Homemade Lemon Basil Herbal Soda Recipe

How to Make Lemon Basil Herbal Soda

Making homemade herbal soda is easy and rewarding. Lemon basil is one of my favorite herbs to use for a light, refreshing summer drink. Below is a clear, simple recipe for How to Make Lemon Basil Herbal Soda so you can enjoy a tall, icy glass any time.

How to Make Lemon Basil Herbal Soda

This recipe uses just four simple ingredients:

• Fresh lemon basil leaves and stems
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• Club soda or seltzer water

Simple, fresh, and delicious.

Lemon basil has a bright, citrusy aroma that’s different from other basil varieties. If you haven’t tried it, consider growing a plant—it’s easy to cultivate and often self-seeds. Its lemon-forward flavor with a hint of sweet basil makes it ideal for flavorful syrups and beverages.

I grow several basils in containers: lemon, sweet, and cinnamon basil. When your herb garden is abundant, turning fresh leaves into a homemade herbal soda is a wonderful way to showcase them. Guests are always delighted when served a homemade drink like this Lemon Basil Herbal Soda.

Recipes Using Your Herb Plants

Herbal sodas are versatile — many herbs work well. Use this lemon basil version as a template and experiment with other herbs you grow. The process is the same: make a simple syrup infused with fresh herbs, then mix with carbonated water.

I waited until my lemon basil was plentiful before harvesting a cup of leaves and stems to make this batch of soda. The result was a bright, aromatic syrup that transforms ordinary seltzer into something special.

How To Make Herbal Simple Syrup

Follow these steps to make the lemon basil simple syrup for your soda:

1. Harvest one cup of lemon basil leaves and stems early in the morning when the essential oils are strongest.
2. Rinse the herbs in cool water and drain.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.
4. Allow the syrup to cool about 20 minutes so it is warm but not hot.
5. Crush the lemon basil leaves and stems lightly, then add them to the syrup. Stir and press the herbs down so they are submerged.
6. Let the mixture steep for one hour to extract the flavor.
7. After steeping, strain the syrup through cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove all bits of herb—any remaining pieces can promote mold during storage.
8. Pour the infused syrup into a jar with a lid and refrigerate. It will keep for a couple of weeks, though it may be enjoyed long before then.

To assemble a glass of lemon basil herbal soda, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of the lemon basil syrup to a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda or seltzer, stir gently, and taste. Adjust syrup amount to your preferred sweetness and intensity of flavor.

Take a sip and enjoy—the drink is bright, slightly sweet, and perfectly refreshing.

How to Make Lemon Basil Herbal Soda

Ingredients

• Fresh lemon basil leaves and stems — about 1 cup
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• Club soda or seltzer water

Instructions

1. Harvest one cup of lemon basil leaves and stems early in the morning.
2. Rinse and drain the herbs on a paper towel.
3. In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from heat.
4. Allow the syrup to cool for about 20 minutes so it is warm but not hot.
5. Lightly crush the lemon basil and add it to the syrup, pressing the leaves and stems down so they are submerged.
6. Let the herbs steep in the syrup for one hour.
7. After an hour, strain the syrup through cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove all herb pieces.
8. Pour the lemon basil syrup into a lidded jar and refrigerate. It will keep for a couple of weeks.
9. To make a glass of soda, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of syrup to a glass of ice, top with club soda or seltzer, and stir.
10. Enjoy immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 8 ounce glass — Calories: 105 kcal — Carbohydrates: 25 g