Butterfly Pea Tea

Butterfly Pea Tea is a vibrant and visually stunning herbal beverage that originates from Southeast Asia. This tea is known for its natural ability to change color, turning from a beautiful blue tea to a gorgeous purple when combined with fresh lemon juice.

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Why we love this recipe

It is so pretty! The tea is made from dried flowers that are steeped in hot water to release their beautiful blue color.

Butterfly pea tea is believed to benefit your hair health. The flower contains a potent bioflavonoid called anthocyanin, which increases blood flow to the scalp. This blood flow leads to the strengthening of hair follicles, and hair growth. It may naturally darken hair, even reducing the growth of grey hair.

The same antioxidant mentioned above, anthocyanin, has been shown to help with tired eyes, enhance night vision, and generally protect the eyes from potential damage by increasing blood flow. As someone who works on a computer all day my eye health is important to me.

This tea also boasts a lovely flavor. It literally tastes like a floral lemonade.

Ingredients

• butterfly pea flowers – these can be purchased at a local tea shop or online. Even Amazon sells butterfly pea tea flowers.
• water – we prefer to use filtered water and totally recommend this Propur Pitcher. It is so easy to use and really convenient.
• lemon juice – this will change the color of the tea from blue to purple. Lime juice also works too. It will make the tea taste more like lemonade.
• honey – optional – this is a natural sweetener if you like a sweet tea. You could also use maple syrup or granulated sugar.

Equipment

• tea kettle – use a temperature-controlled kettle to boil water at the optimum temperature.
• tea bags or a mesh strainer – you could also simply put the flowers directly into the teapot and use a small strainer when pouring the tea.
• teapot

Instructions

Step 1

First, start by boiling the water to brew the tea. Use water that is just below boiling point, around 190-200°F. Steeping it at the right temperature helps extract the delicate flavors and vibrant blue color effectively.

Step 2

Next, measure the flowers into your tea bag or mesh strainer. Use two teaspoons of the flower per one cup of water.

Place the bag into a teapot.

Step 3

Pour the boiling water over the prepared tea bags and steep for 3-5 minutes. You will see the water inside the pot start to turn blue.

Step 4

Meanwhile, juice the lemons.

The lemon juice is what makes this drink so magical by changing the color when you add it. We also prefer the flavor with the lemon juice.

Step 5

Remove the teabag or mesh strainer from the pot.

Add sweetener to taste and pour in the lemon juice for the fun color change.

Step 6

For iced tea pop the pot into the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to chill it, then pour it over ice cubes before adding the lemon juice.

Expert tip

Steep butterfly pea flower tea for 3-5 minutes to achieve a balanced flavor and color.

Similar to this Iced Green Tea recipe you want to avoid steeping it for too long as it may result in a bitter taste.

Recipe variations

• This tea can be served hot or cold.
• For a tea latte, mix the warm tea with steamed milk and add a touch of sweetener or flavorings like vanilla or cinnamon for a cozy and creamy beverage.
• Mix the brewed tea with fruit juices like pineapple, orange, or cranberry for a vibrant and non-alcoholic beverage. Garnish with fresh fruits or herbs for an extra pop of color and flavor.
• Make it into a fun Mojito! Muddle fresh mint leaves with lime juice and sugar in a glass. Add crushed ice, butterfly pea flower tea, and a splash of soda water. Stir well and garnish with mint sprigs and lime wedges.

Serving suggestions

• Elevate the visual appeal by serving it in clear glassware or glass teapots.
• Garnish with wheels of lemon and a sprig of fresh mint.
• Decorate glasses with a floating edible flower, such as pansies, hibiscus, or violets. This adds a touch of elegance and an extra burst of color to your tea.
• Freeze the tea into ice cube trays and use them to add a stunning blue hue to water or other drinks.
• Use this blue flower tea as a natural food coloring! Perfect for blue and purple Easter eggs.

FAQS

Storage tips

Store the brewed tea in a covered pitcher or teapot in the fridge. Enjoy it within 24-48 hours for the best taste and visual appeal.

More healthy drink recipes

If you’ve tried this Butterfly Pea Flower Tea recipe, please rate it and let us know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. We’re always interested in feedback!

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