Strawberry Lemonade Sparkling Drink (Print)

A vibrant blend of fresh strawberries, lemon juice, and sparkling water offers a refreshing summer treat.

# Components:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
02 - 1 lemon, sliced for garnish

→ Juices

03 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, approximately 2 lemons

→ Sweetener

04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar or 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup, to taste

→ Liquids

05 - 2 cups cold sparkling water
06 - 1/2 cup cold water

→ Ice

07 - 1 cup ice cubes, approximately 8 to 10 cubes

# Directions:

01 - Combine strawberries, lemon juice, sugar or honey, and cold water in blender. Process until smooth.
02 - Pour blended mixture through fine mesh sieve into large pitcher, pressing gently to remove seeds and pulp.
03 - Add ice to pitcher, then pour sparkling water. Stir gently to combine all components.
04 - Taste mixture and adjust sweetness as desired by adding additional sugar or honey.
05 - Pour into glasses filled with additional ice. Garnish with lemon slices and whole strawberries if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 10 minutes, which means you can make it right as guests arrive without feeling rushed.
  • The natural strawberry color is so stunning people think you've been in the kitchen for hours when you haven't.
  • It's endlessly adaptable—change the sweetener, swap the sparkling water, add herbs—and it still tastes incredible every time.
02 -
  • If you skip the straining step thinking it won't matter, the drink will feel gritty and a little unfinished on your tongue—those seeds add an unwanted texture that you'll notice immediately.
  • Never blend the ice with the strawberry mixture because you'll end up with a slushy soup instead of a crisp, bubbly drink that you can actually pour.
03 -
  • Make a big batch of the strawberry-lemon base and keep it in the fridge for up to three days, then just add sparkling water and ice when guests arrive so you're not blending constantly.
  • If you're serving this at a gathering, set up a small pitcher of extra sparkling water nearby so people can top up their drinks as they sit and chat—it keeps everything fresh and slightly stronger than sitting drinks that get watered down by melting ice.
Back