Herb
Mint
نعناع · naana
Mint — naana — is inseparable from Moroccan life through atay, the sweet green mint tea poured at every welcome, deal and gathering. The spearmint used is bright and cooling, brewed with green gunpowder tea and plenty of sugar and poured from a height to build a frothy head. Beyond the teapot, mint freshens salads and, in winter or summer, gives way to companions like wormwood, verbena or sage.
- Type
- Herb
- Heat
- Cooling
- Uses
- 5 classic dishes
Flavour & aroma
Moroccan spearmint is bright, sweet and cooling, without the sharp menthol bite of peppermint. In tea it balances the tannic green gunpowder leaves and the sugar; in food it lifts and freshens. Fresh, fragrant mint is essential — tired mint makes flat tea.
In the Moroccan kitchen
Where mint earns its place — the Moroccan dishes that rely on it:
- Moroccan mint tea (atay). Fresh spearmint brewed with green gunpowder tea and sugar — the national drink.
- Salads. Chopped mint freshens tomato, cucumber and orange salads.
- Winter and summer teas. Mint is joined or replaced by wormwood (chiba), verbena (louiza) or sage (salmiya) by season.
- Garnishes. Sprigs finish drinks and cold dishes.
- Meat and pea dishes. A little mint lifts some spring vegetable and meat dishes.
How to use it
- Use plenty of fresh, fragrant spearmint for tea — bruise it gently in the pot and pour from a height.
- Rinse and dry mint well; add it to salads just before serving so it stays bright.
- Swap in or add wormwood, verbena or sage to mint tea for a seasonal twist.
- Keep cut mint fresh in water like a bunch of flowers, or wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge.
How to store it
Fresh mint is best used within a few days. Keep the bunch stems-down in a glass of water on the counter, or wrapped in a damp cloth in the fridge. Dried mint keeps for months in a sealed jar and is used for some teas out of season.
Buying it in the Marrakech spice souk
What to look for, and how not to overpay:
- Buy big, fragrant bunches of spearmint from the produce sellers — it should smell strongly of mint when you pick it up.
- Look for perky, unblemished leaves; wilted or blackening mint makes poor tea.
- Fresh mint is cheap and sold in generous bunches, so buy enough for several pots.
- Herb stalls also sell wormwood, verbena and sage to brew alongside mint by season.
Pairs well with
Frequently asked questions
What kind of mint is used in Moroccan tea?
Spearmint (naana) — bright, sweet and cooling, without the sharp menthol of peppermint. It is brewed with green gunpowder tea and plenty of sugar to make atay, Morocco's national drink.
How is Moroccan mint tea made?
Green gunpowder tea is rinsed, then brewed with a big bunch of fresh spearmint and sugar, and poured from a height into small glasses to build a frothy head. The pour aerates the tea and is part of the ritual.
What else is added to Moroccan mint tea?
By season, mint is joined or replaced by wormwood (chiba) in winter, or lemon verbena (louiza), sage (salmiya) or other herbs, giving the tea a different character through the year.