Description
A refreshing, five-ingredient summer drink made with fresh strawberries, basil, and lemon juice. This homemade lemonade is better than cafe versions and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (about 1 large bunch)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water (for syrup)
- 6–8 medium lemons (for juice)
- 4–5 cups cold water
- Ice
- Optional garnish: basil leaves, strawberry slices, lemon wheels
Instructions
- Rinse and hull the strawberries. Place them in a medium saucepan with the sugar, 1 cup of water, and torn basil leaves.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes until strawberries break down and sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a blender and blend on high until smooth.
- Strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Discard seeds and pulp. You should have 1.5-2 cups of syrup.
- Roll lemons on the counter to soften, cut in half, and juice. Strain the lemon juice through a small sieve to remove seeds.
- In a large pitcher, combine the strawberry-basil syrup, fresh lemon juice, and 4-5 cups of cold water. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness as desired.
- Stir well, add ice, garnish with basil and strawberry slices, and serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overcook the basil (5-7 minutes is the sweet spot) to avoid bitterness. Use warm water or heat to ensure sugar fully dissolves. Let the syrup cool before mixing with lemon juice. The syrup can be frozen in ice cube trays for later use. For a sparkling version, replace half the water with club soda at the end.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverages
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 5
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
Keywords: strawberry basil lemonade, homemade lemonade, summer drinks, 5 ingredient recipes, refreshing beverages, gluten-free drinks, dairy-free drinks