Strawberry Basil Lemonade

There’s nothing better than homemade lemonade. Especially when it’s fancy lemonade, like this Strawberry Basil Lemonade. It is so good on a hot summer day!

Several years ago, when my kiddos were little, we spent most of the summer at the Country Club pool. I hesitate to write “country club” because I know it makes me sound kind of bougies. I’m not, I pomise. And neither is this country club. In fact, I’d say it’s a country club in name only. There’s a golf course and a pool and some mediocre restaurants. It’s not fancy. Or exclusive. But that pool was a lifesaver when my kids were small.

Each week day I’d pack our giant pool bag (three small kids need a lot of things for the pool) and schlep it all to the pool. I’d spend half an hour slathering all the kids with sunscreen, make several trips to the bathroom, and then, finally, slip into the water.

Luckily, they kept the water a mom friendly temperature, because I spent of the afternoon in the water throwing kids, judging handstands, and teaching pre-schoolers how to swim. I’m not complaining . . . this was a fabulous way to spend my summer days. But sometimes I’d glance at all the moms sitting regally on the side of the pol sipping on Pina coladas and feel just a little bit jealous. I didn’t feel comfortable day drinking while I was supervising little kids in the pool. I was always on high alert during our swimming sessions. But boy, some days I would have loved a fruity drink.

The weekends, however, were another story. On the weekends my husband would accompany us to the pool and with two sets of eyes to watch three kids I could relax just a little bit. Just enough to enjoy a strawberry basil lemonade with vodka.

I loved that drink. It just tasted like summer to me. And so I decided to recreate it at home. Sans booze.

Why You’ll Love It:

This strawberry basil lemonade is like a big drink of summer. It’s sweet and sour and fruity and refreshing. The basil gives it just an interesting hint of savory and complements the strawberries beautifully.

When you leave out the booze, this is a drink that everyone can enjoy. Kids love the pretty pink color and the strawberry garnish. And you might think they’d complain about the leaves, but that hasn’t happened in my experience.

The club soda also keeps this drink light and refreshing.

This recipe is easy, especially if use pre-made lemonade (which I usually do, Simply Lemonade Light is my go-to for this drink). And you can make it up to a day ahead. In fact, the further you make it in advance, the more the flavor meld together and the prettier the pin becomes.

How to Make Strawberry Basil Lemonade:

This strawberry basil lemonade is easy to make. Simply grab a large pitcher–I like to use a glass pitcher so you can how pretty this drink looks–and place your strawberries and basil in the bottom. I always tear my basil leaves so they don’t get brown. Muddle the fruit and herbs together. You can do this with a large wooden spoon.

Then pour in the lemonade and club soda. Add the sliced lemons and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes. The longer you let this drink sit, the prettier it will look. You can make this strawberry basil lemonade up to twenty-four hours in advance.

Enjoy!

There are so many ways to enjoy this strawberry basil lemonade. Have at a picnic or garden party. Serve it at your next barbecue. Enjoy it by the pool.

If you prefer to make homemade lemonade, you can start with fresh-squeezed lemonade instead of a store bought one. You can substitute, or even add, some mint.

Finally, if you re looking for a refreshing summer cocktail, add your favorite spirit for a fun summer drink. Strawberry basil lemonade tastes delicious with vodka, rum, and even tequila.

Happy Eating!

P.S. Find more fun summer drink recipes here.