Artificial Food Coloring Free Cucumber-Basil Beet Tonic
That vivid magenta color comes entirely from a fresh beet — no dyes, no additives, just pure vegetable pigment doing its thing. Store-bought "fruit" drinks and wellness tonics are notorious for sneaking in artificial colorings to achieve that kind of visual pop, so making this at home puts you fully in control of what's actually in your glass. Cucumber keeps things cool and light, while fresh basil adds an herby depth that makes this feel like something you'd order at a fancy juice bar. A little grated ginger and lemon juice bring brightness and a gentle kick, and a touch of honey rounds it all out without tipping into sweetness. Blending everything on high and then pressing it through a fine-mesh strainer gives you a silky, polished tonic with a gorgeous deep-ruby hue. Serve it over ice with a sprig of basil or a few cucumber slices and it looks almost too pretty to drink — almost.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
- 1 medium beet (about 6 oz), peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ medium cucumber (about 5 oz), roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 cup cold water
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving
- ice cubes, for serving (optional)
- fresh basil leaves or cucumber slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the chopped beet, cucumber, basil leaves, grated ginger, lemon juice, honey, cold water, and sea salt to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds.
- 2
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup or bowl. Pour the blended mixture through the strainer, pressing the solids firmly with the back of a spoon until only dry pulp remains and all liquid has passed through.
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