Basil Lemonade
Looking for a refreshing summer drink? Try making basil lemonade! This easy to make beverage is adapted from classic lemonade and will become your new favorite drink!
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 115kcal
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 citrus press
- 1 mesh strainer
- 1 serving pitcher
Ingredients
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water cold
- 1 cup basil leaves
Lemonade
- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
- 5 cups water
For Serving
- 5 sprigs basil
- 1 lemon sliced thinly
Instructions
- Add sugar, water, and basil leaves to a 2-quart (or larger) saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir continuously until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let syrup cool in pan for 1 hour.
- While cooling, slice each lemon in half. Place each half into a citrus press and juice the lemon directly into a large bowl. Do this with each lemon half until you have approximately 2 cups of lemon juice.
- Combine lemon juice, 5 cups of water, and the simple syrup in a large pitcher. Stir to combine.
- To serve, add ice cubes, lemon slices, and 1/2 a basil sprig to a glass and fill with lemonade.
Notes
- To get the most juice out of a lemon, roll it on your countertop before squeezing. If the lemons seem unusually firm, pop them in a microwave for 20 seconds to help the juices flow.
- Strawberry basil lemonade: Stir in some fresh strawberry syrup or even just a few fresh berries.
- Basil lemonade popsicles: Mix up the drink, pour it into popsicle molds, and freeze until solid.
- Lemonade cocktails: just add a splash of gin or vodka, or you could make an Arnold Palmer iced tea by combining equal parts lemonade with sweet tea.
- Basil lemonade is best served cold. You can store any leftovers in a pitcher in your fridge, where they will be kept for up to a week.
- This basil drink doesn’t require smashed leaves on a mortar and pestle. Just simmer the basil, sugar, and water to make a simple syrup.
Nutrition
Serving: 8 ounces | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.3mg
