This easy strawberry basil mocktail is homemade strawberry lemonade with one clever upgrade. It needs just 5 ingredients and about 10 minutes: fresh strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, sparkling water, and a handful of basil that makes it taste far more special than the effort involved.
A blender and a sieve are the only equipment. It's bright pink, festive enough for a party, and simple enough for a random Tuesday - no zero-proof spirits or hard-to-find ingredients.
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Why this strawberry basil mocktail works
These strawberry lemonade mocktails are everything you need when it's hot outside;
- it looks bright, a red, pink lemonade mocktail
- It looks festive because of the color and fresh fruits.
- It's incredibly delicious. Fresh and slightly sweet.
It consists of two separate drinks which you can mix but could drink separately. If you choose that, you would have to dilute the strawberry syrup with a bit of water. Or you could opt for refreshing lemonade. Anything is possible, and it's very easy to prepare. This mocktail will surprise you! And for lemonade lovers: try my sparkling strawberry lemonade.
This is so refreshing! Even though it's a summery drink, I'll be making this strawberry lemonade mocktail over the holidays for my guests who prefer a no-alcohol beverage. The basil leaves are a beautiful touch!" - Melinda, in the comments
What do you need for a strawberry basil mocktail?
To prepare this Strawberry Lemonade Mocktail with Basil, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:
- Strawberries - Use fresh strawberries if you can get them. Strawberries are best in late spring and summer. Otherwise, they may taste watery. This is a delicious lemonade with strawberries. But it is as tasty when made with blackberries, raspberries, and red currants (you name it).
- Lemons - Just like any other lemonade, you will use lemons. And use freshly squeezed juice. They will taste much better.
- Basil - is a fresh herb, a bit peppery with a touch of mint. It smells slightly sweet.
- Sparkling water - water with bubbles, but without any extra flavor. This strawberry Lemonade mocktail doesn't need additional flavors.
How to prepare this pink lemonade mocktail?
You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step description at the bottom of this blog.
- Wash, hull, and quarter the strawberries and put them together with the sugar in the blender. Pulse until you've got a smooth juice.
- Sieve the juice so all the seeds are removed. This is way better to drink.
- Add lemon juice to the jar.
- Pour the sparkling water into the jar and add basil leaves. Put into the refrigerator to get even more flavor until use. Just before serving, add ice cubes, strawberries, and lemon slices.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I make this strawberry lemonade mocktail ahead? Yes. Make the strawberry-lemon base up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the sparkling water just before serving so the bubbles stay lively.
- Can I use frozen strawberries? Yes, thaw them first, then blend as directed. Fresh in-season berries taste brightest, but frozen works well outside summer.
- Can I use limes instead of lemons? Yes, a reader asked exactly this. The flavor shifts slightly, but it's still really good - swap the lemon juice 1:1 for lime juice.
- Can I turn it into a cocktail? Add a shot of vodka or gin per glass for the adults and keep a zero-proof pitcher for the kids - one reader serves it both ways at parties.
- Can I use less sugar? Blend with half the sugar first, taste, and add more only if your strawberries are tart. Very ripe berries often need less.
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Recipe Help
Two easy tools to make cooking even easier. Cooking mode keeps the screen on. The easy-step recipe displays the recipe step by step, including the ingredients needed. And you can adjust servings easily
Ingredients
- 3 cups strawberries
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 4 lemons, juice
- ½ oz. basil, leaves only
- 4¼ cups sparkling water
Garnish
- ice cubes
- 2 oz. strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 lemon, in slices
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Halve them and put them in the blender together with the sugar.3 cups strawberries, 1¼ cups sugar
- Turn the blender on until you've got strawberry juice, about 4 minutes.
- Sieve the juice with a fine sieve.
- Add the lemon juice with the strawberry juice and pour it into a pitcher (or large jar)
- Add the basil leaves.½ oz. basil
- Pour the sparkling water into the jar and put it into the refrigerator until use.
- Just before serving, add ice cubes, strawberries, and lemon slices.ice cubes, 1 lemon, 2 oz. strawberries
Notes
- Refrigerator - store strawberry lemonade mocktail for up to three days in the fridge in a covered jar.
- Freezer - you can put it in the freezer and store it for up to three months, it will keep good, but the sparks will disappear. If you know you're going to freeze the lemonade, make the strawberry and lemon juice and freeze those. Let it thaw in the refrigerator, and add sparkling water before serving. Besides keeping the sparkles, it also uses less space in your fridge.
Nutrition
Marcellina says
I've got lots of limes at the moment, do you think I could substitute limes?
Melinda says
This is so refreshing! Even though it's a summery-drink, I'll be making this strawberry lemonade mocktail over the holidays for my guests who prefer a no-alcohol beverage. The basil leaves are a beautiful touch!
Mary says
You did it again! Another great mocktail for us teetotalers. I really like the savory hint from the basil. Love this one!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I love mocktails and this one is awesome. The strawberries remind me of summer. And the basil gives it a special lift. I love it.
Nora says
I'm a big fan of the combination of strawberries and basil! Wonderful drink, so refreshing and delicious! Thank you!
Swathi says
Strawberry lemonade mocktail looks perfect drink. I love this combo a lot.
Alexandra says
This is the perfect delicious and refreshing drink, and I love that it is a mocktail! I will be making this again too for our festive celebrations with our homegrown basil 🙂
Padma says
Absolutely fell in love with these flavors. Such a thirst quencher. Add gorgeous too!
nancy says
awesome recipe! i made one zero proof for the kids and one for the adults!
Andréa says
Yes you could, the flavor would be slightly different but still really good!