Basil Lemonade - photo 1
← Recipes

Basil Lemonade

Valentine's Day Drinks 25 min Easy 3 wyświetleń ~21.50 PLN - (0)
Rate:
(0)
Start Cooking

Description

Refreshing lemonade with basil is a light, aromatic drink for warm days and romantic moments — perfect for Valentine's Day served in a decorative pitcher with lemon slices and basil leaves. The combination of freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, and gently crushed basil leaves creates a drink with a distinct acidity and a herbal, sweet-cooling note. It looks very impressive — a bright yellow liquid with green accents and ice crystals — and pairs wonderfully with light snacks, fruit desserts, or as a refreshing drink for a romantic evening. The recipe teaches step by step how to prepare the syrup, properly squeeze the lemons, extract the aroma of basil without bitterness, and how to adjust the sweetness to taste.

Ingredients (8)

Servings:
4
  • Lemon 5 szt.
  • White sugar 100 g
  • Water for syrup 200 ml
  • Chilled water (for dilution) 800 ml
  • Crushed ice 300 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Fresh basil 1 pęczek
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Honey 50 ml
  • Strawberries (for decoration) 150 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~21.50 PLN (5.38 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Sugar syrup

1

Prepare a simple syrup: weigh 100 g of sugar and pour it into a small saucepan with 200 ml of water. Place it over medium heat and warm it, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar completely dissolves (this will take about 3-5 minutes). Do not bring it to a rapid boil — a gently bubbling syrup is fine; the goal is for the sugar to disappear from the bottom. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool slightly (about 10 minutes).

Ingredients: White sugar, Water for syrup
Use a saucepan with a diameter of 16-18 cm with a steel bottom. Stir with a wooden or silicone spoon. Do not cook the syrup for too long — we don't want caramelization. The syrup should be clear and liquid after cooling.

Lemon juice

2

Prepare the lemons: before cutting, roll each fruit firmly on the countertop with your hand, pressing down several times — this will increase juice yield. Cut 4 lemons in half and squeeze the juice using a manual or electric juicer. Collect the juice in a measuring cup. If you like, grate the zest from one lemon on a fine grater before juicing — this will add a strong aroma. Strain the juice through a fine sieve into a pitcher to remove seeds and larger pulp pieces. Expect about 120–160 ml of juice from 4 lemons, but adjust to taste.

Ingredients: Lemon
Use a manual citrus juicer or an electric one for convenience. If you don't have a grater, skip the zest. Straining is important if you don't want pulp in the lemonade. If the juice seems not sour enough, you can add juice from an extra lemon after tasting.

Combining the lemonade

3

In a large pitcher (1.2–1.5 l), pour in the cooled sugar syrup, add the filtered lemon juice, and 800 ml of chilled water. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 20–30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Then add fresh basil: tear the leaves from the stems and place them in a glass, gently crush them with a pestle or the end of a wooden spoon 5–8 times — the goal is to release the aromatic oils, not to mash them into a paste. Place the lightly crushed leaves into the pitcher and stir again. Taste the lemonade and adjust the sweetness — if you prefer a sweeter note, dissolve 50 g of honey in 1–2 tablespoons of warm water and add it to the pitcher (optional).

Ingredients: Chilled water (for dilution), Water for syrup, White sugar, Lemon, Fresh basil, Honey
Use a 1.2–1.5 l pitcher or a large carafe. To crush the basil, use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon. Do not crush the leaves too hard (do not blend) — excessive damage gives a bitter taste. If you prefer a sparkling version, replace part of the water with sparkling water just before serving.

Cooling and Serving

4

Add crushed ice (about 300 g) to the pitcher just before serving to prevent the lemonade from becoming watery. If you are using strawberries for decoration, slice them thinly and place a few in the pitcher or on the rim of the glass. Pour the lemonade into tall glasses through a strainer if you want to avoid herb residue. Top each glass with a basil leaf and a slice of lemon on the rim for an aesthetic effect. Serve immediately.

Ingredients: Crushed ice, Strawberries (for decoration), Lemon, Fresh basil
The best are tall collins glasses. If you plan to serve the drink later, keep it in the fridge without ice (add ice only before serving). Avoid adding ice too early — it will dilute the drink faster.

Taste adjustment

5

After the first mixing, taste the lemonade. If it is too sour — add 10–20 g of sugar (dissolve in 1–2 tablespoons of hot water) or 10–15 g of honey; if it is too sweet — add 20–50 ml of water and mix again. If the basil flavor is too strong, remove a few leaves from the pitcher and replace them with slices of strawberries. Adjust to your preference.

Ingredients: White sugar, Honey, Chilled water (for dilution)
To adjust the sweetness, use small portions — it's better to add more than to try to dilute a drink that is too sweet. The flavor should be balanced: distinct acidity, mild sweetness, and a fresh herbal finish.

Fun Fact

💡

Basil has been valued since ancient times — in Mediterranean cultures, it was used not only in the kitchen but also in medicine. The combination of citrus with basil leaves is a classic pairing that appears in many summer drinks and desserts.

Best for

Walentynki letni brunch romantyczna kolacja

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the lemonade very chilled, preferably with crushed ice. For Valentine's Day, add a slice of strawberry and a fresh basil leaf to the glass; you can also drizzle the rim of the glass with syrup and coat it in sugar for a decorative effect. For a sparkling version, replace 300–400 ml of water with sparkling water just before serving.

🥡 Storage

Lemonade can be stored in a sealed pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours; add ice only before serving. Store the simple syrup in the refrigerator in a closed jar for up to 2 weeks. After a longer period, fresh basil will lose its aroma and may brown.

📸 Ugotowane przez społeczność

Zaloguj się, aby dodać zdjęcie
Dodaj zdjęcie gotowej potrawy

Po zatwierdzeniu przez moderatora otrzymasz 10 punktów doświadczenia.

🍲

Nikt jeszcze nie dodał zdjęcia. Bądź pierwszy!

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment on this recipe!

Add a comment

You might also like

Rhubarb-Strawberry Lemonade with a Hint of Spice 60 min

Rhubarb-Strawberry Lemonade with a Hint of...

Drinks
Zero Waste Citrus Cordial with Lime and Lemon 270 min

Zero Waste Citrus Cordial with Lime and Lemon

Drinks
Baked cod with herbs and lemon 50 min

Baked cod with herbs and lemon

Valentine's Day
Homemade Mint-Lemon Syrup with a Hint of Ginger 60 min

Homemade Mint-Lemon Syrup with a Hint of G...

Drinks
Refreshing Lemon-Mint Lemonade with a Hint of Ginger (Sugar-Free) 20 min

Refreshing Lemon-Mint Lemonade with a Hint...

Drinks
Pasta with pesto sauce and chicken 45 min

Pasta with pesto sauce and chicken

Valentine's Day

Recipe Categories

Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a special occasion when love and romance intertwine in culinary delights. It's a time when couples celebrate their feelings, often around a shared table. Traditionally, on this day, dishes are prepared that not only please the palate but also create a magical atmosphere. A red ...

See all recipes in this category
Drinks
Drinks in: New Year's Eve

Drinks for New Year's Eve should be diverse so that every guest can find something for themselves - from champagne to cocktails.

See all recipes in this category
Reklama