The green synthesis method of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles has advantageous over other physical and chemical methods. In the present study, green synthesis of hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles was carried out via an eco-friendly method using aqueous ferric chloride solution (FeCl3.6H2O) as precursor and the aqueous extract of Menthapiperita leaves as a reluctant and stabilizer. The precursor salt solution and stabilizer agent were mixed in a 1:1 volume ratio at room temperature. The synthesized α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were characterized by UV–VIS absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles showed absorbance peak at 430 nm region in the spectral analysis.As well as, the band gap energy of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles determined from UV–Visible spectra with the help of Tauc plot was 2.602 eV. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of poly phenols, which are responsible for the reduction of Fe3+ ions and efficient stabilization of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The XRD result revealed that the average crystallite size of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was 8.8 nm. Furthermore, the mechanism of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticle formation has also been discussed.