Strawberry Lemonade Sparkling Drink

My neighbor knocked on the door mid-July with a colander overflowing with strawberries from her garden, asking if I knew what to do with them. I'd never made lemonade from scratch before, but something about the heat that day and those perfectly ripe berries made me want to try blending them together with lemon juice and sparkling water. That first sip—cold, bright, and fizzy—became the drink I now make every summer without fail.

I served this at a small outdoor dinner party last summer, and my friend Sarah—who usually reaches for something alcoholic—ended up having three glasses. She kept asking how I made it taste so balanced, never too sweet or too tart, and that's when I realized the magic isn't in any single ingredient but in how they play together on your tongue.

Ingredients

• Fresh strawberries (1 cup, hulled and halved): The heart of this drink—use ones that are soft enough to yield slightly when you squeeze them, which means they're at peak sweetness and will blend into the juice without becoming grainy.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 cup): Bottled juice won't give you that bright, living quality that makes this drink sing, so squeeze your lemons by hand or with a citrus juicer right before you blend.
• Granulated sugar or honey/maple syrup (1/4 cup sugar or 3 tbsp honey): Start with less and taste as you go—different strawberries have different sugar levels, so you might need more or less depending on what you're working with.
• Cold sparkling water (2 cups): Add it last and stir gently so you keep all those bubbles; if you're using flavored sparkling water, pick something subtle like raspberry or lemon.
• Cold water (1/2 cup): This dilutes the blend so you're not drinking pure strawberry concentrate and helps the sugar dissolve evenly when you're blending.
• Ice (1 cup): Chill your glasses beforehand if you can, so the drink stays cold longer and doesn't water down as fast.

Instructions

Blend the strawberries with lemon and sugar:

Put your hulled strawberries, fresh lemon juice, your chosen sweetener, and the cold water into a blender and blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and you don't see any strawberry chunks floating around. This usually takes about 30 seconds to a minute depending on your blender's power.

Strain out the seeds and pulp:

Pour the blended mixture slowly through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher, using the back of a spoon to gently push the liquid through while the seeds and fiber stay behind. This step makes the texture silky rather than grainy, and it's worth not skipping.

Build the drink with ice and bubbles:

Add a cup of fresh ice cubes to your pitcher, then pour in the cold sparkling water and give everything a gentle stir to combine without losing the carbonation. Taste it at this point and adjust the sweetness by stirring in a bit more sugar or honey if you want it sweeter.

Serve and garnish:

Pour into ice-filled glasses and top each one with a lemon slice and a whole strawberry if you have them on hand—it makes the drink look as good as it tastes.

Save Pin

There's something about handing someone a cold glass of something you made yourself with fruit and lemon that doesn't exist in a store, and watching their face light up on a hot day. That moment reminds me why I keep making this drink.

Strawberry Selection Matters More Than You Think

When I started making this drink, I'd grab whatever strawberries looked biggest at the farmer's market, but I learned the hard way that size doesn't equal flavor. The smaller, darker berries tend to be sweeter and more concentrated, so if you have access to local varieties, they'll give you a deeper strawberry taste that store-bought ones sometimes can't match.

The Sweetness Balance Act

One afternoon I made a batch with honey instead of sugar, and the texture changed slightly—it created this almost creamy quality that felt luxurious, whereas sugar gave me that clean, crisp finish. Both work beautifully, and which one you choose depends on whether you want the drink to feel light or slightly richer.

Make It Your Own

The base of strawberry, lemon, and sparkling water is solid, but from there, you can steer this drink in different directions depending on your mood or what's in your kitchen. I've added everything from a splash of vanilla extract to a few basil leaves, and each time it transforms the drink into something slightly different but still recognizable.

• Muddle fresh mint into the pitcher after straining for a more herbaceous, refreshing twist that works especially well on really hot days.
• Try substituting the sparkling water with club soda or even a flavored variety like strawberry or raspberry for a layered taste experience.
• If you're making this for a crowd, macerate your strawberries with the sugar for 30 minutes before blending to deepen the strawberry flavor throughout the whole batch.

Save Pin

This drink is the kind of thing that tastes simple but feels special, which is exactly why it keeps showing up at my summer gatherings. Make it once and you'll understand why.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use honey as the sweetener?

Yes, honey can be used to sweeten the drink, but it may not be suitable for vegans or young children under one year. Maple syrup is a good vegan alternative.

→ How can I intensify the strawberry flavor?

Macerating strawberries with sugar for about 30 minutes before blending enhances the berry's natural sweetness and flavor.

→ Is there a substitute for sparkling water?

Club soda or flavored sparkling water can be used instead of plain sparkling water to add a different twist.

→ What tools do I need to prepare this drink?

A blender for mixing, a fine mesh sieve to strain seeds and pulp, a large pitcher for combining ingredients, and measuring tools for accuracy.

→ Can I add other herbs or flavors?

Adding fresh mint leaves can bring a refreshing twist and complement the fruity and citrus notes.