Strawberry Basil Lemonade Pitcher (Print View)

Sweet strawberry and basil lemonade, blended and strained into a chilled party pitcher—bright, herbaceous, and refreshing.

# Components:

→ Fruit & Herbs

01 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
03 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4–6 lemons)

→ Sweetener

04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar (or honey/agave for vegan/variation)

→ Water

05 - 5 cups cold water
06 - 1 cup ice cubes, plus more for serving

→ Garnish (optional)

07 - Strawberry slices
08 - Lemon slices
09 - Fresh basil sprigs

# Directions:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and sugar. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves to make a simple syrup. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
02 - In a blender, combine strawberries, basil leaves, and the cooled simple syrup. Blend until smooth.
03 - Strain the strawberry-basil mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.
04 - Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and 4 cups cold water to the pitcher. Stir well to combine.
05 - Add ice cubes and stir again. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon to preference.
06 - Serve in glasses filled with additional ice, and garnish with strawberry slices, lemon slices, and basil sprigs as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can make it ahead for parties, and the flavors just get better in the fridge.
  • Everyone thinks you spent forever making it, but it comes together in under 20 minutes.
02 -
  • Once, I skipped straining the strawberry-basil blend and ended up with a pulpy party mess.
  • I discovered letting the mixture sit in the fridge for an hour deepens the flavors—the extra patience is worth it.
03 -
  • Make the simple syrup ahead so it’s cool when you’re ready to blend—this prevents wilted basil.
  • Strain slowly and gently; pressing too hard can turn the color slightly muddy.
Return