BHA & BHT Free Strawberry Basil Lemonade
Bright, fruity, and just a little unexpected, this strawberry basil lemonade is the kind of drink that makes a regular afternoon feel like a special occasion. Every sip delivers the sweet tang of fresh strawberries and lemon balanced by the subtle herbal lift of real basil — no artificial anything in sight. That matters more than you might think, because many bottled and canned lemonades rely on synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT to extend shelf life, and they're easy to overlook on a label. Here, a honey simple syrup stands in for processed sweeteners, and every ingredient is something you'd actually recognize. Blending the strawberries and basil together before straining gives the lemonade a gorgeous deep-pink color and a silky texture that feels genuinely elevated. It comes together in just a few simple steps, and the result is a pitcher of something refreshingly clean that the whole table will reach for.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the honey simple syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
For the lemonade
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 5–6 lemons)
- 10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh basil sprigs, for serving (optional)
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the honey and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey is fully dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes until no longer warm to the touch.
- 2
Add the strawberries, basil leaves, and cooled honey syrup to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
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