Nightshade Free Strawberry Basil Agua Fresca
Fresh strawberries, bright lime juice, and fragrant basil come together in a blender to create one of the most refreshing drinks you can make at home. The combination sounds fancy but the process is genuinely simple — blend, strain, chill, and pour. Avoiding nightshades doesn't mean giving up bold, vibrant flavor, and this drink is proof of that, relying entirely on fruit, herbs, and a touch of maple syrup for its gorgeous color and sweetness. Every ingredient here is naturally free of peppers, tomatoes, and their relatives, so there's no label-reading stress involved. The fine-mesh straining step is what gives it that silky, restaurant-quality texture rather than a thick smoothie consistency. Served over ice with a few basil sprigs and a lime slice, it looks stunning in a glass and tastes even better than it looks. It's the kind of drink that disappears fast at a summer gathering, so you may want to double the batch.
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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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