Refreshing Strawberry and Basil Lemonade

This strawberry and basil lemonade is the perfect summer drink. It's refreshing, tart, and sweet, with a beautiful pink hue. The basil adds a unique and delicious flavor that takes this lemonade to the next level.

I first had strawberry basil lemonade at a farmer's market a few years ago. I was immediately hooked on the unique and delicious flavor. I've been making it at home ever since, and it's always a hit with my friends and family.

Prep time: 10 | Cook time: 0 | Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen halved strawberries
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
• 4 cups filtered water
• Ice, for serving

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the strawberries, basil, lemon juice, honey, and water.
2. Blend until smooth and well combined, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
4. Taste the lemonade and adjust the sweetness or tartness to your liking.
5. Serve the lemonade chilled over ice and garnish with additional basil leaves if desired.

Why It Works

• The strawberries and basil are a perfect flavor combination. The strawberries add sweetness and tartness, while the basil adds a unique and refreshing flavor.
• The honey or maple syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness to the lemonade, without making it too sweet.
• The lemon juice adds a bit of tartness to the lemonade, which balances out the sweetness of the strawberries and honey.
• The water dilutes the lemonade to the perfect consistency.
• The ice chills the lemonade and makes it even more refreshing.