Meet your new favourite pick me up: a delicious matcha soda with just a hint of mint and vanilla. It’s an antioxidant-packed low sugar alternative to sodas that takes just 5 minutes to make. Makes a great zero proof cocktail option for parties!
I am all about a beverage – I mean, this dietitian is serious about hydration but/and/also, I cannot live by water alone and I really like yummy drinks! Whether it’s a hot cup of coffee in the morning with some soy milk, a cup of tea in the afternoon, or a delicious vegan orange julius dupe when it’s hot out, I’m always on the hunt for something fun to drink.
If you, like me, want something cute and a bit fancy to drink, why not make yourself a matcha soda? I had been noticing this idea floating around the internet, but then I was sent a copy of the lovely Super Tonics book by Meredith Youngson and her matcha soda recipe inspired me to make my own.
I have enjoyed matcha for a long time, and love using it in my plant-based recipes, like my fun mango + matcha chia pudding but for someone who spent a lot of time in Japan, you might be surprised about how I actually tried matcha for the first time!
When I was 18, I was living part-time in Tokyo and at the time, I didn’t encounter matcha as a commonplace drink. I enjoyed green tea daily, but matcha was special, often ceremonial, and definitely not consumed on the go…until this cute little Starbucks-style cafe opened up near my apartment (this was the late 90s, Starbucks was still fancy and exciting) where you could get all the Starbucks-style drinks…but with matcha instead of coffee!!
Instead of a drip coffee, it was matcha with plenty of water. There was a matcha cappuccino and a matcha latte…and my love of matcha was born! Matcha has such a wonderful flavour – grassy and rich and just a bit umami – and as soon as I saw people making matcha sodas, I knew I would fall in love.
This refreshing matcha soda is paired with mint and vanilla, which balance the flavour of matcha so nicely without overpowering it. This sparkling green sipper is just the thing to give you a boost.
Want even more nutrient-dense, antioxidant rich recipes? Pick up a copy of my book Eat More Plants!
Grab your ingredients and make this yummy matcha soda
All you need is 5 ingredients – no need to make simple syrup! – to create a low sugar, smooth and refreshing sparkling matcha soda.
- Matcha: matcha is specially shade-grown green tea from Japan that is finely ground into powder. The better quality of matcha is called ceremonial grade and is typically much brighter green in colour and more flavourful than culinary grade. I’ve used Do Matcha, Lake & Oak, WithinUs and Ippodo and all are lovely.
- Soda water: use your sodastream, or your favourite brand of club soda or seltzer here.
- Fresh mint: you could use peppermint or mojito mint – whatever is growing out of control in your garden right now! Use a muddler, or the handle of a wooden spoon to gently crush (muddle) the mint in the glass, just like making a mojito.
- Maple syrup: my trick for adding sweetness and creating a syrup to make it easy to mix the matcha without making simple syrup! A small amount won’t overpower the flavour of the drink.
- Vanilla: softens the slight bitter note of matcha and makes this taste even more special
FAQ: What is the difference between matcha and green tea?
When we make a cup of green tea, we steep dried green tea leaves and then discard the tea leaves or tea bag. Matcha is a special type of green tea, which is carefully shade grown for flavour, quality and nutrition that is ground into a powder. So when we mix up a cup of matcha, we are consuming the whole tea leaf…not just an infusion of it.
How to make this mint matcha soda
Something I love about this refreshing matcha spritz is that it is super easy to throw together, in less than 5 minutes, so you can enjoy it anytime a craving strikes!
Step One: Mix the matcha base by whisking together the matcha, vanilla and maple syrup. If you don’t have a matcha whisk and you’re having trouble getting it smooth, just add a teaspoon of water to help you out.
Step Two: Prepare the soda by muddling 3-4 mint leaves in the bottom of your glass, add a few cubes of ice, pour enough soda water to fill the glass ¾ full and then stir in your matcha mix and enjoy!
Big Batch Option: if you want to make this for a party, without having to mix drinks all evening, try this: whisk together 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of matcha with ¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of vanilla as a base for 12 drinks. Then for each drink, muddle some mint, pour over the soda and stir in 1 ½ (7.5mL) teaspoons of concentrate!
Why matcha is so dang good for you
Matcha is absolutely packed with benefits! Because of the special shade growing process – and because you are consuming the whole tea leaf, instead of just an infusion – matcha is much more concentrated in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which is a flavonoid that has been extensively studied for potential health benefits, such as heart and brain health.
Matcha contains a host of other phytochemicals, like chlorogenic acid, rutin, quercetin and l-theanine. L-theanine, an amino acid that helps to oppose the effects of caffeine on the body, leading to what is described as a “gentle alertness”.
Other delicious ways to enjoy your matcha:
- Matcha Chia Pudding with Mango and Coconut
5 Minute Refreshing Mint Matcha Soda
Equipment
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matcha whisk although you can make it work without one!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or simple syrup
- ½ teaspoon matcha ceremonial grade
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 3-4 mint leaves
- 1 cup soda water
- ice cubes
Instructions
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In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, matcha and vanilla. Set aside.
-
Muddle mint leaves in the bottom of a tall glass. Add a few ice cubes, pour over the soda water and then stir in the matcha syrup. Enjoy!
Notes
Then for each drink, muddle some mint, pour over the soda and stir in 1 ½ (7.5 mL) teaspoons of concentrate!
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