Nightshade Free Classic Strawberry Lemonade
Bright, tangy, and just sweet enough, this strawberry lemonade is the kind of drink that makes any afternoon feel like a celebration. The good news for anyone avoiding nightshades is that this recipe is naturally free of tomatoes, peppers, and all the usual suspects — it's simply fresh fruit, sugar, water, and sunshine in a glass. A quick homemade strawberry syrup is the real star here: simmering hulled strawberries with sugar and water coaxes out a deeply ruby, fragrant liquid that store-bought versions can never quite match. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice keeps everything bright and lively, balancing the sweetness in a way that feels genuinely refreshing rather than cloying. The whole thing comes together in one pitcher, and you can tweak the sweetness right at the end to suit your crowd. Poured over ice and finished with a few strawberry slices or lemon rounds, it looks as good as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the strawberry syrup
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
For the lemonade
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6–8 lemons)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh strawberry slices or lemon rounds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries soften and release their juices, about 5–7 minutes.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool for 5 minutes, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 20–25 minutes.
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