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Tangy Strawberry Lemonade

This recipe creates a refreshing tangy strawberry lemonade by first preparing a simple sugar syrup. Fresh strawberries are pureed and combined with freshly squeezed lemon juice and the cooled syrup. The concentrate is then diluted with cold water, chilled, and served over ice, garnished with fresh strawberries for a vibrant, thirst-quenching beverage.
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Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 941.9
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • ½ cups Water
  • 1 pint Strawberries
  • 1 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • 4 cups Cold Water to Dilute
  • Ice And Strawberries For Garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Saucepan for making simple syrup
  • 1 Blender for pureeing strawberries
  • 1 Citrus Juicer for extracting fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Large Pitcher for mixing and serving
  • 1 Fine-Mesh Sieve for straining strawberry puree and simple syrup

Method
 

  1. Combine sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves, creating a simple syrup. Let cool completely.
  2. Hull the strawberries and blend them in a blender until smooth.
  3. For a smoother lemonade, pass the strawberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly to extract all liquid and discarding the solids.
  4. Squeeze 1 cup of fresh lemon juice from lemons.
  5. In a large pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup, strained strawberry puree (if applicable), and fresh lemon juice. Stir well.
  6. Add 4 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir again to thoroughly combine.
  7. Taste the lemonade and adjust sweetness or tartness if desired by adding more sugar syrup or a splash more lemon juice.
  8. Chill the lemonade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and ensure it's refreshingly cold.
  9. Serve the tangy strawberry lemonade over ice, garnished with fresh strawberry slices or mint sprigs.

Notes

For optimal flavor, always use ripe, in-season strawberries and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice lacks the bright, zesty notes of fresh. The simple syrup can be made in advance and chilled; ensure it's fully cooled before mixing to avoid diluting the cold lemonade unnecessarily. Adjust the sweetness to your preference after combining all ingredients. For a smoother texture, pass the strawberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve after blending to remove seeds and fibrous bits. Consider adding a few fresh mint leaves or a thin slice of ginger to the simple syrup while it simmers for an extra layer of complexity. For a sparkling version, use chilled sparkling water instead of still water for dilution.