Pineapple Basil Iced Tea

By Dianna Muscari

Published May 6, 2013, updated April 21, 2022

What’s not to love about brunch?

It’s late enough in the day that it doesn’t require an early wake-up {I’m not a morning person}, and early enough that you don’t have to feel guilty about spending a few hours nibbling and chatting with friends.

It allows for larger portions since you’re combining two meals of the day. {Right?}

It makes drinking champagne or vodka before noon perfectly acceptable behavior.

It combines the best of breakfast and lunch with room for indulgences that don’t usually appear until after dinner.

In short: Brunch rocks.

You know what else rocks? This refreshing Pineapple-Basil Tea.

I love pineapple anything. The sweet, tropical flavor just screams “relaxation” to me. Paired with herbal, fragrant basil and robust black tea, it’s heaven in a glass. And the perfect beverage for a leisurely brunch with friends or family. It’s an unexpected twist on a brunch staple, and the perfect thing to sip on while enjoying all of your favorite dishes.

Looking for more scrumptious brunch-worthy beverage recipes? 

Beverages

Watermelon Rosemary Champagne Cocktail by Vanilla Lemonade
Pear Hibiscus Brunch Cocktail by Rachel Cooks
Strawberry Rose Sangria by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Mocha Frappuccino by Around My Family Table

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, but am among a group of bloggers to receive free products and promotional items from a few of the sponsors mentioned above. As always, all opinions are my own!

Pineapple-Basil Tea
Adapted from Southern Living

For Pineapple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped

For Tea:
3 cups water + 6 cups cold water
8 black tea bags
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, and chopped pineapple and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Pour the pineapple mixture into the blender and process until smooth. {You may want to cool it slightly as hot liquids can be dangerous to blend at high speeds!} Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing on the pulp.

3. Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the teabags and boil for about a minute, then remove from heat and allow to steep, about 10 minutes. Toss the teabags after steeping. {Or, check out these 10 cool things you can do with used tea bags!}

4. Add the tea to the pitcher containing the pineapple mixture, along with the chopped basil* and 6 cups of cold water. Stir well to combine. Refrigerate to chill.

Serve over ice and garnish with pineapple slices if desired.

*I found that I wasn’t a big fan of the little floating basil leaves while I was sipping, so it might be a good idea to serve this tea with a straw. 🙂 Alternatively, you can infuse the tea with the flavor of the basil leaves by adding it to the water while the tea is steeping, then straining out the leaves before pouring it in the pineapple mixture. This way, you have the flavor of basil without the floating particles!

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Dianna! I share elevated yet easy recipes and effortless entertaining ideas that help you cook with confidence and host with joy. Around here, fresh ingredients, thoughtful details, and warm hospitality make every meal feel special. I’m so glad you’re here!

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