A batch of Instant Pot iced tea made in your instant pot or pressure cooker is a summertime game changer! Here's how to brew iced tea that is smooth and strong, perfect for brewing up a pot and sippin'!
Just when you think your Instant Pot or pressure cooker can't be any more awesome, Iced Tea enters the arena.
I don't know what magic occurs inside this pot of tea when it's brewing away. Are there iced tea fairies infusing fairy?
Is there a chill guy making everything taste smooth and oh so drinkable?
Either way, let's make a batch of tea and get drinking!
How to Make Instant Pot Iced Tea
This recipe can't be any easier. Here's what you do....
First, fill your Instant Pot with ten cups of water. See that measurement tool inside the pot? Just set the whole pot in your sink and fill 'er up!
Put the vessel into your Instant Pot.
Next, add eight regular sized tea bags to the party. I remove the paper and the little tiny staple thingy.
Put the lid on and set the pressure cooker or instant pot to four minutes.
Now, because we have a big old pot of water, it's gonna take a few minutes (like maybe 15) to come to pressure.
Then, the four minute countdown starts.
But don't get too excited quite yet.
We want the instant pot iced tea to do a natural pressure release (NPR) which just means it's gonna hang out and chill while the pressure comes down.
THIS PART IS IMPORTANT. <------ See what I did there with the caps to make you stop and read???
You don't want to let steam out of the pot. This is going to make your tea bitter, and then you'll start thinking you need to add baking soda and all that crazy stuff.
But really, all you need is tea and water. The way nature intended.
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My instant pot took almost thirty minutes to NPR. The best things in life are worth waiting for....
Then, let it cool, put into an iced tea pitcher and refrigerate!
Can I make a smaller batch of iced tea?
Yes, you sure can make a smaller batch of iced tea. Just half the recipe and use the same timing instructions.
Can I re-use the tea bags for another batch?
Again, my answer is YES! Just add another few (like 2-3) brand new tea bags into the batch to keep the flavor profile going strong, just like we like it.
Can I use the Instant Pot method for Sweetened Iced Tea?
Yes, you can add sweetener when the tea is still hot by adding your sweetener or choice or some simple syrup (sugar and water combined, boiled and made into a syrup.)
Whatever you do, don't wait until the tea is cold to add sweetener, or it will just roll around in the bottom of your glass and no one has time for that.
Tea variations for Instant Pot Iced Tea
Play around with this method of instant pot iced tea. You could make Chai Iced Tea, or add berry or hibiscus tea....The options and possibilities are limitless.
Recommendations your Instant Pot
You don't have to go wild with Instant Pot accessories, but I do recommend having multiple seals for your Instant Pot. One for savory, one for sweets and one for random recipes like iced tea. You can see all my Instant Pot accessory recommendations here.
I'd love to see what you create! Stop back in and leave a comment to tell me what you made with this easy recipe!
Other recipes to make in your Instant Pot:
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs - Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Basics
- Instant Pot Egg Bites
- Chile Verde Pork Burritos - Instant Pot
Instant Pot Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 8 regular sized tea bags
Want To Save This Recipe For Later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
- Fill your Instant Pot with ten cups of water. See that measurement tool inside the pot? Just set the whole pot in your sink and fill ‘er up!
- Put the vessel into your Instant Pot.
- Add eight regular sized tea bags to the party. I remove the paper and the little tiny staple thingy.
- Put the lid on and set the pressure cooker or instant pot to four minutes.
- Now, because we have a big old pot of water, it’s gonna take a few minutes (like maybe 15) to come to pressure.
- The countdown will start and it will cook four minutes
- Let it sit for about 30 minutes to naturally pressure release (NPR). The pressure pin will drop once it's done depressurizing.
- Then, let it cool, put into a pitcher and refrigerate!
Notes
Yes, you sure can make a smaller batch of Instant Pot Iced Tea. Just half the recipe and use the same timing instructions. Can I re-use the tea bags for another batch?
Again, my answer is YES! Just add another few (like 2-3) brand new tea bags into the batch to keep the flavor profile going strong, just like we like it. Can I use this method for Sweetened Iced Tea?
