Basil Limeade with Strawberries Recipe

Summer is here and the temperatures are soaring. What’s a better way to beat the heat than a nice cool glass of limeade/lemonade? Here’s my fresh from the garden twist on a summer staple.

Ingredients

• 6 Limes
• 2 liters Water
• 4-8 tablespoons of Sugar
• Handful of Basil
• Handful of Strawberries
  

Method

1. Roll whole limes on the counter to help release the juice. Cut each lime in half and squeeze the juice into a 2-liter pitcher. Throw each lime half into the pitcher. Make sure to remove any seeds.
2. Pour 2 liters of water into the pitcher over the halved and squeezed limes. Stir with a long wooden spoon.
3. Add in sugar to taste. Stir again.
4. Throw basil into the limeade, making sure to crunch the basil in your hands first, in order to release the flavor. Add in strawberries. Stir again.
5. Let the limeade cool in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and serve over ice with a strawberry and basil garnish.

I made this recipe using fresh basil and strawberries from my garden. I wish I could say that I grew these limes, but alas two failed lemon plants have shown me that I don’t quite have the citrus gardening touch. I highly recommend growing your own basil and strawberries though. Both are super easy to grow and will be productive from spring until fall. The strawberries are perennials, so they come back year after year. Plus, the flavor of homegrown basil and strawberries is top notch.

This is just a simple, toss everything together and let it marinate recipe. I like to keep the limes in the pitcher in order to get the most flavor out of them. I got this idea from a local fair that I’ve been to since I was a child. A local vendor at the fair is famous for their lemonade, which they make while putting on a bit of a show for their customers. They make every glass of lemonade fresh in front of the customer by juicing the lemons by hand, dumping the lemons into the glass, pouring in a good amount of sugar, filling it up with water, covering the glass and shaking up the whole concoction.

The basil and strawberries pair well with the limeade. They give it a unique taste and add nice pops of color to this classic beverage. Enjoy!

Like this recipe? Check out my recipes that feature basil: pesto, pizza & burgers.