Cucumber Ginger Lemonade

Why We Love This Recipe

• Perfect for summer: This cucumber ginger lemonade is a cooling summer treat. What's better than a refreshing glass of ice cold lemonade on a hot summer day? Cucumber makes it extra fresh, and ginger adds a hint of spice.
• Quick and easy: Once the simple syrup is made, simply throw all of your ingredients into a blender and blend. You'll have refreshing, cooling lemonade ready in under 5 minutes!
• Not too sweet: Thanks to the lemon and ginger, this recipe isn't sickeningly sweet. It's well balanced, with hints of acidity, sweetness, and earthiness (thanks to the cucumber).
• Green juice that's actually good: We love how refreshing and healthy a glass of green juice can be, but your typical wheatgrass and spinach green juice can be a bit off-putting. This cucumber ginger lemonade, on the other hand, has that fresh flavor that you can enjoy in the morning, after the gym, or at dinner as a palate cleanser.
• Different: If you're tired of making the same classic lemonade (or drinking it out of the bottle), this is the recipe for you. Fresh cucumber and spicy ginger create a unique take on this summer tradition.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this cucumber ginger lemonade:

Ingredient Notes

• Cucumber: For this recipe, we're using English cucumbers aka "hot house" or "seedless cucumbers." Even though they do in fact contain seeds, the seeds are much smaller than regular cucumbers, which makes for a smoother purée. They also have little to no bitterness.
• Ginger: In this lemonade, we're using fresh ginger for a deep ginger flavor that will infuse the simple syrup. We peel and chop the ginger into quarter inch pieces for the best results.
• Lemon juice: You have to go with freshly squeezed lemon juice in this drink! It's the best way to add flavor and is critical for that classic lemonade taste. The bottled stuff just doesn't taste the same.
• Sugar: Regular ol' cane sugar is best in this recipe, but feel free to use a sugar alternative if preferred.

Instructions

(1) Add sugar and water to a small pot over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add in the ginger, then bring mixture to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for 40 minutes.

(2) Strain the ginger from the simple syrup and discard. 

(3) Add cucumber, water, lemon juice, and simple syrup to blender and blend on high speed for one minute.

(4) Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp. Pour the lemonade into a large pitcher and refrigerate until chilled (or pour over ice and enjoy right away!). 

Variations

• Make it fizzy: You can replace the water with sparkling water to create a sparkling cucumber ginger lemonade. Note: wait to add the sparkling water until just before serving! You could also top off a glass of this cucumber ginger lemonade with a splash of ginger beer.
• Make it a cocktail: Just add 4-6 oz of gin or vodka to the blender for an incredibly refreshing cocktail.
• Make it even greener: If you really dig (get it?) earthy flavors, feel free to add some spinach, kale, or wheatgrass to the blender for a nutrient-dense green juice.
• Limeade: If you prefer the flavor of lime, feel free to use them instead of the lemons for a more tropical twist.
• Mint: Cucumber and mint pair really well, so you can garnish your lemonade with a sprig of mint, or if you're really big on it, you can add a couple sprigs to the blender.

Tips and FAQs

• Serving: This recipe is best served ice cold. We serve this lemonade in an ice filled glass with a garnish of lemon wedges and sliced cucumber.
• Make ahead and storage: The best way to make this drink ahead of time is to make the simple syrup a few days before, and store it in your fridge. Then, when you're ready to enjoy your lemonade, simply blend, strain, and enjoy!. The blended lemonade will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but be sure to give it a good stir before drinking, as it may separate.
• Slivered cucumber garnish: To make those ribbon-thin cucumber slices that we place on the inside of the glass, the best tool for the job is a mandoline, which is specially designed for creating long, thin cuts. Just be sure to watch your fingers!

Other Drink Recipes to Enjoy

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