Yes, you can add sweetener when the tea is still hot by adding your sweetener or choice or some simple syrup (sugar and water combined, boiled and made into a syrup.)
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Durand Jensen says
The fact is, you can make HOT tea with this method -- IOW, don't bother cooling it. You don't need as many tea bags, either, because you won't be diluting it with ice. I make 4 cups/1 quart with TWO tea bags. It comes out perfectly dark. If it isn't dark enough for you, add another tea bag and keep experimenting until you find the # of bags that make the strength you like -- I can guarantee you, it won't take all that many to make a teapot full of strong, hot tea. You'll be getting a bang for your buck -- no more 1 tea bag per measly cup! BTW, different types of tea brew to different strengths. That is, green tea will never be as dark as black tea, but it will be still be fully brewed and strong. Experiment with amounts and times to come up with what you prefer -- but believe me, THIS WORKS and you'll manage to brew YOUR "perfect cup".
I add 1 tsp of sugar to the entire quart; most will probably want it sweeter, but this is fine for me. I then set the timer for 15 minutes, and NPR for at least 30 minutes. I've forgotten about it and let it go overnight -- the tea is still great, and even stronger. I use a strainer basket for the bags, loose tea, whole chai spices, etc. and set it in the tea water, which is in the Instant Pot liner. I've stopped making HOT tea any other way (I'm not a fan of iced tea). And NO -- the tea isn't burned; it's PERFECT. I don't understand why ALL the recipes I've come across only make ICED tea. It makes no sense to me!
You can make the best chai tea ever using this method. Whole spices go directly into the strainer basket with the tea bags. If you only have powdered spices, take 1/2 a paper towel, put in your spices in the combos/amts you like, fold it up securely like a burrito, and add it to the strainer basket. I sometimes use a CLEAN rubber band to secure the paper towel. When it's all brewed, I squeeze the bags, loose tea leaves, paper towel spices, whatever, with the back of a spoon to strain out all the goodness into the brewed tea in the liner, trying not to waste a drop. Then I put the basket's contents in the compost heap.
As I said previously, I just don't bother making tea any other way. Yeah, it takes a little longer, but it is soooo worth it!
Sharon says
Can I use loose green tea?
Kathy says
I used gallon spring water. One gallon in , one gallon out. I also added a few bags of fruit tea. Nice change. Making this all summer.
Deanne Frieders says
It's tasty, I'm glad you like it!!
Darlene says
The 10 cup line on the liner is for rice measurements and filling with water to that line equals 16 cups of water. It is a confusing thing that I don't understand why the manufacturer decided was so important, since people make a lot more of other foods than rice. But thanks for sharing the recipe for tea, perhaps you can edit your recipe to reflect 16 cups of water.
Ric says
Use the string to tie the tea bags together. This makes it easier to pull them out.
Deanne Frieders says
That's a great idea, Ric. Thank you!
May says
This is so clever! I've never thought about using my instant pot to make tea.
Chichi says
Wow. Never made iced tea this way. Nice idea. Thank you.
Beth Pierce says
What a great idea for the Instant Pot! I can't wait to make this; I love cool and refreshing tea in the summer!
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
Instant pot iced tea? This sounds so good and didn't even think we could make drinks from an instant pot but it makes complete sense. I can't wait to try this.
Anita @ Daily Cooking Quest says
This is the first time I learn that one can make tea in instant pot! With hot summer days upon us, this sounds like a good time to give this recipe a try. 🙂
May says
This is so clever! I've never thought about using my instant pot to make tea.
Chichi says
Wow. Never made iced tea this way. Nice idea. Thank you.
Beth Pierce says
What a great idea for the Instant Pot! I can't wait to make this; I love cool and refreshing tea in the summer!
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
Instant pot iced tea? This sounds so good and didn't even think we could make drinks from an instant pot but it makes complete sense. I can't wait to try this.
Anita @ Daily Cooking Quest says
This is the first time I learn that one can make tea in instant pot! With hot summer days upon us, this sounds like a good time to give this recipe a try. 🙂