Strawberry Limeade is the perfect summer drink for BBQ’s or a mid-afternoon treat. Keep this mix in the fridge and enjoy your limeades on demand all summer long.
It’s the first full week of June, which means it’s time to start a new monthly series! In May, we did an entire month of Nerdy recipes. This month, we’re returning to the once-a-week themed recipe model and making a BBQ menu!
I’m starting with a beverage, and over the next three Mondays, we’ll have a BBQ-friendly side, entree, and dessert so at the end of the month, you’ll have an entire delicious BBQ menu ready to go.
For the beverage, I went with a strawberry limeade mix, because nothing says summer to me like a limeade.
Were you a limeade kid? I was. Sonic was one of the few drive-through places near my house growing up, and my family would take late-evening trips in the summer and go get one of their cherry limeades.
As an adult, I rarely drink soda, so I hadn’t had a limeade in yeeeeeears. When I was putting this menu together, a limeade immediately came to mind. I had some strawberries left over from my Strawberry Mimosas, and limes and Sprite from my Red Wine Popsicles, so I whipped up a quick batch of limeade mix to see if I even still liked them.
Um yes. Yes I do.
I had forgotten how a glass of limeade is like sipping summer over ice. The strawberry gives the drink a deeper, more interesting flavor than the traditional cherry, and a hearty squeeze of lime juice is so crisp and refreshing as you sip that you’ll wonder why you don’t drink these all year round.
Making these as a mix is really convenient too. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, so you don’t have to worry about finishing up a huge pitcher of limeades or letting it go to waste, and it lets your friends and family control how much limeade goodness they want in their drinks, which is great, because everyone has very different levels of sweet preference.
Strawberry Limeade Mix
Ingredients
Special Equipment
Strawberry Limeade Mix
- 2 cups (about 12oz) sliced strawberries
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons lime juice about 2 limes
To Serve
- Clear soda
- Lime slices for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine strawberries and water. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove strawberries. Wipe out pot and discard strawberries. Return strained juice to the pot. Return to heat and add sugar. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until mixture is just slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat, add lime juice, and stir. Transfer syrup to a mason jar.
- To use, add one to two tablespoons of the mixture to 1 cup of clear soda (if you would like to use unsweetened soda water, use 2-3 tablespoons or to taste).
- Garnish with lime slices and enjoy!
