Recipe for: Lemonade with Polish Strawberries and Fresh Basil - photo 1
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Recipe for: Lemonade with Polish Strawberries and Fresh Basil

Drinks May Day 15 min Easy 0 views ~31.75 PLN - (0)
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Description

Refreshing lemonade combining seasonal Polish strawberries with fresh basil — perfect for hot summer days and picnics. This drink features the natural sweetness of strawberries, the tartness of lemon, and the herbal, slightly peppery aroma of basil. It can be served in a classic version based on sugar or in a sparkling version with honey for a gentler, more complex flavor twist. It looks stunning in a clear pitcher with basil leaves and lemon slices, and the color ranges from light pink to intense strawberry, catching the eye. Perfect for grilling, summer garden parties, or as a daily refreshment for the whole family.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (8)

Servings:
4
  • Strawberry 500 g
  • Lemon 1.5 pcs (~120 g)
  • Sugar 80 g
  • Water 700 ml
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Basil 10 g
  • ✨ Optional
  • Ice 200 g
  • Sparkling water 500 ml
  • Honey 60 ml
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~31.75 PLN (7.94 PLN/serving)

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Strawberry syrup

1

Wash the strawberries under cold water and remove the stems (it's easiest to do this with your fingers or a small knife). Cut the fruits into quarters if they are large. Place the chopped strawberries in a medium saucepan along with the sugar and 100 ml of water (subtract this amount from the total water). This will help the sugar dissolve faster and extract juice from the fruits.

Ingredients: Strawberry, Sugar, Water
Use a saucepan with a capacity of about 1–1.5 liters to have enough space for stirring. If you don't want to use a saucepan, you can prepare the syrup in a wide pot.
2

Heat over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries soften (about 6–8 minutes). When the fruit is soft, mash it with a potato masher or the end of a wooden spoon to release as much juice as possible (if you prefer a smooth consistency, use an immersion blender on low speed).

Ingredients: Strawberry, Sugar
Stir every 1–2 minutes to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom. If you are using a blender, be careful with the hot mixture — let it cool slightly for 1–2 minutes first.
3

Remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl or pitcher, using a spoon to press out as much liquid as possible. Leave the pulp in the sieve — you can use it for yogurt or a smoothie. Let the syrup cool to room temperature (about 10–15 minutes). If you want a version with honey instead of sugar: instead of adding sugar at the beginning, heat the strawberries only with 50 ml of water, and after removing from the heat, add the honey and mix well until dissolved.

Ingredients: Strawberry, Honey, Water
Use a fine sieve to obtain a clear syrup; for textured lemonade, you can skip straining. If you are adding honey, do not boil it — add it to the warm, not boiling mixture.

Classic Lemonade

4

Pour the remaining cold water (about 600 ml) and the juice squeezed from the lemons into a large pitcher (cut the lemons in half and squeeze using a manual juicer or by hand; remove the seeds). Add the cooled strawberry syrup and stir with a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust the flavor: if it's not sweet enough, add a bit of sugar or honey and stir until it dissolves.

Ingredients: Water, Lemon, Strawberry
For squeezing lemons, the best option is a small hand juicer or a citrus press — it helps avoid seeds. If you don't have a juicer, use a fork and squeeze the juice from half a lemon with your hands over a strainer.
5

Gently crush a few basil leaves between your fingers (this releases the essential oils) and add them to the pitcher. Stir and let it sit for 5–10 minutes so the basil flavor infuses into the drink. Finally, add ice if using (200 g) and stir gently again.

Ingredients: Basil, Ice
Use large basil leaves — do not chop them finely, as they will create a bitter taste. Gently crush the leaves just before adding.

Sparkling version with honey (alternative)

6

If you want a sparkling version with honey: prepare the syrup according to the instructions with honey (step 3). Pour 400 ml of cold still water into a pitcher and add the strawberry syrup. Just before serving, top up with 500 ml of sparkling water (add slowly to avoid losing the bubbles) and gently stir with a spoon. Taste and, if necessary, add juice from an additional lemon for a more pronounced acidity.

Ingredients: Sparkling water, Honey, Strawberry, Lemon
Sparkling water should be very cold; add it at the very end to maintain the carbonation. If you are using honey, do not add any sugar.

Serving

7

Pour the lemonade into glasses filled with ice (if using). Decorate each glass with a slice of lemon and a basil leaf. Serve immediately for the drink to be as refreshing as possible. If you prepared the lemonade earlier, keep it in the fridge and add ice and sparkling water just before serving.

Ingredients: Ice, Lemon, Basil
The best glass is a tall highball glass or a clear pitcher to showcase the color. Additionally, you can add slices of strawberry to the glass for effect.

Fun Fact

💡

Strawberries as a fruit have been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century, but the popularity of Polish varieties increased particularly after the war — now fresh strawberries are a symbol of Polish summer and often find their way into simple, homemade drinks like this lemonade.

Best for

letnie przyjęcie piknik grill

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the lemonade very chilled, in a clear pitcher, with a slice of lemon and a whole basil leaf for decoration. For children, prepare a version without sparkling water and with less lemon. For a picnic, take the syrup separately and mix it with water on-site to maintain freshness.

🥡 Storage

Store the prepared lemonade in the refrigerator in a sealed pitcher for up to 24 hours. Do not store with ice (it will dilute the drink) or with added sparkling water (it will lose its bubbles). If you prepare the syrup separately, you can store it for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator in a closed jar.

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