Table & Traditions Recipes, rituals & real meals
About Favorites 0

Morocco (the Maghreb) · Moroccan

Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay — Maghrebi Mint Tea)

Morocco's sweet, fragrant green tea poured from a height into a frothy glass. The proper method — washing the tea, layering the mint, and the famous long pour — plus how sweet it really should be.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 21, 2026

Moroccan mint tea poured in a long stream from a silver teapot held high into a small glass, fresh mint visible, a frothy head forming.

In Morocco, mint tea — atay — is hospitality itself. Brewed with gunpowder green tea, fistfuls of fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar, it's served all day and to every guest, poured from a height into small glasses to build a frothy crown. Refusing a glass is almost unthinkable; pouring it well is a point of pride, often the host's.

Yield
Serves 4 (small glasses)
Prep
5 min
Cook
10 min
Total
About 15 min
Difficulty
Easy

Moroccan mint tea — atay — is hospitality in a glass: gunpowder green tea brewed with fistfuls of fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar, poured from a height into small glasses to build a frothy crown. It’s served all day, to every guest, and pouring it well is a point of pride.

Wash the tea first

Rinse the gunpowder green tea with a splash of boiling water and discard it, keeping the leaves. This quick wash strips the dust and first harsh bitterness, leaving a cleaner, smoother brew.

Steep mint and sugar together

Add a big bunch of spearmint (nana mint, not peppermint) and the sugar, fill with boiling water, and steep four or five minutes. The sugar isn’t only for sweetness — it rounds the green tea’s edge.

The long pour

Pour a glass back into the pot two or three times to mix, then pour from a height into small glasses. The long stream aerates the tea into its signature foam and cools it to drinking temperature. Serve it sweet, or to your own taste, with a tagine or pastries. More in the Drinks guide.

Ingredients

Serves
4
  • 1 tbsp gunpowder green tea
  • 1 large bunch fresh spearmint (nana mint), washed Spearmint (not peppermint) is the Moroccan mint; use the whole sprigs, leaves and tender stems.
  • 3–4 tbsp sugar, or to taste Moroccan tea is properly quite sweet, but adjust to your taste — start with less, you can always add more.
  • 750 ml boiling water

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Put the green tea in a teapot, pour in a little boiling water, swirl for a few seconds and discard the water (keep the leaves).

    Why: This quick 'wash' rinses dust and the first harsh bitterness from the gunpowder tea, leaving a cleaner, smoother brew.

  2. Add the sugar and a big bunch of mint to the pot, fill with boiling water, and let it steep 4–5 minutes.

    Why: Steeping the mint and sugar together with the tea infuses the whole pot; the sugar isn't just for sweetness, it rounds the green tea's edge.

  3. Pour a glass and return it to the pot two or three times to mix, then pour from a height into small glasses to build a froth.

    Why: Pouring back mixes the sugar and strength evenly; the long pour from height aerates the tea into the signature foamy crown and cools it slightly to drinking temperature.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Less sweet

    Cut the sugar right back or leave it out and sweeten the glass to taste — the tea and mint stand on their own for a lighter brew.

  • Winter herbs

    In colder months Moroccans add wormwood (chiba), sage or verbena alongside or instead of mint for a warming infusion.

  • Mint tea without green tea

    For a caffeine-free version, steep just fresh mint and a little sugar in boiling water.

Serving & Storage

Serve hot in small glasses, frothy on top, any time of day — with pastries, dates, or simply as a welcome. It's as much a ritual of hospitality as a drink.

Pairs with: Moroccan chicken tagine, Almond pastries (kaab el ghazal), Dates, Msemen.

Storage: Best fresh from the pot. You can keep brewed tea warm for a while, but the mint dulls and it grows bitter if it sits on the leaves — make it to serve.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 small glass (~125 ml))

Calories
45
Protein
0 g
Carbs
12 g
Fat
0 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
12 g
Sodium
0 mg

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of mint and tea do I need?

Spearmint — specifically the variety Moroccans call nana — not peppermint, which is too sharp. And gunpowder green tea, named for its tightly rolled pellets. Together they're the authentic backbone of atay.

Why pour from such a height?

The long pour aerates the tea to create the frothy crown on each glass, mixes the brew, and cools it slightly. It's also a bit of showmanship — pouring well is a genuine point of pride for a Moroccan host.

Does it have to be so sweet?

Traditionally it's quite sweet, and the sugar genuinely rounds the green tea's bitterness. But it's your pot — start with less sugar, taste, and add more if you like. Many modern Moroccans drink it less sweet than the old standard.

From our kitchen community

Ratings & Reviews

My Rating

Tap a star to rate — no sign-in, no form needed.

Be the first to rate Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay — Maghrebi Mint Tea).

Further reading