And this right here is why I grow crazy amounts of basil every year. A decade ago I worked at a little tea shop in Chamblee and one of their specialties was basil lemonade. While that job goes down in history as one of the worst, this recipe made it all worth it! Story is the tea shop owners were introduced to basil lemonade when they were living in London years ago. I’ve started to see it gain in popularity in the past few years but seems to still be more popular across the pond as they say!
Basil plants thrive when you pinch back the top set of leaves regularly to keep it from going to seed. This refreshing garden treat is a great way to use just a little bit of basil a glass at a time or prune the whole plant for a pitcher full. I keep plain lemonade in my fridge all summer so I can easily make just a glass at a time when I prune a few basil leaves.
I’ve gotten some weird looks at parties when I show up with a pitcher of this lime green goodness but everyone who tries it is always pleasantly surprised! You can use any basil variety to make this refreshing treat. Large leaf Genovase basil gives a really nice smooth but refreshing flavor. Other basil varieties bring their own special taste to the mix. Purple basil varieties will turn the lemonade a lovely shade of pink instead of lime green.
Maybe one day I will grow my own lemons too and sweeten it with my homegrown stevia. 🌱🍋But you don’t have to grow every single ingredient to enjoy the special flavors your garden has to offer! Even just a patio garden with a few pots is enough to reap the benefits of growing your own food. Let your garden grow with you and your space, time, resources.
Basil Lemonade
This fresh garden treat will refresh you on the warmest of summer days! Multiply per glass recipe 8x to make a full 2 qt pitcher. Any lemonade recipe will work or any store bought lemonade.
Ingredients
- Fresh basil leaves (2-3 per 8oz glass, 15-20 per 2qt pitcher)
- Lemonade (8oz per glass, 64oz per 2qt pitcher)
- Ice (1-2 ice cubes per 8 oz glass, 8-12 per 2 qt pitcher)
Instructions
- Pick your basil, pinching leaves from top of plant
- Rinse basil and remove stem
- Blend basil, lemonade, and ice in a blender pitcher or cup until basil pieces are barely visible
- Optional - strain out basil pieces
Notes
Beverage will turn a beautiful peridot green or if using purple basil a lovely pink
Recommended Products
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Ninja Professional Countertop Blender with 1100-Watt Base, 72oz Total Crushing Pitcher and (2) 16oz Cups for Frozen Drinks and Smoothies (BL660),Gray -
Hiware 64 Ounces Glass Pitcher with Stainless Steel Lid / Water Carafe with Handle - Good Beverage Pitcher for Homemade Juice & Iced Tea, Cleaning Brush Included -
OXO Good Grips 6-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 8 ozAmount Per Serving: Calories: 40Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 30mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 0g