai green tea?

The calories in Thai green tea can vary based on what you add to it. Plain Thai green tea without any sweeteners or milk contains virtually no calories. However, if you add sweetened condensed milk or other sweeteners, the calorie count can quickly run up to 100 calories or more.

What does green Thai tea taste like?

It has a unique flavor profile, often a mix of sweet and earthy with floral notes, sometimes with hints of jasmine or mint.

Where did Thai green tea originate?

Thai green tea originated in the tea-growing regions of Northern Thailand.

Is Thai green tea healthy?

Yes, it’s rich in antioxidants, aids in digestion, and supports heart health.

What is green Thai tea made of?

Green Thai tea is made from green tea leaves, often flavored with jasmine or other herbs, and can be sweetened with milk or sugar for a refreshing, aromatic drink.

What makes green Thai tea green?

The green color of Thai green tea comes from the green tea leaves themselves. These leaves are less processed than black tea leaves, allowing them to retain their natural green color, which infuses the water with a light green hue when brewed.

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