You can’t travel to Morocco without tasting mint tea. A symbol of hospitality, it is served at any time of day, prepared with care and always shared. Here is its story, and our secrets to making it just like in Marrakech.
A story that began in China
Tea is not grown in Morocco. Green tea arrived in the 17th and 18th centuries through European trade, first as a luxury product. In the 19th century, British merchants who had lost their Russian markets during the Crimean War (1853-1856) shipped large quantities of tea to the ports of Mogador (today’s Essaouira) and Tangier. Prices dropped, and tea gradually reached every household, from the cities to the countryside.
Today, Morocco is the world’s largest buyer of Chinese tea: more than 80,000 tonnes imported in 2024, almost exclusively green tea.
The drink of hospitality
In Morocco, mint tea is first and foremost a gesture of welcome. It is offered to guests, family, friends and customers in the souk, and drunk at any time of day, especially after a meal. It is often prepared in front of the guests, on a large tray holding the teapot, glasses, tea, mint and sugar.
Some say men make the best tea because they are more patient. In real life, men and women prepare it just as often, and everyone has their own touch.
What to enjoy it with
Tea goes with most traditional Moroccan dishes: couscous, tagine, tanjia or bissara (fava bean soup). In the afternoon, it pairs perfectly with Moroccan pastries (gazelle horns, chebakia, honey briouats) or msemen, flaky pancakes served with honey and butter.
The authentic mint tea recipe
For a teapot of about one litre:
- 1 tablespoon of gunpowder green tea
- a generous handful of fresh mint
- sugar cubes, to taste (in Morocco, it’s served quite sweet)
- boiling water
- Keep the “soul” of the tea. Put the tea in the teapot, add a small glass of boiling water, let it steep for one minute, then pour this first infusion into a glass and set it aside.
- Rinse the tea. Add a little more boiling water, swirl, then discard it: this removes the bitterness.
- Brew. Pour the first glass back into the teapot, fill with boiling water and let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes, ideally over a low heat.
- Add the mint and sugar.
- Mix without a spoon. Pour a glass, then pour it back into the teapot. Repeat two or three times.
- Serve from up high, raising the teapot to create a light foam: the sign of a well-made tea.
Where to drink the best mint tea
Almost anywhere: in a café on Jemaa El Fna square, on a riad terrace, at a merchant’s stall in the souk… What matters most is that it is made with heart and shared in good spirits.
At Dunes & Desert, tea is part of every adventure. On our quad bike, buggy or camel rides in the Agafay desert, a mint tea break with Moroccan treats awaits you at our oasis. And in the High Atlas, our private walk at Saida’s includes a Berber lunch cooked by her family.
Another glass of tea? Book your adventure online.
