Emulsifier Free Cucumber-Basil Turmeric Tonic

Total time15 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time0 min

4.7

(7)

Emulsifier Free Cucumber-Basil Turmeric Tonic

This vibrant green tonic is cool, lightly herbal, and just a little earthy from the turmeric — the kind of drink that feels genuinely refreshing rather than just trendy. Many bottled wellness drinks and flavored sparkling beverages sneak in lecithin, carrageenan, or other emulsifying agents to stabilize their blends, which makes finding a clean option frustrating. Here, everything is blended from whole ingredients — cucumber, fresh basil, lemon juice, honey, and turmeric — then strained smooth and topped with plain sparkling water, so there's nothing hidden in the glass. The straining step is key: it removes the fibrous solids and leaves behind a silky, jewel-toned liquid that looks stunning and tastes even better. A squeeze of lemon keeps it bright while the honey rounds out any bitterness from the turmeric without overpowering the delicate basil. It comes together in minutes and is the kind of thing you'll want to make on repeat all summer long.

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Ingredients

2 servings

1 medium english cucumber (about 10 oz), roughly chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
1 tsp fresh turmeric, peeled and grated (or ½ tsp ground turmeric)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tbsp honey
½ cup cold water
1 cup sparkling water, for topping
1 cup ice cubes

For serving

2 thin cucumber slices, for garnish (optional)
2 small fresh basil sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1
Add the chopped cucumber, basil leaves, turmeric, lemon juice, honey, and cold water to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 30–45 seconds.
2
Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher or large measuring cup, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Let the strained liquid rest for 5 minutes so any remaining foam settles.

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