How to Make Butterfly Pea Tea (Blue Tea) – A Relaxing Herbal Drink from Vietnam
Looking for a relaxing herbal drink that’s caffeine-free, vibrant in color, and simple to make? Butterfly pea tea, also known as blue tea or aparajita tea, might be your new favorite. In this guide, we’ll show you how to make butterfly pea tea at home — using fresh flowers, dried petals, or convenient tea bags.
What is butterfly pea tea?
Butterfly pea tea is a naturally blue herbal tea made by steeping the petals or whole flowers of the butterfly pea plant (Clitoria ternatea) in hot water.
Native to Southeast Asia and popular in Vietnam and Thailand, this vibrant tea is known for its stunning blue color and its ability to change color to purple when you add lemon juice.
Naturally caffeine-free, it’s often enjoyed as a calming, relaxing drink and is sometimes used in natural remedies and wellness teas.
You can make it using fresh flowers, dried petals, or tea bags.
Butterfly pea tea color change – before and after lime
What does it taste like?
Butterfly pea flowers don’t have a strong flavor — they taste slightly vegetal or grassy. When brewed as tea, the flavor becomes very mild and earthy.
This subtle taste makes butterfly pea tea a great base for mix-ins like lemon juice, honey, or mint. When lemon is added, the tea not only changes color from blue to purple, but the flavor also becomes brighter and gently citrusy.
Overall, it’s a light, refreshing, and calming drink — not too sweet, not too sour — just enough to soothe your senses.
Ingredients you’ll need
Making butterfly pea tea is simple, and you only need a few basic ingredients:
How to make butterfly pea tea (fresh or dried)
Before you begin, gently rinse the fresh butterfly pea flowers to remove any dust or dirt. If you’re using dried flowers, there’s no need to rinse — just follow the same steps below. The process is nearly identical either way.
Step 1: Bring water to a boil, then pour it over butterfly pea flowers in a cup or glass teapot (use about 10 fresh flowers or 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried flowers for 500ml of water).
There’s no exact amount you have to use — since the flowers don’t have a strong flavor, it’s really about how deep you want the color. Just a few flowers will give you a light blue, while a generous handful creates a rich, vibrant hue. Feel free to experiment!
Step 2: Let the flowers steep for 5–10 minutes. The longer you steep, the deeper the color.
Step 3: Strain out the flowers using a fine mesh strainer.
Once you’ve strained the tea, let it cool before adding lemon juice or honey.
Step 4: Add lemon juice for a beautiful color shift from blue to purple.
Step 5: Add honey for a touch of natural sweetness, then stir to let it dissolve evenly.
Step 6: Serve warm, or add ice if you enjoy your tea cold and refreshing.
Butterfly pea tea bags: A convenient way to enjoy blue tea
If you’re short on time — or simply prefer something a bit more convenient — butterfly pea tea bags might be a lovely option to try.
They still bring out that beautiful blue color and gentle, calming effect, without the need to measure or handle loose flowers.
You can steep one tea bag in a cup of hot water for about 5 to 10 minutes. The result is a soothing blue tea with a delicate, earthy flavor. Add lemon juice to watch the color shift to purple, or a touch of honey for sweetness.
You can find some of our recommended Vietnamese-style blue tea bags on Amazon here — affiliate link, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions about making blue tea
What does butterfly pea tea taste like?
How do you make butterfly pea tea from dried flowers?
Can I make blue tea with a tea bag?
How many flowers do I need for one cup of tea?
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