Nightshade Free Chilled Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Cool, herby, and genuinely refreshing, this cucumber mint lemonade is the kind of drink that makes a hot afternoon feel manageable. The base is built from blended and strained English cucumber, which adds a clean, subtly vegetal sweetness that plays beautifully against bright fresh lemon juice. A homemade mint simple syrup — steeped just long enough to turn pale green and fragrant — brings everything together without any of the artificial flavors you'd find in a bottled version. Because every ingredient here is a straightforward fruit, vegetable, or natural sweetener, there's nothing to second-guess for anyone avoiding nightshades, which can sneak into flavored drinks and store-bought lemonades in surprising ways. Maple syrup stands in for refined sugar and adds a gentle depth that makes this feel a little more special than your average backyard lemonade. The whole thing gets chilled before serving, so it's ice-cold and perfectly blended by the time it hits the glass. Dress it up with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint, or just pour it straight — either way, it disappears fast.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the mint simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
For the lemonade
- 1 medium english cucumber (about 10 oz), peeled and roughly chopped
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)
- 2 cups cold water
For serving
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 4 thin lemon slices (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the 1/2 cup water and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup fully dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the mint leaves, and let steep for 10 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and pale green. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl or measuring cup, pressing the leaves to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- 2
Place the chopped cucumber in a blender with 1/2 cup of the cold water and blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Strain the cucumber purée through the fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing firmly with a spoon to extract all the juice; discard the pulp.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!