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Iced Lychee Jasmine Green Tea with Basil Seeds

By • Updated September 2026
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This refreshing iced tea brings together fragrant jasmine pearls, sweet fresh lychee, and plump basil seeds for a bubble-tea-style drink you can make at home. By using a cold brew tea pitcher with a built-in infuser basket, you'll extract delicate floral notes without the bitterness that hot-brewed then-chilled jasmine tea can develop, especially if you're working with high-quality green tea leaves.

The basil seeds (also sold as tukmaria) swell into glossy, chewy pearls when soaked—similar to chia but with a milder taste and bouncier texture. Combined with the perfumed sweetness of lychee and the gentle vegetal backbone of cold-brewed jasmine green tea, this drink is ideal for warm September afternoons or as a show-stopping centrepiece at autumn gatherings. If you're curious about the science behind why cold brewing works so well for green tea, we've covered it in depth elsewhere.

Iced Lychee Jasmine Green Tea with Basil Seeds
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Servings2 large glasses
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Jasmine Pearls (or jasmine green tea)
  • 600 ml Cold Filtered Water
  • 2 tbsp Basil Seeds (tukmaria)
  • 150 ml Cold Water (for soaking basil seeds)
  • 6–8 Fresh Lychees (peeled and de-stoned, or 120 g tinned lychee)
  • 1–2 tbsp Honey or Agave Syrup (to taste)
  • Ice Cubes, to serve
  • Fresh Basil Leaves or Mint (optional garnish)
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 95
Fat: 0.5g
Sugar: 18g
Protein: 1g

Instructions

1
Soak Seeds: Place the basil seeds in a small bowl with 150 ml cold water. Stir and leave for 10–15 minutes until they swell into glossy, gel-coated pearls. Drain any excess water and set aside.
2
Cold Brew: Add the jasmine pearls to the infuser basket of your cold brew tea pitcher. Pour over 600 ml cold filtered water, secure the lid, and refrigerate for 4–6 hours (or overnight) to extract a smooth, floral tea without bitterness.
3
Prepare Lychee: Peel and de-stone the fresh lychees (or drain tinned fruit). Roughly chop half and leave the rest whole for texture. If you prefer a smoother drink, muddle or blitz all the lychee into a purée.
4
Sweeten: Remove the infuser basket from the pitcher. Stir in honey or agave to taste; start with 1 tablespoon and add more if needed. The lychee adds natural sweetness, so go gently.
5
Assemble: Divide the soaked basil seeds and chopped lychee between two tall glasses. Fill with ice, pour over the chilled jasmine tea, and garnish with whole lychees and fresh basil or mint leaves if you like.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A cold brew tea pitcher with a large-capacity infuser basket is the key to this recipe. It keeps the jasmine pearls separate so you can brew overnight in the fridge, then lift out the leaves cleanly without fishing for floating debris. The result is a crystal-clear, perfectly smooth iced tea that showcases delicate floral notes—no bitterness, no fuss.

See our cold brew tea pitcher picks →

Expert Tip: No Basil Seeds?

You can swap basil seeds for chia seeds (use half the quantity; they absorb more water) or small tapioca pearls cooked and rinsed. For a seed-free version, simply add extra chopped lychee or a handful of drained tinned longan for similar bursts of sweetness.

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