Strawberry Basil Italian Lemonade

August 16, 2015 by Leanne Vogel November 2, 2018

A virgin cocktail for sunbathing, afternoon barbecues or late night bonfires. Crushed fresh strawberries with fresh lemon juice, basil leaves and mineral water.

Ingredients

• 24 organic strawberries, crushed
• Juice from 2 lemons
• 16 drops of alcohol-free stevia, optional
• 2 liters (quarts) mineral water
• 48 basil leaves, washed and stems removed and divided
• 2 cups ice cubes

Instructions

1. Place strawberries in a large bowl and crush with a potato masher. You don’t need to go to town on them, just enough to break them up so that they can fit through a straw. Add lemon juice, stir and set aside. If you’ve decided to sweeten it up, add the stevia at this step.
2. Place 24 basil leaves into the mineral water and allow to soak for 6-8 hours. If you’re skipping this step, that’s fine. You’ll need half the basil leaves.
3. When ready to assemble, add 2 spoonfuls of strawberry puree to the bottom of 8 glasses. Add 2 fresh basil leaves (not the ones that were used to soak), and a couple of ice cubes. Pour mineral water over top and serve with pink paper straws.

Notes

If you’re in a pinch, everything can be assembled right on the fly. However, I like to soak the basil leaves in the mineral water to make the flavor punch!

Nutrition Information Per Serving