Mint and Basil Lemonade

The flavors of herbs make this Mint and Basil Lemonade a unique and refreshing summer drink. It is perfect for summer afternoons sitting out and enjoying the season.

Love a good summertime drink? You also need these Homemade Slurpees and this Iced Chocolate.

One of my favorite ways to create recipes is making something inspired by something I had at a restaurant or dinner. This Mint and Basil Lemonade is one of those inspired recipes.

I first tried a version of this many years ago at a lunch, and couldn’t get it out of my head. So I had to go home and make my own version. And I’ve been making it over and over again ever since!

So do yourself a favor. Make this lemonade today, and enjoy some on your porch, or your balcony, or your deck.  It’s the perfect way to celebrate summer!

Ingredients

• Sugar: You just need granulated sugar for this recipe. I have not tried cutting back on the sugar or using a sugar substitute, so I’m not sure how that would turn out.
• Water: You will need water for both the simple syrup and for the lemonade.
• Basil: I use a sweet basil, which is the basil that is usually sold at grocery stores.
• Mint: For the mint, I also use the mint that is widely available at grocery stores, which is typically spearmint. But feel free to test out other mint varieties – especially if you have your own herb garden at home!
• Lemon Juice: You want to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for this recipe.

How to Make Mint and Basil Lemonade

PHOTO 1: Start by making your herb simple syrup. You combine the sugar, 1 cup of the water and the basil and mint in a saucepan. Heat it until it just starts to simmer, then let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, turn off the heat and let it sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to combine.

PHOTO 2: Pour the mixture through a sieve, then discard the basil and mint. You won’t need these anymore.

PHOTO 3 and 4: Pour the remaining water, lemon juice, and the simple syrup into a large container or pitcher. Stir it together, and chill until you are ready to serve it.

Tips and Tricks

This is pretty sweet and strong as written. I like to add lots of ice, which waters it down a bit. But feel free to taste and add more water, to taste.

You can also substitute part of the water for club soda to make it a little fizzy.

If you want to tone down the basil, you can use 1/4 cup basil and 3/4 cup mint.

This lemonade is best served chilled, so it’s easy to make ahead and store in the refrigerator.

More Summertime Recipes

Pineapple Dole Whip
Summer Chopped Salad with Berries
Lemon Ice Cream
Sweet Lemon Water

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