Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
Make a flavorful strawberry lemonade concentrate that you can store in the refrigerator or freezer for quick, fresh lemonade anytime.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 30 min
- Yield: About 2 cups concentrate
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, crushing the strawberries lightly with a spoon as they soften.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it steep for 20 minutes to intensify the strawberry flavor.
- Strain the strawberry syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
- Stir the fresh lemon juice into the strained strawberry syrup. This is your concentrate.
- Pour the concentrate into an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For a stronger lemon flavor, add the zest of one lemon to the saucepan during the simmering step, then strain it out before adding the juice.
- The standard dilution ratio is 1 part concentrate to 2 or 3 parts cold water or sparkling water, depending on your taste preference.
- Taste the concentrate before diluting; adjust sweetness or tartness if needed before storing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup concentrate
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 48
- Sodium: 1
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 51
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0