Carrageenan Free Strawberry Basil Agua Fresca
Fresh strawberries, bright lime juice, and a handful of fragrant basil come together in a blender to create one of the most refreshing drinks you can make at home. The flavor is floral, a little tart, and just sweet enough — maple syrup does the work here instead of refined sugar, giving the whole drink a gentle, rounded sweetness. Carrageenan is a common additive in bottled and packaged beverages, often used as a thickener or stabilizer, so making your own from scratch is the cleanest way to sidestep it entirely. Every ingredient in this recipe is whole and recognizable, which means you know exactly what's going into your glass. Blending and straining the mixture pulls out a beautifully clear, jewel-toned liquid that looks stunning poured over ice with a curl of lime on the rim. It's the kind of drink that feels fancy enough for a dinner party but is honestly easy enough to throw together on a Tuesday afternoon.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 3 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 8 large fresh basil leaves
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lime slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh basil sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the strawberries, water, maple syrup, lime juice, basil leaves, and salt in a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 45 seconds.
- 2
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through the strainer, pressing gently on the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
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