Carrageenan Free Cucumber-Basil Lemon Mint Soda
This garden-fresh sparkling drink is the kind of thing you want to sip on a warm afternoon — cool, herbal, and just bright enough from the lemon to feel genuinely refreshing. Many store-bought sodas and flavored sparkling waters sneak in additives and thickeners that can be hard to track down on a label, so making your own from scratch is a satisfying way to stay in control of exactly what goes into your glass. Fresh cucumber, basil, mint, and lemon juice do all the heavy lifting here, with a touch of honey to round out the tartness. The muddling step is key — bruising the herbs and cucumber releases their natural oils and juice, creating a flavor base that's surprisingly complex for such a short ingredient list. Straining everything before it hits the glass keeps the texture clean and the pour elegant. A slow pour of sparkling water down the side of the glass preserves every last bubble, so your soda stays lively right up until the final sip.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
- ½ medium cucumber, thinly sliced (about ½ cup)
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 8 fresh mint leaves
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 ½ cups plain sparkling water, chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 thin lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- 2 small fresh basil or mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cucumber slices, basil leaves, and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker or large mason jar. Muddle firmly until the cucumber releases its juice and the herbs are bruised and fragrant, about 20–25 presses.
- 2
Add the lemon juice, honey, and cold water to the shaker. Seal and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds, until the honey is fully dissolved and the mixture is well combined.
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